Los Angeles Learning: Expert Advice for First-Time Junk Car Sellers
New car ownership in today’s difficult financial times can be, unfortunately, just beyond many people’s reach. The conundrum for those living in Los Angeles is the absolute necessity for a vehicle alongside sky-high rents and mortgages. It can force many to continue driving an older car, one that can be just days away from turning into junk. And when that happens, what are your options? Can you even sell a junk car?
Valuable Advice for First-Time Junk Car Sellers
If you know you have a junk car or maybe merely suspect that you do, your mind has probably been over what your options are. Do you continue to question pumping more cash into it, or do you have thoughts about dumping it on the side of a quiet road in a questionable neighborhood and abandoning it? Owners of junk cars have all had those thoughts, so you’re not alone. Here are a few things to consider to help you make up your mind.
- Are the cost of repairs equal to or more than the car’s value?
- Has it left you stranded on the side of the road often?
- Do you question its safety?
- Have you had to cross your fingers every time you attempt to start it?
If you’ve answered yes to at least one of these questions, it’s time to unload your vehicle. First-time junk car sellers are usually a bit confused about how to do so, so here are some of your best options for eliminating a problem vehicle.
Take It to a Junkyard
Your first thought about what to do with your junk car could be to take it to a junkyard. It’s where you take junk, right? It is a possible method to dispose of your beater, and you will get some money for it. You’ll be paid for its weight in whatever the yard feels they can get for the scrap metal and parts they can scavenge from it. Junkyards never pay top dollar for wrecks, but since they’ll be recycled, it is an ethical choice. There is, however, some required DMV paperwork to file.
Junk It to a Specialized Dealer
By far, one of the easiest ways to sell a junk car is to offer it to a junk car specialized dealer. These businesses buy all cars despite damage, necessary repairs, age, or mileage. If your hooptie has hit the point of needing costly repairs to keep it roadworthy, you might sell it to a Los Angeles junk car buyer. They’ll come directly to you and haul it away while leaving you with cash, so there’s no waiting for a check to clear. It’s the convenient way to sell a junker and get more than what a junkyard would pay. They even take care of all of the paperwork, saving you a trip to the DMV.
Try Selling It Yourself
Using one of the many popular online selling platforms, you can certainly try your luck at selling your junk car there. Backyard mechanics and gearheads are always looking for a vehicle to use for spare parts, and some junk car owners have had success selling theirs via this traditional method. Unfortunately, you’ll have to do all of the legwork and also meet with random strangers, but you’ll also be in complete control of the selling price.
Donate It for a Tax Write-off
Disposing of your junk car while also getting a feel-good rush can be accomplished by donating yours to a reputable charity. However, sellers beware, as there are several unscrupulous businesses that appear to be charities when, in fact, they’re not. Before handing over your clunker and expecting it to count as a charitable tax write-off, check with the IRS first to ensure that they are a registered 501(c)(3) organization.
Bottom Line: For the First-Time Los Angeles Junk Car Sellers
If the rough roads of Los Angeles filled with potholes and construction have caused significant and recurring damage to your older vehicle, or it spends more time at the mechanic’s shop than on the road, it may be time to consider it a junk car.
Selling it to a specialized junk car dealer is the best option. They will come to you, remove the vehicle, deal with all the paperwork, and leave you with cash in hand. There are other methods to sell your junk car, but this option offers the most convenience.
