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Selling an old or non-running vehicle can often feel like it should be an easy task, right? For the most part, people do treat it that way: call a company, get it towed and get paid. In practice, however, it’s a little bit more complicated, especially if you’re potentially looking at losing money for your vehicle.
Here are multiple factors that can result in you losing money when you sell your junk car. Missing paperwork, leaving items in the car and more will all impact how much you can really get for the vehicle. This post is going to look at some ways you can ensure you get a fair price for your junk car without hassle and make the process as painless as possible.
Confirm Vehicle Ownership
The very first thing you need to check is if you’re actually the legal owner of the vehicle—or determine who is. You need your vehicle title for this. Without it, most buyers will refuse to move forward with the sale as they cannot confirm ownership.
So before you do anything else, locate the title and check the details on it to make sure they are your details, are correct and match your identification.
If multiple names appear on the title, then all names will need to sign for it to be collected by the junk removal company. If the title cannot be located, then you need to request a replacement from your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles before you arrange the sale. It’s typically inexpensive, but it can take a few days to process.
When you check the title, check for any liens against the vehicle, too, as this also adds additional complications. If the loan or debt was never formally cleared, the lender may still be on the title. In that case you’ll need proof that it was satisfied before you can legally sell the vehicle.
Write Down Key Details
You need to collate all the details so you can find another vehicle before you start ringing around for quotes or accept any quotes.
To do this, you need the registration or insurance paperwork for the vehicle so you can confirm some details. A quick list you’ll need both and will include:
- Year, make, model
- Whether the engine starts or not
- Approximate mileage if visible
- Visible damage such as rust, collision damage or missing panels
- Whether major parts like the catalytic converter, wheels or battery are missing
Being able to easily provide this information ensures you get a more accurate and fairer quote for your vehicle from the beginning and removes the risk of it changing upon inspection or collection.
Check the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
The VIN is the vehicle’s fingerprint. Each vehicle has a unique VIN, and this is what is used to confirm the exact vehicle configuration and to check registration history.
The VIN is usually located on the driver’s side dashboard near the windshield. You can also find it on the title paperwork, and you should always check that these numbers match because mistakes do happen, especially with older vehicles.
Providing the buyer with the VIN enables them to run the appropriate checks before pickup and removes wasted time and effort for all parties.
Remove Personal Items
Before the sale, you should remove anything you want to keep, any aftermarket accessories you added or internal upgrades like a stereo system, for example, or tech you added after the fact. Go through the glove box, door pockets, and center console as well as your trunk and check under the seats.
Remove anything you may want to use again, like phone mounts, dash cameras, roof racks, etc., and custom wheels if applicable. These will be removed by the seller along with the vehicle, and once the tow truck leaves, it is no longer yours to claim and cannot be retrieved.
Request More Than One Quote
The last thing you should do is take the first quote you get at face value and accept it.
Scrap metal prices can fluctuate, and different companies will have different criteria for their quotes. So it’s always a good idea to get more than one quote.
You might find that certain buyers are after specific models or parts that you might satisfy, meaning you can get more for the sale. Something to bear in mind.
When requesting quotes, ask things like:
- Is towing included in the quote?
- Is the price guaranteed once the vehicle is inspected?
- How quickly can you arrange pick-up?
- How will the money be paid?
When the time comes to sell your junk car, you want to remove as much uncertainty as possible, so it makes sense to be thorough, do your homework, and go with a company offering a fair price.
Photograph the Vehicle
Buyers will ask about the vehicle condition; that’s natural, and written explanations are good, but they don’t tell the whole story. This is where you need to include pictures to build a better picture and get a more accurate quote.
Take pictures from several angles: front, sides, back and interior. Take close-ups of any damage, i.e., rust, broken glass, dents or missing components. If the hood can still open, open it and take a picture of the engine. If you can turn the engine on, take a picture of the lit dashboard too, so you can prove it still runs.
This enables the buyers to see exactly what condition the car is in, removes any disputes over price negotiations and reduces the likelihood that the quote changes upon pick-up. Plus, it gives you confirmation and a visual record of what they agreed to purchase instead of them stating they arrived to pick a vehicle up in a different condition than what they expected.
Selling your junk vehicle should never be complicated, but if you can run through these checks prior to committing to the sale, you’re more likely to receive a better price for the sale than simply handing it over without checking anything.
