Cash for Cars: 3 Tips for Selling Your Junk Car

The average age of a vehicle on American roads is 12.1 years. Cars are built to be more durable these days, but there still comes a time when your car simply stops working, or it’s too expensive to repair.

At that point, you might wonder if it’s worth it to get cash for cars you no longer use. Junk cars aren’t doing you any good sitting on your lot, so why not get some money for them?

Here are three tips you can use to get the best deal possible when you sell junk cars for cash.

Gather the Paperwork

When selling junk cars, you might need paperwork as proof you own the vehicle. Here’s what you should have on hand:

Your vehicle’s title
Registration
Bill of sale
Car history report

A car’s title proves that you have ownership of the vehicle. If you’re selling a salvaged vehicle, you should look at your state’s laws on selling a salvaged vehicle.

What if you don’t have the title? You still have options, as long as you can prove ownership. Simply sell your vehicle to a company that takes a junk car with no title.

Cars without a title must be at least twelve years old.

Clean Up Your Car

Many businesses offer cash for cars regardless of how nice it looks and even provide towing. But if you’d rather find a buyer and sell it yourself, you might have to spruce the car up.

At the very least, ensure it’s clean and presentable.

Find out if your car is still safe to drive. If it needs repairs, but you can’t afford them, make sure you communicate this upfront. If you’re selling a junk car as-is, the buyer should know the whole story.

If you’re selling your car yourself, you’ll have to market it. Make a list of all the features of your car, gather a car history report, and take quality photos of your vehicle for when you list it.

Understand the Lemon Laws

Lemon laws vary by state and dictate the condition a vehicle must be in before you sell it. These regulations protect people if they buy a defective car. The lemon laws refer to any defects that might affect the safety, use, or value of a vehicle.

Make sure you understand your state’s lemon law if you plan to sell junk cars for cash yourself.

One of the benefits of selling to a company that gives you cash for cars is that you can often get a much better deal. You can even get cash for vehicles that don’t work anymore.

Simply provide a company that accepts junk cars with the model, year, and condition, and they’ll give you a fair quote. Also, many companies will tow the vehicle at no cost to you.