The car recycling industry is worth about $25 billion, ranking as the 16th largest industry in the United States.
Junking a car is a good thing to do if it’s beyond repair or just not worth the effort to fix. It’s easier than selling a car for parts and you can end up with some cash for the car.
It’s important to be prepared when you’re scrapping a car. If you want to know how to junk a car the right way, read on to learn five things to do before you get rid of your old car.
- Research Your Car’s Value
Even though you’re scrapping a car, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have much value. The Kelley Blue Book isn’t reliable here because your car probably isn’t running at this point. It’s a good tool to use if your car runs and has minor issues.
For cars with major issues, you should get 3-5 quotes from junk car buyers to see what you can get. You should expect quotes between $250 – $500.
- Prepare the Car
Just because you’re junking the car doesn’t mean that you can just leave it as is. You have to take some steps to prepare your car.
Find the title, registration, and insurance for the car. You’ll need to cancel the insurance policy once the car is out of your hands.
You’ll also have to clear the car of any personal items. Parking permits, papers, and clothes often get left behind. Do a thorough cleaning before junking a car.
- Sell Major Parts
Did you customize your car? You might want to pull out those customizations and sell them privately.
If you had a new stereo and speakers installed, you don’t want to junk them. This lets you sell the car for the real scrap value, not for the scrap value and parts.
- Get the Best Deal
The best way to get rid of your old beater car is to find a company that scraps junk cars. This is why knowing your car’s value is important.
You’ll want to contact a few companies and get quotes from them. Find out if they have free towing and if there is room for negotiating a better deal.
- Empty the Gas Tank
Your car is likely to sit in a lot for a long time in a junk lot before it gets scrapped. This is an environmental hazard and junk car dealers have to go through a long process to empty the car of fluids.
If you use up the gas in the tank, you might have a little negotiating power.
Take These Steps Before Junking a Car
Junking a car isn’t as simple as calling a tow truck to take it away. You’d leave money on the table doing that!
To get the most value possible out of your car, find out how much your junk car is worth, then make sure you take out your personal belongings. Find the right company and they’ll handle the rest.
For more great auto tips, be sure to check out the other articles on this site.