Selling a junk car

Zoel

So on saturday I managed to do $4,192.68 worth of damage to my 2002 Ford Taurus. My insurer wont pay anything because I only had liability. Unfortunately the bluebook value is only $1750 so I figure I might as well junk it. The problem is that all the junk yards I call only seem to either buy junk cars from insurance companies or sell them. The car itself, other than a broken right front axle and missing headlight, is in remarkably good condition for having $4,192.60 worth of damage.

I can't really hold onto the car and strip the parts myself because I live in an Apartment complex and I have basically no skills as an auto mechanic, but at the same time I'm hoping to recoup something for the car. How can I find a place that will purchase my car for parts?

Zombiemambo

Unfortunately, from what I know, the car is totaled (i.e. the cost of the damage is higher than the value of the car) and nobody will actually buy it.

Ruckus

Zombiemambo wrote: »

Unfortunately, from what I know, the car is totaled (i.e. the cost of the damage is higher than the value of the car) and nobody will actually buy it.

Nobody will buy it for repair/resale, but a business or private citizen might buy it for parts/scrap.

MushroomStick

Any place that'll buy it is going to give you maybe $50.

zilo

Yeah, $50 is roughly the going rate for a junked car. Most places won't even give you that if they have to go pick it up.

mcdermott

zilo wrote: »

Yeah, $50 is roughly the going rate for a junked car. Most places won't even give you that if they have to go pick it up.

Yeah, depending on the value of the parts that are still good, you're looking at anywhere from "we won't charge you to haul it away" to double digits if they're doing the towing.

Which, in the end, may be a bargain for you...disposing of a car can be fucking expensive, and eventually you'll need to get it off your apartment complex's property.

You may also try to list it somewhere like Craiglist, just be specific as to the damage and ask for something low (like a couple hundred bucks). You might find somebody who'll just fix the axle, headlight, and whatever else is necessary to get it roadworthy and just live with the cosmetic damage. Unlikely, though. And be prepared for a thousand calls none of whom will actually buy it (we learned this when we got rid of our semi-junk car).

SmokeStacks

There are people in my area that post ads on craigslist offering to tow junk cars all the time. If it's a decent car that is likely to be recoverable (as in, not that '79 Ford Granada hulk you've had rusting in the backyard for the last two decades) the going rate seems to be around a hundred bucks.

Your car is an '02, is an extremely common model, and has a decent resale value, so parts ought to be cheap and there is a market in the used sector for your model.

Depending on the amount of body damage you should be able to offload your car for a couple of hundred bucks, but even if not, you shouldn't have to have to pay anyone to take it off your hands. If push came to shove, you could always just post an ad on craigslist offering the car and title for free to whoever can come over and tow it.

scrivenerjones

There are also a ton of charities that take cars, working or no. You'd get a tax deduction as long as you itemize.

mcdermott

scrivenerjones wrote: »

There are also a ton of charities that take cars, working or no. You'd get a tax deduction as long as you itemize.

If he's renting, it's unlikely he itemizes. ;-)

But yeah, we looked into that too. It's an option, if nobody else will take it off your hands. Most such charities will take literally any car from you, at no charge. I didn't mention it because I have little doubt you'll find a junkyard willing to give you at least some money even if they have to tow it away...it should have quite a bit of value in recoverable parts.

defreak

You should be able to get at least $100 out of your car.

Last year I was in a similar situation, I had a 2000 Ford Taurus, transmission blew, obviously the repair cost was going to be more than the car was worth.

First I called a bunch of scrap metal yards in my area (Austin, TX), and this place offered the most money, $1 for every 30 lbs of metal. With the Taurus being 3300lbs, that was about $50-$100 depending on how much of the weight of the car was actually metal.

Then I called a bunch of auto salvage shops, the lowest offer I got was $120. Eventually I got one that offered $200, which is how much I ended up selling it for.

Just go to a yellowbook site, and search for auto salvage shops in your area, and just call every store and see who offers the most.

If you do end up selling, make sure you get a receipt, and follow your state's DMV guidelines for selling your car. Usually it involves a title transfer or a vehicle transfer notification to protect yourself. Also, if your state allows it, remove your license plates.

I forgot to remove mine, and the assholes at the shop actually put my old plates on another car, which after 8 months, was parked in a handicap spot, and then the ticket was mailed to me. I was able to prove I didn't own the car anymore and got out of the ticket, but I had to waste a whole day at the courthouse. All that could have been avoided.

Here's the vehicle transfer notification form if you live in Texas.

THEPAIN73

I've sold a car on craigslist before and gotten $100 out of it.

You could always try there.