Cash Auto Salvage
Get an offer
Recent2000 Lexus ES · Rockford, IL · $275

Sell your junk car in Chicago, IL

Free pickup across Chicago and the rest of the metro. Instant offer in about 90 seconds. Cash or check on the spot.

  • Free tow anywhere in greater Chicago
  • Running or not — with or without a title
  • Cash or check at pickup. No haggling.
1-855-922-3095Talk to a local Chicago buyer.

Get your instant offer

~90 sec

Year, make, ZIP — that’s all we need to start.

No obligation · Free pickup · Paid at pickup
Or call 1-855-922-3095
$400
Average payout (nationwide, all-time)
$1,090
Top 10% payout
42,000+
Cars purchased to date

Cash for junk cars in Chicago. We work around lake-effect winters and alternate-side rules.

Chicago winters are the hardest test a car can face in this country — lake-effect snow, road salt by the ton, freeze-thaw potholes, and weeks of single-digit cold-starts. By year 10 most Chicago cars are ready to come off the road. We pick up across the entire metro, from Lincoln Park to Joliet. Free tow, instant offer in 90 seconds, paid on the spot.

Chicago coverage

We come to you21+ Chicago neighborhoods, free tow.

We pick up across Chicago and the surrounding metro — Evanston, Skokie, Oak Park, Berwyn. Most pickups same-day or next-day.

The Loop
River North
Lincoln Park
Old Town
West Loop
Wicker Park
Logan Square
Bucktown
Lakeview
Andersonville
Hyde Park
Bridgeport
Pilsen
Little Village
Rogers Park
Edgewater
Albany Park
Avondale
Garfield Park
Englewood
South Shore
Plus surrounding metro
Evanston·Skokie·Oak Park·Berwyn·Cicero·Naperville·Schaumburg·Aurora·Joliet
How it works

Sell your junk car in Chicago in 3 steps

Same process whether you're selling a Civic in Hyde Park or a flooded F-150 — fast, free pickup, paid at the gate.

01
Tell us about your car

Year, make, model, ZIP. Takes about 90 seconds on your phone.

02
Get your instant offer

A firm number, not a guess. What you see in the offer is what we pay at pickup.

03
Free pickup in Chicago

Pick a time. Our partner tows for free. Cash or check at pickup.

Chicago pricing

Recent Chicago-area payouts

Representative offers across Chicago and the close-in suburbs, calibrated to our ledger medians by make and condition. Chicago cars typically run a little lower than national averages on body-panel value because of salt corrosion, but the drivetrain side of the offer is normal — we don't double-penalize for rust.

VehiclePaid
2008 Honda Civic$485
2010 Toyota Sienna$1,180
2007 Chevy Silverado$1,420
2012 Subaru Outback$985
2009 Ford Explorer$745
2014 Honda CR-V$1,840
2005 Nissan Altima$245
2011 Toyota RAV4$1,320
Local wear & tear

Why Chicago cars age out faster

We've bought thousands of cars across Chicago — here's the local pattern we see year after year.

Road salt

Cook County salts heavily — more per winter than almost any region in the country. By year 8 most Chicago cars have visible undercarriage rust; by year 12 the rust is structural. Brake-line replacement from corrosion is the most common drivetrain repair we see.

Cold-start stress

Single-digit winter temperatures stress batteries, thicken engine oil, and crack rubber components. Cracked engine blocks from improper coolant and dead alternators are routine in February pickups. Cold starts are the single hardest thing on an aging powertrain.

Pothole damage

Freeze-thaw cycles destroy Chicago roads. Bent rims, blown tires, and front-end alignment damage accumulate fast. Suspension repairs on a 12-year-old Chicago car often exceed its market value.

Hail

Spring and summer thunderstorms bring serious hail. Roofs, hoods, trunk lids — even minor hail damage drops resale value 10-20%, and insurance often totals older cars after a single storm.

City parking damage

Tight street parking in Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, Logan Square, and the rest of the North and West Sides means dings, scrapes, and parking-meter contact build up fast. Cosmetic damage kills trade-in value.

Catalytic converter theft

Chicago saw a major cat-theft spike from 2021-2023, especially on Hondas and Hyundais. Cars showing up at pickup with the cat already cut are still buyable, but the offer reflects the missing converter.

Salt is the dominant Chicago factor

Cook County and the surrounding counties drop more road salt per winter than almost any region in the country. By year 8 most Chicago cars have visible undercarriage rust; by year 12 the rust is structural — rocker panels softening, brake lines corroding, frame rails pitted. State inspections don't catch all of it, but a lift inspection by a reputable mechanic usually does.

What this means for our pricing: Chicago cars get a small discount versus Sun Belt equivalents because more of the recoverable scrap is unusable steel. But the engine and transmission don't care about rust, so the drivetrain side of the offer stays normal. A 2012 Camry with a clean drivetrain pays well in Chicago even if the rocker panels are rotted — we don't double-penalize.

What we pay, and the cold-weather factors

Across recent Chicago purchases, payouts cluster about 5-10% below national medians on cars 8+ years old, mostly because of body-panel rust. Newer cars with intact catalytic converters and working drivetrains run on par with Sun Belt equivalents. Hybrids and trucks land at the top of the range; sedans with cut catalytic converters land at the bottom.

Cold-weather mechanical failures are the most common reason Chicago cars enter our pickup queue. Cracked engine blocks from improper coolant, dead alternators from cold-start stress, frozen brake calipers, transmission lines that gave out after a single bad winter — we see all of it. The car runs fine for ten years and then a single cold snap finishes it. We buy regardless.

Common situations

Common Chicago sell-your-car situations

The scenarios we run into most often across Chicago. If your situation isn't here, it's almost certainly something we've seen — submit an offer and tell us what's going on.

Scenario
Your car's stuck in a North Side garage

Common across Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Wicker Park brownstones. Narrow ramps, low ceilings, sometimes a 90-degree turn at the bottom — we've seen all of it. Tell us at scheduling and we'll send the right equipment. No extra charge.

Scenario
Outstanding city stickers or parking tickets

Doesn't affect our offer. The buyer (us) doesn't inherit Chicago vehicle stickers or parking tickets — those are between you and the city. As long as the car isn't booted at pickup time, we can take it.

Scenario
Cracked block from a hard winter

Single-digit cold cracks engine blocks on improperly maintained coolant systems. We see it every February. The car becomes uneconomical to repair; we buy it as a non-runner. The offer reflects the engine status but the rest of the car (transmission, body, cat) still has value.

Scenario
Hail-damaged after a Mother's Day storm

Spring hail on the Chicago plains can total a 12-year-old car. If insurance gave you the ACV and let you keep the salvage, we'll buy the car. The offer reflects the salvage title but it's still meaningful money.

Scenario
Frame-rotted from suburban driveway storage

Cars stored on dirt or gravel driveways in older Cook County suburbs accumulate frame rot faster than asphalt-stored cars. We pick them up either way. Frame rust drops body-value but not drivetrain value — the offer is still real.

Chicago rules

Title and paperwork in Illinois

Most states require the title signed at sale. If you've lost yours, your DMV will issue a replacement (typically $5-$50, 1-2 weeks). For non-running vehicles, the buyer often needs to coordinate the title transfer separately from pickup. Tell us your situation up front and we'll walk you through it.

4.9 / 5

Trusted by sellers

Verified Google reviews. Sample below — see all 405+ reviews.

“Selling our car was fast, easy and better than we expected it would be.”

— Thomas Feeny

“Best offer”

— Jessica Beras
Chicago FAQ

Common questions, Chicago edition

The short answers. Tap any to see the rest.

Do you buy junk cars that don't run in Chicago?
Yes — most of the cars we buy in Chicagodon’t run. Engine seized, transmission gone, electrical issues, no battery — none of it’s a problem. We tow free either way. More on selling a non-running car →
Is pickup really free in Chicago?
Yes. Free pickup across Chicago and surrounding areas including Evanston, Skokie, Oak Park. Same-day or next-day in most ZIP codes. The number you see in the offer is what you get paid — no hidden tow fee.
How do I get paid?
Cash or check at pickup, your choice. Most sellers prefer the check — easier to deposit, paper trail. Either way, you get paid before the car leaves.
How do you decide what my car is worth?
Year, make, model, condition, and what comparable vehicles in your region have sold for over the last few months. We pull from 42,000+ historical purchases plus current scrap-metal prices. The offer you see is the number we’ll pay at pickup — no bait-and-switch. More on what your junk car is worth →
Are you open on Sundays in Chicago?
You can get an offer online any time, including Sundays. Phone support runs seven days a week, with same-day pickup options when our partner’s available.
How do I get a junk car out of a Chicago alley?
Most North Side and West Side alleys are too narrow for a flatbed but workable for a wheel-lift. We send the right equipment based on your address. Tell us if the car is in an alley vs. on the street and we'll plan accordingly.
Do you handle the IL title transfer?
Yes. We complete the IL Secretary of State paperwork on our end. You sign the title at pickup; we file from there. If you've lost the title, we can wait for the duplicate or buy without one if your situation allows.
Will outstanding city stickers or parking tickets stop the pickup?
No. Tickets and stickers are between you and the City of Chicago. We can buy the car as long as it's not currently booted. Booted cars need to be released before we tow.
How fast is pickup in Chicago vs. the suburbs?
Most Chicago city ZIPs get same-day or next-day pickup. North Shore and Western suburbs (Evanston, Oak Park, Naperville) typically next-day. Far western and southern suburbs (Aurora, Joliet, Schaumburg) usually within 1-3 days.
Do you buy cars with frame rust?
Yes — frame rust is common on Chicago cars. The offer reflects the body condition, but if the engine and transmission are intact, the car still pays. We don't refuse cars over rust.
Is winter pickup OK?
Yes — we pick up year-round. Heavy snow days might delay scheduling by 24 hours, but we'd rather coordinate the pickup before the car is buried for a week than after.
More in Illinois

Other Illinois cities we serve

AuroraBartlettBlue IslandJolietLansingNapervilleNorth ChicagoPeoriaRockfordSouth ChicagoSouthern IllinoisSpringfieldWheeling
See all of Illinois
Serving Chicago, IL

Ready to sell your junk car in Chicago?

Instant offer in under two minutes. Free pickup. Cash or check at pickup.

Get my instant offer1-855-922-3095