How to Sell a Vehicle for Scrap
Sometimes a vehicle becomes so old and worn down that it is not longer worth it to sell the car as a functioning vehicle. Rather, the most cost effective solution for that chunk of metal taking up space in your garage is to sell the car as scrap. The trick to selling a car as scrap is to first strip the car of its most valuable components, those that would be worth more as individual parts than junked as scrap.
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Instructions
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Recruit a mechanic. Unless you're personally experienced in evaluating the resale value of various car parts, you should recruit someone who is. While some parts of a car are obviously valuable---for example, the radio---others can only be spotted by a trained eye.
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Inventory your vehicle. Together, you and the mechanic should go through the car and identify any parts that can be easily removed and resold. Begin inside the car and work your way out. If your car has a low threshold, it may be necessary to raise it up on a lift to view the underside.
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Strip out anything of value. Using a set of tools, remove those parts you can resell. This includes parts of the interior, engine and frame. Make sure to not damage anything as you're removing it, so as to not harm its resale value.
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Remove the tires and the seats, as well as any carpet. If the tires still have mileage on them, someone will be willing to repurchase them. Also, some salvage yards charge for disposal of non-metal parts.
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Call around to area scrap yards. Scrap yards will quote you different prices on your vehicle. Some will also agree to pick up the car, while others will require that you bring it over yourself. Listen to all the offers and then pick the company offering that gives you the best price. If you do not have a title to the car, make sure to ask if the company requires you to provide one.
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Turn over the title to your vehicle. While some scrap yards will not ask you for the title of your vehicle, others will demand it, to prove that the car is yours. You can pick up transfer papers from your local DMV.
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Sell the parts. Call around to a few local used auto parts suppliers and ask if they're interested in bidding on your goods. You can also attempt to sell them online, through such websites as Craigslist or Ebay.
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