Local Junk Car Buyers: Everything You Need to Know

Marc Skirvin
Marc Skirvin

What's in this Article

Do you have a junk car lying around and creating a negative impact on the environment? Why not sell it to get some extra cash and help the earth as well?

Yes, leaving a car to spoil is damaging to the environment and a waste of resources. The average junk car still has 85 percent of its materials as recyclable.

Furthermore, a single vehicle contains 5 – 10 gallons of fluid. This may be harmful to the environment and human health if it finds its way out of the car.

So if some extra cash is not enough motivation for you to find local junk car buyers and sell your car, consider the positive environmental impact you’ll make when you do. Read on for tips on junkyards and how it works.

Why Sell Your Car to Local Junk Car Buyers?

Whether your car is still in a good condition or not, you can sell it to other buyers and probably get more money for it. So why sell to your local junk car buyers at all?

Instant Cash

The process of selling your car to a junkyard has no frills and finishes within the day. This means that it’s possible for you to get your money the day you take your car to the junk shop. Always make sure you have your paperwork ready and all owners of the car are present when you go visit.

Time-Saving

Searching for local junk car buyers and shopping around for good deals are likely the only effort you’ll have to make if you decide to sell your car to a junk shop. You can do all these in a day and you can even have your car towed by the company.

Meanwhile, posting an online ad, taking pictures of your car, and all that for a buyer isn’t that enticing. You’ll also have to invest in cleaning services to increase the value and to make it look good for buyers.

Sometimes, all that effort isn’t worth the extra few bucks you’ll get. Junkyards tend to not care because they’re more interested in the scraps. This then brings us to the next point.

No Discrimination

Your car doesn’t work anymore? You can still take it to a junk shop and trade it in for some cash.

No matter what shape the car is in, junkyards can still get scraps from it and recycle them. Of course, you’ll get money for it.

Some local junk car buyers may also accept a junk car without proper paperwork. If you still have your grandfather’s car wasting away in your garage but you don’t know where the title is, it doesn’t hurt to try and ask your local junkyard if they buy cars without it. You will often need to prove your ownership via other methods.

The same goes for junk cars with no registration. You will have to fill out more paperwork.

Make sure to check the local laws as well regarding transferring ownership.

No Scammers

Selling your car to a junkyard will get rid of scammers. You won’t have to deal with checks, wired money, and haggles. You also won’t have to worry about your safety when you agree to meet in a certain place or even in your own home.

However, don’t trust auto salvage yards either. There are those who will give you a different quote on the phone, and then try to give you a lower price upon meet-up. There are also shops that operate without a license, which you should avoid at all costs.

How Local Junk Car Buyers Estimate the Price

To assess the value of your car, junkyards will first need to know every detail about your car. Make sure you know the exact model, year, and make of your car before you call an online business. You can also bring it to a local shop that will assess it.

If you’re inquiring by phone or by an online form, the junkyard will ask for other details of the vehicle. We can give you a higher quote if everything is intact, especially the following:

  • Doors
  • Windows
  • Body Panels
  • Air-conditioning
  • Airbags
  • Engine

Likewise, any damages like dents will lower the value. Make sure to relay this to junk shops to receive an accurate pricing for your car.

What to Look for in Local Junk Car Buyers

Not all auto salvage yards will provide you the best rates and services. This requires you to have a discerning eye to pick out the bad eggs from the good ones. Look out for the following things when looking for local junk car buyers.

License

The first thing you should look for is a license. Yes, junkyards must have a license that allows them to buy and sell scrap metal or junk.

Without it, the business is operating illegally, and you shouldn’t give it any personal information. A proper business also has insurance and connections with reliable towing companies.

Good Customer Service

You will most often be able to gauge a company’s reliability by how they communicate with you.

Are they easy to reach? Do they walk you through the process?

A good junkyard must communicate in a way that you 100% understand what you’re getting into. They must also be able to answer any questions you may have through reliable channels, like a phone number or an email address.

Also, if they speak in a respectful manner, they’re likely to be respectable people as well.

If you have to wait more than a few days before they get back to you, you might not want to proceed with the negotiations. Furthermore, if they act like you’re wasting their time, they’re wasting yours. Proceed to the next local junk car buyers on your list.

Good Reviews

Go online to see if past customers have something to say about a particular junk shop. Join forums or search for blog posts detailing their experience with a company. This helps you measure if an auto salvage company is worth talking to at all.

You should also check Yelp or Better Business Bureaus to see what other people have to say. If the company has a Facebook page, check if some users have left a review.

If you’re looking at local junk car buyers, there’s a good chance that someone you know might have dealt with them. Social media is a good place to ask around. You may even ask your friends and relative to ask theirs for an opinion on a local company.

Business Website and Address

It’s not necessary for a good business to have a website, especially if it’s a small one. However, it sure helps potential customers to find them via a quick Google search. It also helps you to see if it looks official and reputable.

A simple website with little content should ring alarms as the business might be fake. It’s easy now to set up a working website with contact numbers and maybe a fake address to lure customers into a false sense of security. Check out the address, if you can, or call the number to see if they’re working.

How to Sell to Local Junk Car Buyers

Selling to a junkyard is hassle-free, but there are ways you can keep the process simple. Follow these tips to get rid of your car as soon as possible (for money!).

Gather All Your Vehicle Documents

Before you try to sell to local junk car buyers, or to any buyer, make sure you have all the paperwork and other important information about your car. At the least, you should have the title, proof of registration, and the insurance card.

Note that your local junk car buyers might not require all these. Nonetheless, it’s handy having them around when you start selling your car. If you lack some important documents, have your driver’s license ready as well.

Consider Selling Online

Getting around and asking every local junkyard is time- and gas-consuming. Granted, you can close a deal when you get an offer you like. However, the extra time and money you’ll spend might not make that deal worth it in the end.

On a good note, local junk car buyers now offer online services. You can now get a quote online and then have the buyer tow the car for you. You can complete the process without even leaving the house, and you get cash for your troubles, too.

This is especially advantageous when you have a clunker. You won’t have to pay for a towing service to deliver it to a local junkyard or to another buyer.

Get a Quote

We offer a quote for free, as do most other junkyards. Call multiple local junk car buyers to see which one can offer you the best price.

We’ll need to know the make, year, and model of your car to provide you an accurate pricing. It would also help to know the mileage and any damages that the car may have incurred.

We recommend that you be honest as possible when asking for the value of your car. We offer guarantees that the valuation will not change. However, if the condition is much worse than described or there are missing parts (i.e. you did not report the engine was missing), companies will give you a new value.

Shop for Good Deals

Don’t decide on a junkyard merely on price. Consider the other perks that a junk shop will throw in to sweeten the deal.

For example, most businesses like Cash Auto Salvage will tow your car for free. Some may not be free, as junkyards would have factored it into the price. Still, you shouldn’t have to pay for this service.

Some companies might also offer guarantees that the price won’t change when it’s time to pick up the car. This is a common tactic that most people fall for. This is because they think that it would be a waste to back out after the negotiations have gone that far.

On that note, let’s go to the next point.

Avoid Common Scams

When the guy you’re talking to is being vague about something, you’re likely getting in for a scam. Some will give you a ballpark estimate to make you think that they’re offering a better deal than others.

In reality, they will push for the lower end of that estimate and may even lower than that. To avoid this, ask for a firm price and then a guarantee.

Also, get suspicious about junk shops that offer to process the paperwork for you. They may seem well-meaning, but that only gives them the chance to scam you. If they don’t, they will try to charge you for storing your car in their lot.

The general rule is that don’t allow anyone to take your car before you seal the deal. Once you finish the paperwork and you have the money in your hands, then it’s good to go.

Seal the Deal

After finding a junkyard to sell your car to, set an appointment for the pickup of your car and wait for the tow truck. If you can’t be present at the appointed time, let us know and authorize a person to do the transaction for you. Make sure that they have the necessary documents.

Finally, fill out the paperwork, give your title, get the money, and say goodbye to your car.

Contact the DMV

Anytime your car changes hands, notify the DMV online, by phone, or visiting the nearest center. If you still have an insurance company, you should contact them as well to inform them of the transaction.

Ready to Sell Your Junk Car?

Don’t waste time and let your car collect rust in the backyard.

If you want to sell your car fast and get money at this instant, contact us now and let’s arrange a good time to pick up the car. We’ll pay the highest possible price in cold hard cash. The best thing is that we can get to you within 24 hours.

Receive a free quote now!

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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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