What to Do When Your Car Stops Running
Most people go through about ten cars over the course of their lifetime. Not only is that a lot of shopping around, it’s also a lot of old cars to get rid of! While you may opt for the straightforward route of trading your old cars in to your dealership, there are many other ways you can get money for your used car, even if that car is no longer running.
Creative Ways to Donate
The United States has thousands of active landfills, and tens of thousands more that simply ran out of space and are now “retired.” Our country is starting to get overrun by landfills, and many people are starting to find creative ways to recycle their old belongings instead of just throwing them out. Cars are some of the worst offenders. They’re bulky and take up a lot of space in landfills, and they’re often thrown away by owners when they are still in good condition. If you have an old car, there are plenty of places you can donate it so someone else can benefit. Many charities accept car donations, and you can use it as a tax write-off. Even if your car no longer works, there are plenty of people who would be happy to take it off your hands. Think about donating it to a high school shop class or trading it to a friend who enjoys fixing up junk cars.
Get Cash for Your Car
There are also many ways you can get money from your junk car. The most obvious way is by trading it in when you buy your new car. While this is usually the most convenient way to get money back, you aren’t likely to get the best price for your old car. A more lucrative option is to sell your car yourself. Do your research and find out what your car is worth. This will depend on the age and condition of the vehicle, as well as the amount of parts that are still in working order. If most of the car is in decent condition, you can sell it as a whole vehicle. Or, if you have enough mechanical knowledge, you can strip out the working parts and sell them piece by piece.
Selling to a Salvage Yard
Salvage yards are one of the best options for average car owners who don’t have the mechanical know-how to strip down old cars themselves. Salvage yards help keep old cars out of landfills by stripping out useable parts and selling the rest of the car for scrap metal. Recycled metal and used car parts are in high demand, so salvage yards have a lot of incentive to buy used cars, no matter what shape they’re in. If you have an old car sitting in your driveway, we’d be glad to give you a quote and we can even tow it off your property for no extra charge. You can get cash right away, without having to go through the hassle of looking for a private buyer.
