It’s time for Ol’ Bessie to be put out to pasture. After a good, long run, your car just isn’t doing the trick for you anymore. With hundreds of thousands of miles on the odometer, you can’t trust it for the cross-country trip you’re planning for the summer. Or, the fender bender last month finally got squared up with the insurance company, and you’re left with a bashed-up car and a check in hand. If it’s just rusting away, even though it’s running strong, it could be a good time to get rid of it.

It’s not worth shopping around or selling your car for nearly nothing. There’s only the tiniest of chances the rattle trap could ever see the road again, except behind a tow truck. So you’re searching the internet for junkyards near me. As you look for a local junkyard to buy your car, you find two things: prices are all over the place, and it’s not as easy as you thought to sell a car for salvage or to local junkyards.

Instead of banging your head against a wall, why not find out how to value your junk car. After that, learn how you can successfully sell a car for salvage, and how to find local junkyards.

What’s the Best Value of Your Junk Car?

There are to solid ways to value a junk car. But just so it’s clear, neither method is 100% accurate, but guidelines of what you can expect.

One method to get the value of your junk car is to determine its KBB value in fair condition. But once you’ve found that number, you’re not finished – that would be wishful thinking, buddy. Take 40 percent of that KBB value in fair condition. That’s the upper end of what you can expect to get when you sell a car for salvage.

Here’s another idea. You need to figure out what your car weighs without any occupants or baggage. It’s known as the curb weight. There are two places you could find it on your car – either in the owner’s manual or on a white and yellow sticker on the driver’s side B pillar. Can’t find it there? Google it or call the manufacturer’s customer service line. With the curb weight, you need to find the per-pound price you’ll get from local junkyards who buy junk cars. Some have that information online, but most places, you’ll have to call for up-to-date prices.

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Tips to Sell A Salvage Car

You’re armed with the best prices you can expect to be paid for your salvage car. But your car isn’t going to sell itself. You have to put in some work to get it gone. Here are a few tips to sell a salvage car.

Remove Anything of Value

If it’s not required to run and you can sell it for a few extra bucks, take it out of the car. The junkyard doesn’t care if your car has an awesome Bluetooth radio or a vintage tape deck, or any radio at all!

Use Up Your Gas

It’s actually a hazard at the junkyard, and you might be told to get rid of the gas before they’ll take it. Why not drive your car until the gas light comes on?

Get it Ready to Go

If you get the offer you want, be ready to pull the trigger. Take out all your personal belongings. Think of it this way: if the tow truck comes while you’re away, is your car ready to go? If it isn’t, get to task.

Load It Up

If you have any other scrap metal laying around, load it into the trunk or backseat. Not only will you clean up the garage and the yard, but you’ll get a few extra bucks for it when the salvage yard takes your car away.

Sell to a Junkyard that Pays the Tow

Never mind the cheapskates that make you pay for the tow truck. That can get expensive, and quick. Only accept an offer from local junkyards that include the fee to tow your junk car away.

Junkyards to Buy Your Car

Ever searched for scrap yards near me? There’s probably a list of half a dozen within a 10-mile radius of most urban areas. Some will take pretty much any car you have, and some specialize in foreign or domestic, ‘vintage’ or modern.

Call all the places you find on your search for junkyards near me. Write down their offers, whether it’s per pound or for your whole vehicle. To sell a salvage car for the best price, it’s going to mean your fingers need to do a little walking.

Pick the highest offer you get. Then, don’t put it off. Make the necessary arrangements to sell that junk car fast.

Find Junkyards Near Me Open Today

Hit a little snag? It’s very possible you’ve discovered junkyards can have funny hours. If you’re trying to find junkyards near me open today, there’s one piece of advice. Use Google Maps.

Using your computer or smartphone, search for local junkyards in Google Maps. When you click on each junkyard, you’ll see whether they are open or not, and their operating hours. It’ll help you pick one that’s open today.

Is there a Better Way?

If you don’t want the hassle of calling around, or arranging a tow truck, or trying to find the best price, there’s a better solution. Damaged Cars will buy your salvage vehicle from you with no hassle, and for a fair price.

It’s super simple. Just request a quote through the Damaged Cars site. If the offer looks good to you, you just have to accept it. There’s no hidden cost for a tow – we take care of it. You get paid what your guaranteed offer states, and Damaged Cars picks up your car from wherever it is. Easy as that! Get your guaranteed offer now.

About Author
Rudy Rodriguez
Automotive Expert

Rudy brings 9 years of industry expertise to the table. From decoding salvage market nuances to steering CarBrain's insights.

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