It can be a confusing choice to repair your car, sell it, or take the fast, easy way by junking an old car? If a car or truck is not totally worn out and seems to have some more miles left in it, it can be hard to decide whether to keep driving it and risk it breaking down or try finding a buyer. Or, you may wonder if you should junk it for quick cash. Use the handy little exercise below to help you quickly decide what is best for you to do with your old car.
What to Do With My Old Car: Sell It, Fix It, or Junk It?
Consider the following four questions and ask yourself which practical option makes the best financial sense and best ensures that you will be safe out on the roadways:
- Is my car still safe to drive?
- Is it worth it to pay for repairs on my old car?
- Is it worth the time and effort to try to sell my car?
- Would I be better off just junking the car for cash?
Is my car still safe to drive?
When a car has a high number of miles on the odometer, it may be getting you to school or work daily, but you might be worried about the inevitable repairs it will soon need. If you’re wondering if it’s safe to keep driving the car, it’s frankly probably time to get rid of it. There’s little reason to think it’s a good idea to keep driving it if it’s too old or worn out to depend on the airbags, tires, steering system, braking system, and other critical safety components.
The average lifespan for a car is around 11.6 years, according to AAA. The undercarriage naturally corrodes with exposure to weather, corrosive dirt, road salt, sun, aging, wear, and tear, etc., over time. That means working parts become exposed, leading to dangerous consequences if you continue driving the car.
Is it worth it to pay for repairs on my old car?
When is it not worth repairing a car? If you start adding it all up, you may find you’ve already spent too much of your hard-earned money trying to keep your old vehicle working. First, calculate all the extra repairs and maintenance costs you’ve spent in the past year or two to try to keep your old vehicle going.
Then add more costs for repairs you realistically expect to need to pay for over the next year or two. The expense total will indicate whether the car is costing more than it’s worth to keep it — especially if you can get a better car at a price that makes more sense for you financially.
Is it worth the time and effort to try to sell my car?
If you’ve had the kinds of issues talked about under Questions 1 and 2 above, then you’ve probably already thought about your options. One possibility is trying to sell your car. After all, certain old vehicles can be worth selling even if they’re no longer running. For example, a classic car, a newer car still under warranty, or a car model with a timeless, highly sought body design may attract a buyer.
If you decide to try to sell your car, you can check the Kelly Blue Book, Edmunds, or other car valuation resources to see what your car’s actual market value is likely to be. Be sure to factor in your car’s actual current condition.
If your car is not worth much, but you still want to sell it, you may opt to use Craigslist, eBay, or your local newspaper classified ads. But, it can be a lot of inconvenience showing your car to numerous prospective buyers, and you may not get the outcome you want.
Would I be better off just junking the car for cash?
Maybe at this point, you’ve realized that your car is no longer worth all the time, trouble, and money you’ll have to invest in it to keep it drivable for a bit longer. You may also have decided that you don’t want to continue to take a chance with your safety by continuing to drive it.
If that’s how you’ve come to see the situation, then the car might not be worth going to the trouble of trying to find a buyer willing to pay you a good purchase price for it. Junking your car may be your best option to get a reasonable amount of cash for the vehicle for the least amount of your time and trouble.
Junk My Car For Cash
If you have decided to junk out the car for cash, the vehicle will be recycled by the salvage or junk dealer you call. The junkyard operator will disassemble the car into parts. The useful parts are sold to customers, and the remaining unwanted parts are recycled.
What To Do With A Car That Is Not Worth Fixing
Junk Car Cash Out is an automobile recycling company with operations throughout Utah and Texas. We are popular for paying top dollar for junk cars and newer cars too. We also pay top dollar for junk trucks, SUVs, vans, motorcycles, RVs, boats, and other motorized vehicles. We will pay you cash for your car immediately and tow away your junk vehicle free of charge. If you want to sell your car today, call Junk Car Cash Out at (801) 441-2766, or contact us online for a quick quote and schedule to have your vehicle towed away.
