How to Sell a Wrecked Car

What do you do with it? Since you can’t drive it and it’s probably not worth fixing up, you’re probably asking yourself, “How and where can I sell my wrecked car?”
You have questions about how to sell a wrecked car. But don’t worry, we have the answers for you.

How Much is My Wrecked Car Worth?

Before you try to sell the vehicle you inappropriately used for bumper cars, you’ve got to determine how much you should ask for it. Don’t get too ahead of yourself, because you’re probably going to be disappointed with the numbers you discover.

You see, most people want cars they can actually drive, not cars that have been bashed up, smashed, wrecked, and may not ever drive on the street again. Unsurprisingly, it drives down the reasonable asking price.

How Much Can I Get for My Wrecked Car?

For a typical car, you can get a read on its value with a Kelley Blue Book valuation, either in their published book or online. You can’t do that to sell your wrecked car – even if you look at the ‘rough’ value, it’s for a car that’s still roadworthy. There’s no category for ‘wrecked cars’.

Selling wrecked cars boils down to one thing: how much will the buyer pay for your car? The heavier the damage, the lower the value of a wrecked car. And if your car is old or has high mileage – well, that doesn’t bode well for its value either.

Typically, you can expect to sell a wrecked car for between 10 percent and 50 percent of the Kelley Blue Book value or NADA car value.

How to Sell a Wrecked Car

With a wrecked car value now in mind, the next step is to figure out how to sell a wrecked car. There are a few ways to get rid of your wrecked or junk car, and it’s up to you to determine which one is best in your situation.

Who Buys Wrecked Cars

Have you asked yourself, “Who buys wrecked cars near me?” Sourcing local buyers is a good place to start. It’s no help to find a place to sell a wrecked car if you have to tow it across the country to make a few bucks.

Here are a few methods to sell your wrecked car, and they should be accessible to almost everyone.

Private Buyers

Someone looking for a cheap car might be interested in buying your banged-up vehicle. If it has front end damage or back end damage, there’s a chance that it can be repaired and put back on the road. Private buyers looking to fix up a car to make their daily driver might net you a few extra dollars too.

However, you need to advertise your car for sale, be available for tire-kickers, and deal with buyers who want to negotiate hard. Is it worth the time and aggravation for a few extra bucks?

Junk Yard

An easy way to wash your hands of a smashed-up car is to sell it to a junk yard. There’s nothing else you need to do with it – no repairs, no advertising, and it’s fast. But you’re not going to get very much for your car because they’re going to pay you based on its weight alone, not its make or model, mileage, or even its condition.

Parting a Wrecked Car

You could try parting a wrecked car on your own, and it could be lucrative if your car still runs. But you’re still stuck with a wrecked car in your yard, and it can take months to sell enough parts for it to be worthwhile. You probably don’t need a hazard like that parked in your driveway, do you?

Trade In to Dealership

Some dealerships might consider taking your car on trade, but they probably won’t buy it from you outright. And to be honest, a dealership doesn’t want your wrecked car for anything at all – not even parts. They want to make their money selling you another car, and may not even pay you the value of a wrecked car but rather take it off your hands for nothing.

We Buy Damaged Cars

Looking to get cash for your car as fast and easy as you can? Then look at Damaged Cars when you’re trying to sell a wrecked car. We buy wrecked cars of all sorts: damaged cars, accident cars, hail-damaged cars, flood cars, non-running cars, and even older cars.

Getting cash for wrecked cars with Damaged Cars is easy. Simply request a quote for your vehicle by submitting your vehicle details and its condition. You’ll receive a guaranteed offer for your car, often within 90 seconds. Just accept the offer and you’ll get paid fast for your vehicle. Even better, Damaged Cars will pick up your car in as-is, where-is condition at no charge to you! Get your offer now to see how much your car is worth.