Cash For Junk Cars
Sell Your Junk Car, Running Or Not
Old, wrecked or not running, a junk car still has value. Learn what counts as a junk car and what affects your offer.
- Sell Your Junk Car
Get an offer for any make, model, or condition, running or not.
- Junk Car Recycling
Eco-friendly auto salvage that reuses vehicle components to minimize landfill waste.
- Get Paid On The Spot
Free towing available 7 days a week by appointment.
What Counts As A Junk Car?
A junk car is any vehicle that would cost more to fix than it’s worth, or one you simply don’t want to deal with anymore. It doesn’t have to be wrecked. Many junk cars still start; they’ve just reached the point where selling makes more sense than repairing. If your car fits any of these, it can still get an offer.
Cars That Sat Too Long
- Parked for months or years without moving
- Rodents have nested in the engine or interior
- Registration expired years ago
- Keys are lost
Cars Nobody Wants
- An inherited car no one in the family wants
- A project car you planned to fix but never started
- A car that failed smog or an emissions test
- A car with a salvage title
Cars With Damage Or Problems
- Won't start or won't run
- Accident damage or an insurance total loss
- Blown engine or transmission
- Overheats or leaks fluids
- Flood or water damage
- Heavy rust, faded paint or a dented body
Junk cars need to be mostly complete. The body must be intact, along with at least the engine or the transmission. A car missing one of them can still get an offer, but not both. A missing catalytic converter or a few smaller parts is okay. Not accepted: RVs, motorhomes, trailers, motorcycles and stripped vehicle shells.
What Affects Your Junk Car Offer?
Every junk car offer depends on a few things. Knowing them helps you describe your car accurately, so the offer you get is based on the condition you provided.
Weight And Metal Prices
Much of a junk car’s value is in its metal. Heavier vehicles like trucks and SUVs contain more steel, and scrap metal prices go up and down over time.
Whether It's Complete
A car with its engine, transmission, wheels and catalytic converter in place is usually worth more than one that has been stripped for parts.
Year, Make And Model
Some vehicles have parts that stay in demand long after the car stops running. Popular models can be worth more than their weight alone.
Condition
Does it start? Does it drive? Is there body damage? Running cars and cars with usable parts often get higher offers.
Paperwork
Having the title in your name makes the sale simplest. Without a title, a registration card and valid ID often work, but the rules depend on the state where your car is registered and where it’s located.
Accurate Details
Your offer is based on the details you give. If the car’s condition is different when it’s seen in person, the offer can change, so honest details help.
Car Failed Smog Or An Emissions Test?
A failed smog test often starts a costly cycle: a repair, another test, another repair. Many owners end up paying for test after test and still don’t get a pass.
Selling it as a junk car is a simple way out. Your car can get an offer as it is:
- No smog tests to pay for and no repeat trips to the smog station
- No applications to fill out or approval to wait for
- Running or not, with free towing
- Payment on the spot when your car is picked up
Paperwork For Selling A Junk Car
What To Have Ready
- The title in your name, if you have it
- No title? A registration card in your name plus a valid photo ID often works, depending on your state
- Your valid photo ID
- The keys, if you still have them (not required)
- Inherited a car from a family member who passed away? You'll usually need a copy of the death certificate, plus the title if you have it. Requirements vary by state, so call us and we'll guide you through the paperwork.
After Your Car Is Picked Up
- Report the sale to your state's DMV. Most states have a form for this, often called a release of liability or notice of sale. Rules and deadlines vary by state, so do it right away.
- Cancel the insurance on the car.
What About The Catalytic Converter?
The catalytic converter is one of the more valuable parts on a car. To fight theft, many states now limit who can buy a used converter and require proof of where it came from, which makes selling one on its own harder. The simplest route is to leave it on the car and sell the car complete. If yours is already missing, the car can still get an offer.
Not every converter is worth a lot. Aftermarket replacements are usually worth much less than factory originals, and value depends on the make, model and current metal prices. Your offer already takes it into account.
What Happens To A Junk Car?
Junk cars are recycled. First, fluids like oil, coolant and fuel are drained and handled properly. Next, usable parts are removed so they can be reused. Finally, the rest of the car is crushed and shredded, and the metal is melted down to make new steel. That keeps tons of material out of landfills.
92.5%
Automotive steel scrap in the U.S. was recycled at a 92.5% rate.
Source: Steel Recycling Institute, 2012
11.5M
In a single year, about 16.3 million tons of automotive scrap was recycled. That equals roughly 11.5 million cars.
Source: Steel Recycling Institute, 2012
∞
Steel can be recycled over and over without losing its strength, so the steel from your junk car can become new steel again.
Source: WorldAutoSteel
Before Pickup: Quick Checklist
- Remove personal items from the glove box, trunk, under the seats and any hidden compartments
- Take out toll tags and garage door openers
- Find your title, registration or any other paperwork for the car
- Make sure a tow truck can reach the car, ideally in a driveway or on the street
- After pickup, report the sale to your DMV and cancel your insurance
Sell Your Junk Car In 3 Steps
1
Get An Offer
Enter your vehicle details in the online form.
2
Schedule Pickup
Accept your offer and schedule your pickup.
3
Get Paid
Payment on the spot when your car is picked up. Free towing included.
Have More Than One Junk Car?
Unfinished project cars, a few old vehicles in the yard, or a fleet that’s past its prime can all be handled together. Get an offer for each vehicle in just a few minutes online, and pickup can be scheduled for all of them.
Cash For Junk Cars Questions
Areas We Serve
Ecology Cash For Cars serves drivers in cities across the U.S. See all service areas to find your city.
Cash For Junk Cars, Running Or Not
Free towing by appointment 7 days a week. Payment on the spot.
Questions? Call (800) 440-1510