Has that old car been sitting in your driveway for a while now? Are you choosing to live in denial and just ignore its existence in hopes that it might someday just disappear? If so, then it sounds like it’s time to get rid of that car and possibly make a bit of money in the process.

Here are five things to remember when you are trying to decide how and where to junk your old clunker.

1. Correct Paperwork

If you’re planning to sell your car to a junk yard, you will need to make sure that you have all the proper paperwork in order. Usually, the buyer will require that you forfeit the title to the car as part of the sale. This proves that you own the car. Sometimes, a buyer can accept alternate paperwork, but this depends on the buyer. It’s best to come prepared with the right paperwork. Beyond the title, make sure that you carefully read any paperwork that is part of the sale transaction.

2. To Tow or Not to Tow

Depending on the condition of your car, you might need a towing service to get your car to the junk yard. If your car is not currently drivable, your best bet is to find a company that will buy your car and tow it away. Many of these companies will do the towing for free. If your car is a real clunker, it probably doesn’t make sense to pay to have it towed, so a service like this is ideal. If your car does drive, you can always take it down to the junk yard yourself.

 

3. Determine the Value

One critical part of this process is determining what your car is worth. Take inventory of the damaged areas of your car and then hop online and see if you can figure out its cash value in its current condition. This estimate will be good to have when you’re dealing with the buyer. Once you have an estimate in mind, it’s time to talk with the buyer. Even if you don’t think your car is worth anything at all, there may be some parts that a junk yard can sell.

4. Shop Around

It might be a good idea to contact several different salvage yards and get some bids on your car. Ask them if they offer free towing. Getting several estimates will give you a better idea of what a fair price is for your car and you can sell it with confidence knowing that you are getting a good deal.

5. Charitable Donations

 

If you have a car that you want to get rid of, but you don’t really care about making any money off of it, consider donating it for charity. There are many companies that will come tow away your car in order to give any profits to charity. You will end up with a nice donation to put down on your taxes and that clunker will be out of your driveway. 

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