Even if your car no longer runs, is unsafe to drive due to neglect or is too expensive to repair, you can still sell it. Professional car restorers, car enthusiasts and junkyards purchase inoperable cars in their regular course of business. Before selling your junk car to anyone, first learn how much your car is worth in its inoperable state and search for potential buyers in your area.
Step 1
Determine the value of your car in its current condition. The Kelley Blue Book and the NADA Guide are the most widely used vehicle valuation guides. These guides provide a rough estimate of how much a vehicle is worth based on its year of manufacture, make, model and general condition of the vehicle. Both of these books are available in print and online (see Resources below), although the online guides contain information on cars less than 20 years old only.
Step 2
Advertise in your area. After you determine a rough valuation of how much your car is worth, advertise to potential buyers in your area who may be interested in junk cars. Placing a classified ad in your city's newspaper, placing posters on community boards and placing ads on websites such as Craigslist will help you find potential buyers. Be sure to include special information in your ad, such as if your car is a popular classic or has special customized parts.
Step 3
Contact junkyards and car salvage companies. Junkyards and other salvage companies purchase junk cars and inoperable cars to sell their parts. These companies will tow your car from your home for free and will pay you in cash for the car. Reputable companies will require that you provide the car title to prove that you are the owner. Use a phone book or the Internet to search for companies in your area. Although these companies typically offer less than $200 for inoperable cars, they may be the only buyers willing to purchase your inoperable car.
Step 4
Auction the car on eBay. If you are not satisfied with the money offered by junkyards or other buyers in your area, consider selling your inoperable car on eBay. This will help you contact buyers, possibly in your area, who you would otherwise not have found. Before selling your car on eBay, become familiar with how to sell items, particularly cars, on the site. Also note that if a buyer lives outside of your immediate area, you may have to make arrangements to get the car to the buyer, which would include towing costs.
Step 5
Sell your car's parts. Selling your cars individual parts, such as its engine, tires and headlights, rather than selling your car to a junkyard that will ultimately do this, may be more profitable. Advertise your car's parts on websites, especially eBay, and in local periodicals. Before selling any of your car's parts, learn to disassemble them or ask a mechanic to do this for you so that you do not damage the vehicle. If you are not familiar with car parts, it is especially important not to allow any buyers to remove parts themselves.
Skill: Moderately Easy
Tip: If you cannot find a buyer for your inoperable car and you cannot sell its parts, donating it to a charity or nonprofit organization will allow you to treat the car's value as a tax deduction.
Keyword: sell auto junk car junkyard
