Is Parting a Car Out Profitable? Here’s What to Know

Picture of Marc Skirvin
Marc Skirvin

In this article

So, you’re sitting on your porch and looking at your worn-down ride. Although you’ve shared some fond memories with it, the sad reality is that its best days are long gone and bringing it back to life is out of the question.

Whether it’s because you would rather spend on more practical matters, the repairs are more trouble than they’re worth, or you’re strapped for cash, the moment you decide not to fix a car is when you’re left with a few options on the table. Considering that you have limited options to deal with, you’ll eventually end up asking yourself one question: “Is parting a car out profitable?”

An Avenue Worth Taking

Ever since scrap yards were opened up and the idea of selling components came to be, the opportunity to part out a car has grown exponentially in terms of importance and availability. Today, dealing with a junk car doesn’t necessarily mean being stuck with a heap of metal for many years because you’ll always have the option to part out. By simply getting in touch with or contacting your local dealer, you can ensure that you’ll get a definite amount of money back on what you paid for your now-junked vehicle. 

When done right and with the necessary mindset, parting out a car can yield more than one can expect because of a growing demand for spare parts. Fortunately, the need for components from junk cars will continue to rise as more motorists search for cost-effective ways to keep their vehicles running as smoothly as possible. 

What Does It Mean to Part Out a Car?

The whole idea or process of parting out your car for cash is fairly straightforward: it begins with you or a qualified mechanic taking out or removing specific pieces or components from your junked vehicle. From items that are small as door handles to components that are as large as an engine or transmission, each component that can be removed is eventually sold according to a specific price or offer placed by a buyer.

Difficulties to Watch Out For

While the premise of parting out is rather straightforward, it can be quite complex at times because of how some parts are either installed or the way they’re built.

Although there are some parts that you might be able to remove yourself even with basic mechanical expertise, there are other components that require a skilled laborer to remove (which costs more money). On the other hand, there are some parts that you shouldn’t attempt to remove on your own as they may contain heavy and contain toxic chemicals.

Is It a Profitable Idea Worth Looking Into?

The answer to this question actually depends. Although it may seem like a cliché answer, the reality of parting out a car for cash is that it’s a 50-50 situation as there are different factors involved.

Generally, the only way parting out would be profitable is if the money to be made outweighs the costs involved (for example, the parts are rare or hard to come by, there are certain components that are as valuable as half of the car, or if the car is a collector’s item). If a car is in terrible shape and its parts aren’t as highly valued as they should be to break even at the very least, then you’re better off not taking the part-out route.

If It Isn’t a Practical Idea to Part Out for Profit, What Can You Do?

When you look into the details and determine that it’s not the best idea to part out your car because it will be more trouble than it’s worth, you’ll want to know what else you can do with your junked automobile. Fortunately, it is very much possible to still get cash on a car that’s not worth parting out because it is as easy as getting in touch with Cash Auto Salvage, and we will take it off your hands!

Conclusion

Dealing with a junked car often ends up at a point where you’ll need to deliberate between parting it out for profit or avoiding the idea entirely. By weighing out your options and looking into the details involved, you’ll be able to best assess whether your once-lively automobile’s whole self is more valuable than the sum of its parts (or the other way around).

At Cash Auto Salvage, we buy junk cars regardless of the make, model, or condition. Check out our online calculator today to get an instant quote!

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About the Author

Picture of 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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