How to Sell Cars for Scrap

If you have a clunker sitting in your driveway, garage, or -- heaven forbid -- your front yard, you may have more than a useless vehicle on your hands. Although your car may look like it came from the set of "Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome," it could still be worth money. To find out if it is, you should take it to a salvage yard that offers cash for junk cars, or have the company come to you if the vehicle is un-drivable. Before you make a phone call, though, there are a few things that you should know about how to sell cars for scrap, information that will help you get the most money for your clunker -- maybe even enough to put a down payment on a new set of wheels.

Don't Undersell a Usable Vehicle

If the automobile still works, you may get more money from offering it as a used vehicle than as a useless clunker. Some salvage lots buy drivable vehicles in addition wrecked and broken down automobiles that aren't usable. If your clunker still runs, check out how much it is worth in the Kelly Blue Book before you liquidate it for its parts.

Don't Pay a Towing Fee

If a salvage yard that pays cash for junk cars wants your vehicle, it should tow it from your property for free. When a salvage lot liquidates an automobile, it receives far more money than it costs to buy the vehicle and tow it. Therefore, there's no reason to get stuck with a towing bill.