What Are Some Important Questions I Should Ask Before Junking a Car?

When your car is no longer driveable, there are still ways that it can be used. According to some statistics about recycling, about 80% of your car parts can be recycled and reused. Rather than sending your totaled car or salvage car to a landfill, you can find a junk cars company to take it off your hands. 

Do you want to learn how cars for cash companies can help you make money from your lemon car and what you should do before junking a car? Keep reading these questions that you should ask before junking your car!

Are There Any Valuable Parts?

One of the first things you want to do before you junk a car is to make sure you remove any valuable parts of your car! As was mentioned before, most car parts are able to be recycled and reused. Rather than sending them to a landfill, see if there is anything you can sell or reuse. 

There are many parts of your car that can retain their value. For example, your engine, tires, and even your car battery can be used for other cars.

Depending on what type of cash for car company you use, you may not be able to take these valuable parts before junking a car. Make sure you check your contract to ensure that you can take these parts and still get paid for the metal of your car.

Have You Canceled Your Car Insurance?

Next, you want to make sure you cancel your car insurance. Every car needs to have some type of car insurance. In fact, it is mandatory in most states that you have liability car insurance at the bare minimum. 

However, car insurance is associated with a particular car, not the driver. So, if your car is no longer driveable, you do not want to be paying a monthly payment for something that you can no longer drive. 

How Much Are You Getting Paid?

Before you choose a company to junk your car, you want to ask how much you are getting paid. Many car junking companies will try to buy your car for as cheap as they can and will sell parts for much more. 

To make sure you are getting paid a reasonable amount, it is a good idea to shop around for the best deal! You can usually get a free quote from car junking companies to see what they will offer for your broken-down car.

By shopping around for cash for cars companies, you will be able to get more money for your salvage car or junk car. 

Do You Have Any Personal Items in Your Car?

Next, you want to make sure you don’t have any personal items in your car. There are many hidden places that you may have things stored. Be sure to check for personal items in your trunk, door pockets, and any type of console or glove box. 

You also want to make sure you don’t leave behind things you will want for your next car, like CDs, sunglasses, or any other personalization. Finally, remove your license plate before you junk your car. 

Make sure you do not leave anything behind, as you will likely not be able to access your car once you have sold it to a junking company. 

Do You Have The Paperwork?

Before you sell your car to a junk company, you want to make sure you have the proper paperwork on both ends. 

When you sell a car, even for scraps, you need to be able to prove that you are the owner of the car. To do this, you need to have a valid car title. This will allow you to transfer the ownership of your car before it is junked. 

Next, you want to make sure the company you are working with has the proper paperwork. If you do not have a written contract with them, you are sure to have a lot of trouble. Whether they change how much you are going to get paid or delay paying you as long as possible, having a written contract can prevent these issues. 

Make sure you have all the information you need before you junk it!

How Much Is Your Car Worth

Finally, you want to find out how much your car is actually worth. As was mentioned before, most junking companies want to earn as much money as they can from a car. They will likely give you a lowball cash offer and turn a larger profit when they sell parts. 

By seeing how much your car is worth, you can negotiate for a better price. Your car’s worth is determined by many questions. Is your car driveable or is it severely damaged? If there is a bad engine, a bad transmission, or if you were in an accident, the value will go down. 

You can also see if there are any valuable parts that could be sold for more money. For example, if you recently replaced your alternator but your cash for car company is only offering you $300 for the metal scraps, you can sell your new alternator for more money. 

Learn More About Junking A Car Today

Learning what to do with junking a car can be stressful. However, if you answer each of these questions before you junk your car, you will ensure that you are getting the best price and keeping all of your valuables!

Do you want to learn more about junk cars, car reviews, and more automotive news? Check out the other articles on our site to read more posts by automotive journalists!

Emily Muelford
Emily is a British writer whose love of car culture is augmented by a fascination with both the European and American automotive markets. Her perspective is uniquely fish and chips.