How To Scrap Cars For Cash — Follow These 5 Top Tips To Scrap Your Car

Having to scrap a car for parts can be a convoluted and confusing process. Whether you've just had your car so long that it's truly past its prime or the cost of repair is higher than the car's value, you'll need to get rid of it the right way to avoid liabilities and losses. Let's walk through some steps s you can learn how to scarp your car for cash.

HOW DO I KNOW IF IT'S TIME TO JUNK MY CAR?

Even if your car isn't falling off the frame, there are some telltale signs that it's time for it to go down the road. If your car is no longer fuel-efficient, and you find yourself filling the gas tank more than once weekly, it may be time to look for a more fuel-efficient model. If it is simply costing too much to keep it on the road, and you see higher and higher repair bills in your future, it's time to let it go. Lastly, if it's totaled or has recently been in a significant accident, it may be more of a liability to drive than you want to deal with. Scrap your car for cash, and look for a safer, more economical option when you travel.

WHAT’S WITH SCRAP METAL, ANYWAY?

Simply put, the reason people purchase cars for scrap is for the metal. Scrap metal from cars can be melted down, recycled, and reused to make other products. Authorized and licensed scrap yards have the ability to use indexes that attach a value to scrap metal. This value rises and falls much like the stocks in the stock market, so make sure to ask what the current value is before doing business with a scrapyard. Read on as you tackle this project, and hopefully you'll be pleased with how much money you can eventually put in your pocket.

GETTING MONEY FOR YOUR JUNKER

Did you know that it's possible to scrap cars for cash? Doing it the right way will allow you to get the most bang for your buck. Before you pull up to the scrapyard and settle for pennies on the dollar by someone who clearly doesn't know its value, consider this list of quick tips that will allow you to walk away with a tidy sum. Remember, you can sell your junk car to a scrapyard ore junk yard like Pull-A-Part, and we will give you a fair offer of cash on the spot. Or you could try and do-it-yourself, and squeeze a little more money. But remember, that little bit of more money requires a lot more effort. That’s the value you will get with us. Otherwise, take these tips and make the most out of scrapping your junk car for cash.

1. CONSIDER DISASSEMBLING YOUR VEHICLE

You'll get more money for your vehicle if you can disassemble it and sell it off for parts. While this sounds like a daunting task, sometimes the act of grabbing some sockets, wrenches, and pliers and digging in. If you choose to go this route, make sure you have a system of organization for some of those smaller parts to keep everything together. If you know next to nothing about disassembly, consider asking a trusted friend or mechanic to help you with this process, which could take hours, days, or weeks depending on your level of proficiency. Know that your efforts will not be in vain, as you'll be able to sell off individual pieces rather than the whole junker.

2. SORT YOUR CAR...PIECE BY PIECE

Two types of metal are used in making cars—ferrous and non-ferrous. Ferrous metals are magnetic, so you'll need a magnet to distinguish the two. Scrap parts on a car can vary in value depending on the type of metal that is in demand at the time. Catalytic converters are a high-ticket item, as rare metals are used to reduce pollution from combustion engines. Other valued items are those made from cast iron. Car starters, alternators, and batteries also have value due to the types of metal used to create each part.

3. WHAT CAN AND CAN'T BE SOLD?

There are some parts of a car that scrappers will have no interest in; it is not worth your time to bargain on these items. While just about everything can be recycled, you may end up organizing a pile of these items for an upcoming trip to the dump. These items include:

• Plastic used for making interior features of a car
• Wood
• Radioactive materials
• Lead
• Mercury

Not all of these materials will be found in your car, but in general, everything that is not metal will not be able to be sold for these purposes. Make plans to dispose of, sell, or recycle them properly.

3. CLEAN ALL SCRAP PARTS

Yet another daunting but necessary part of converting your car to cash is the process of cleaning all metal to be sold. Parts that have been sitting for a long time are caked with debris, dirt, rust, and sludge that will not make the melting process easier. Cleaning off those parts will remove a step for those who wish to take the parts off your hands; they may in turn be prepared to offer you more money per part for your efforts.

4. DO A LITTLE RESEARCH BEFOREHAND

Before you dig into the big job of disassembly, organization, and clean up, do a little research into current metal value and what parts are going for. As you approach scrapyard and organizations for sale, you'll be able to determine whether these individuals are dealing with you in an honest and fair manner. Be prepared to negotiate and ask for current value price.

5. TOO MUCH FOR YOU? CONSIDER AN INSTITUTION THAT SPECIALIZES IN BUYING JUNK CARS

Plenty of options exist for selling your entire car to an organization that will do the breakdown for you. Many of these institutions will offer a free, no-obligation quote over the phone that can give you an idea of what your car is worth. Call a few of these organizations to see what top dollar could be, and have peace of mind that this task can be crossed off your list as you prepare for a new vehicle.

Yes, step 5 comes back to contacting a junk car buyer like Pull-A-Part. It’s a daunting process to junk a car. And since a junk car is usually sitting there, wasting away, it’s worth something, and you can easily get some extra cash in your pocket with very little effort. The more effort you put in, may yield a little more money. But ask yourself, “how much time do you want to spend dealing with the sale of your junk car?” If you want it to be a fair deal with virtually no effort on your part, contact Pull-A-Part today.