If you have a busted truck or a junk car taking up room in your driveway but are unsure what to do with it. You might want to consider taking the vehicle to a scrapyard for some quick cash!  This is a great thing to consider whether you have a junk car taking up room, or you are currently driving an older used car and plan on upgrading to something new.  

Sometimes, if you are driving an old used car, it might be more convenient to just scrap it instead of trying to find someone to buy it off your hands.  However, before you rush to scrap your car for the money it’s important to consider a few things to maximize your cash flow from the scrapyard near you.  

Is Selling to a Junk Yard the most profitable? 

The short answer is no, but it is also the easiest and fastest option.  If you want to be extra fast with selling your car for quick cash, you can call a cash for cars company.  They will instantly give you a quote for your vehicle based on the scrap metal value.  However, they don’t account for vehicle parts.  

You can make a lot more cash if you are willing to spend time scrapping the car by yourself.  If you don’t have the time to scrap the car for parts and bring it to the junkyard yourself, using a cash for cars company is usually the best option because they will typically pick your vehicle up from any location for free, and pay you right on the spot.  

Always keep in mind that cash for car companies typically do not care about the parts inside your vehicle, they only care about the scrap metal and weight.  This is why it’s important to take some time to remove parts from your vehicle yourself for extra cash.  

If you have time and understand how to do some handy work, you can remove everything from the interior of your vehicle that is NOT metal. This is very time-consuming and requires some manual labor, but the rewards can be extremely beneficial.  You can sell these car parts on eBay or craigslist to make a ton of extra cash that you would not normally receive from cash for cars company. 

Do My Car Type and Location Matter? 

The location where you reside typically does not matter in terms of the value you will receive for selling your car from scrap.  It is important, that just like gold or silver, the price for scrap can vary depending on the need for it.  If scrap is a hot commodity, you can typically get more money for your vehicle.  

It is also important to realize that many salvage yards and scrap yards have different interests for your vehicles.  Some scrap yards would want your vehicle simply for the scrap value, or the used parts.  Some salvage yards will even try to restore or resell your vehicle themselves.  

Your vehicle’s year, make, and model can also have a major factor in value. If you are scrapping a more rare vehicle that does not have a ton of parts widely available, you may get more money compared to a vehicle that has been using the same parts for over 10 years.  Mass-produced and popular vehicles will have a lower salvage value compared to a more sought-after vehicle part.  

Always get a quote from a few different scrapyards and junkyards in order to find out which one is willing to give you the most amount of money for the vehicle.  Keep in mind, a junkyard would probably give you more money if you are able to bring the vehicle to the junkyards yourself, instead of paying a tow truck to bring your vehicle to them.  

Final Scrapyard Words

Always keep in mind that your vehicle is being sold for scrap, so if your vehicle is still in good condition, operating fine, and has low mileage.  You may want to consider selling the vehicle used instead of contacting a junkyard or cash for cars company.  These companies do not care about the condition of your vehicle or if it operates correctly.  They only will pay you based on the recycled parts and scrap metal value and weight.  

If you plan on keeping your vehicle, instead of scrapping it.  You might want to consider getting a DriveSmart Auto Warranty for the vehicle.  In the event that your vehicle ends up with a malfunction, you can call our DriveSmart roadside assistance number, and we will get a tow truck out to you.  Not only that, but we will pay for any repairs to keep your vehicle running!