With over six million vehicles registered in Minnesota, it's no surprise that there are also a number of old cars lying around. If you have a car you're not using anymore that you want to get rid of, you may want to look into selling it to junk car buyers. Finding a scrapyard that will take it is a great way to get cash for cars nobody else will buy.
⚠️ If It's Broken, Don't Fix It - Get Paid Cash for Your Vehicle ⚠️
Keep reading to learn more about the process you will go through to sell your scrap car to a junkyard. Each step is essential if you want to get the most money from your vehicle.
1. Preparation
Before you can find a junk car buyer, there are a few things you need to do first. These will help the rest of the process go more smoothly.
Locate Title
You will need to have your title to sell your car. If you don't have it, you'll need to apply for a new one with Minnesota's DVS.
Gather Information
You'll also want to gather other information about your vehicle before you look into getting quotes.
Some information you need on hand includes:
- Vehicle's year, make, and model
- Vehicle identification number (VIN)
- Condition of car's body, motor, etc.
- Any upgrades or modifications made to the vehicle
- Mileage
Depending on your state, you may need paperwork other than your title, so be sure to have that as well.
Clean Out Your Car
Once you've gotten that in order, you can start to clean out your car in preparation to sell it. Take your time with this one, as you don't want to leave anything valuable in your vehicle when you sell it.
You may also be surprised at how much spare change you find between seat cushions and under the floor mats as you search.
Strip Your Vehicle
Although this step is optional and not possible for everyone to do, it can help you get more money for your old car. If you have the right knowledge, tools, and skills, you can strip your car of valuable parts and sell them before scrapping your car.
Here are some of the most valuable parts of a car you can remove and sell as long as they're in good condition:
- Bumpers
- Fenders
- Doors
- Windows
- Exhaust system
- Catalytic converter
- Battery
- Windshield wipers
- Radio
- GPS system
How valuable each of these items is will depend greatly on the type of car you have and the condition they're in. To avoid wasting your time, do some research before you remove each part to make sure it's worth removing and selling.
2. Finding Junk Car Buyers
After you've completed the preparation part of the process, it's time to look into which local junk car buyer you want to sell your car to. Since there are a lot of scams out there, be sure to follow these steps to avoid them.
Get Quotes Online
The fastest way to connect with several local junkyards that buy cars is to fill out this form. It allows you to fill out your car's information one time to get multiple quotes to quickly narrow down your search results.
Check Reviews
Once you have a few promising prospects, you'll want to start figuring out which is the best for you. One of the best ways to do that is to look at online reviews for each scrap yard you're considering.
Keep in mind that people are more likely to post a negative review than a positive one so overall ratings may be lower than what they should be. However, reading through some experiences can help you decide if you want to work with a certain location.
Ask Some Questions
When you're fairly certain you want to work with a certain junkyard, it's time to get on the phone with them and ask a few questions.
First of all, you'll want to ensure they have a Motor Vehicle Salvage Dealer License. This is required by state law and the scrap yard should be able to provide you with their license number.
You'll also want to make sure they're using certified scales. This protects you against fraud because you know the weight will be accurate so you'll get a fair price for the metal found in your car.
Negotiate
Don't be afraid to do some negotiating over the price, especially if you didn't strip your car so there are numerous parts that still have value. The scrapyard will sell these separately so you should try to get more than the scrap price for them.
3. Selling Your Car
Once you find a junk car buyer you like, it's time for the final step which is selling your car.
Make Final Arrangements
Before you hang up the phone with the junkyard, you should make the arrangements to sell your car.
If your car is still running, you may be able to drive it to the yard yourself. Just be sure to have someone else drive with you separately so you can easily get back home.
If your car isn't driveable, the scrapyard will send a tow truck to pick it up from your home or wherever the vehicle is parked. In this case, you'll need to meet them there to finalize the sale.
Cancel Your Insurance Policy
The next call you'll make is to your insurance company. Let them know what date you're selling the car on and have them cancel the insurance on that date. You should then get a refund for any unused insurance after that date.
Sign Over the Title
Last and certainly not least, you'll need to sign over the title to the junkyard. Once you sign it, your car's new owner can take the title to the DVS to complete the transfer and you'll have a full wallet!
Ready to Sell Your Junk Car?
Now you know the three parts of selling an old vehicle to junk car buyers. As you can see, taking your time with this will help you get more money for your car.
If you're ready to sell your junk car, learn more about what we do to ensure that you get top dollar for your old vehicle and can avoid getting scammed.