Turn Your Stalled Car Around! How to Sell a Car That Doesn’t Run

Marc Skirvin
Marc Skirvin

What's in this Article

Do you have a stalled car sitting in your driveway and doing little more than taking up space? If so, you should learn about how to sell a car that doesn’t run and get top dollar for it.

Selling a stalled car can be a little bit challenging. There are a lot of buyers that will try to lowball you with their offers in the hopes of coming up on a car that’s in decent shape without paying too much for it.

But there are a handful of different ways that you can sell a stalled car and get a fair price for it. Check out 6 ways you can go about selling a car that won’t run below.

1. Consider Fixing the Car Up First

Before you start trying to sell your stalled car, see how much it could potentially be worth if you could get it up and running again. If there’s a chance you could get a few thousand dollars more for your car if it wasn’t stalled, it might be worth fixing it up prior to selling your vehicle.

That being said, this won’t be an option for many people who have stalled cars. Often times, these cars are only worth $1,000 or so, which means you wouldn’t make much of a profit if you spent money repairing it.

It’s something to consider, though. Even if you made a minor repair so that the car starts, it’ll give you more leverage at the negotiating table.

2. Place an Ad in the Newspaper for It

If you decide that fixing up your car isn’t worth the money or the hassle, your next step should be to think about placing an ad in the newspaper for it.

Be honest in your ad for your car. Mention that it doesn’t run and that whoever buys it will need to either repair it or scrap it for parts.

But feel free to add details that could entice those interested in buying it. For example, if it has low mileage on it and an exterior that’s in decent shape, you might get some bites after putting your ad in the paper. People will want to know more about whether or not the car would be a good investment for them.

3. Talk With a Local Car Dealer

There are about 17 million new vehicles sold in the U.S. every year. But there are also about 40 million used vehicles sold every year as well.

This proves that there’s a huge market for used cars, and there are plenty of local car dealers out there that are looking to use this to their advantage. They’ll often buy up used cars, fix them, and get them back out on the road in no time.

You can benefit from this by speaking with a local car dealer to see if they might want to buy your car from you. Be aware of the fact that many local car dealers will try to buy your car for as little as they can. But it’s an option that’s worth exploring.

4. Speak With a Scrapyard About It

There are scrapyards all across the country that are buying up used cars in bulk these days. And they’re not just snatching up junk cars, either! Many of them are investing in cars that are still in decent shape.

If you have a car that won’t start, you can go online and see how much you could get for your car in a matter of minutes. All you have to do is provide some details about your car and its current condition, and you’ll receive an offer on the spot that you can either accept or decline.

If you choose to accept the offer, the scrapyard will send a tow truck out to your home to pick it up for free and hand you cash for it.

5. Sell Individual Parts From the Car

Do you know a lot about cars? More specifically, do you know which parts from a car are worth money, and could you take them off the car if you had to?

If you feel comfortable tinkering around with your car on your own, you can take parts off it and sell them one at a time on auction websites and online marketplaces. Your car might not look like much to the naked eye, but it could have valuable parts under the hood and underneath the car.

Make sure you know what you’re doing if you make the decision to go this route. The last thing you want to do is spend hours pulling parts off your car only to find that they’re not in good enough condition to sell or not the kinds of parts that will attract offers.

6. Donate It

If you try everything else and can’t seem to get any decent offers for your stalled car, there is one last option for you to try. You can donate your car to a good cause. There are charities all across the country looking to buy old cars now.

You’re not going to make any money when you donate your car. But you will be able to earn a tax deduction next year. You’ll also like the feeling you get when you make a donation that will go to good use.

Just be careful about which charity you choose to sell your stalled car to.

Choosing How to Sell a Car That Doesn’t Run

The options listed here are good ones for those trying to figure out how to sell a car that doesn’t run. With the exception of donating your car, they’ll all earn you cash and allow you to unload your car fast.

But your best option is to start by seeing how much a scrapyard will pay for your stalled car. It’s easy to do and will give you an opportunity to see how much your car could bring in without you having to leave your home.

Receive an instant offer for your stalled car today and decide if you want to accept it on the spot.

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About the Author

Marc
Marc

Marc is the Co-Founder of Cash Auto Salvage and Director of daily operations. He retired from a leading Internet Marketing company in 2013 and has been involved in the automotive industry ever since.

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