As most people are really attached to most things in their lives, deciding to get rid of them is not always an easy decision. If your car is still in good condition and is perfectly drivable, getting a few more miles out of it might be the best solution, or trying to sell it before it loses any more value.
On the other hand, if it is roadworthy but could obviously give out on you at any time, you can either drive it to its last breath or sell it to for as much as you can, just to avoid the costly repairs. If the old clunker does not even run, the best decision is to get rid of it the old-fashioned way.
Whatever your situation is, there are many ways to get rid of an old car. Read more to find out.
1. Sell Your Old Car
source: goodfind.guru
Any old cars still in decent working condition has potential resale value. However, actually getting the fair market value back for it depends on how many potential buyers you present the car to. You can either sell the car yourself, trade it into a dealership, or sell it under consignment.
In any case, before you sell it, you must first prepare it. Here we mean detailing it in order to make it look the best it can, even if it is very old and battered. Remember, if it looks better, you can sell it for more! You should also try to have some minor repairs done because the fewer leaks and noises the car has and makes, the more reasonable price you will get.
Selling it yourself
This option requires most work because it gives you the most control over everything, including the price. Other traditional selling methods like newspaper listing and auto magazines are always a good idea, but selling online has by far the most potential of making a sale.
It is where most people look for anything nowadays. Most of these websites charge a symbolic fee for your add, but it is fairly low. Depending on what you have, its condition, and the area where you live, selling your own car yourself can be quick, or take weeks and months. Therefore, do everything the best you can and hope for the best.
Selling it to a Dealer
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This here is the ideal solution if you want to get rid of your car quickly, but you will surely sacrifice money. Prices that dealers pay are almost exclusively less than the fair market values of vehicles, as this is how they operate. This is because they have to fix and clean the car, and then market it and sell it to make some profit from it.
Selling Under Consignment
Consignment splits is the halfway point of sorts, as it basically splits the difference between selling it yourself, and selling it to a dealership. This method takes away the listing and selling part and gives it to a third party, which can often be another car dealer. This seller takes a cut of the final price, before giving you your cut. A flat fee or a percentage can be negotiated here.
2. Trade-in your old car
Instead of selling, you can always trade the car for a new or a pre-owned vehicle, with some additional money involved from your end of course. Even some old junk cars have some trade value, and often more than owners think. You should search for dealerships that operate trade-in deals and accept any car, even those that do not run anymore.
Some will even offer a minimum amount, meaning you can get more than the actual value of your old-timer. This method is time-saving on your end since they do all of the work.
3. Donate it to a charity
source: usatoday.com
If your old car has finally reached the end of its working days, or if you just do not want to deal with selling it or trading it, you could always donate it to a charity. There are dozens of non-profit organizations that are willing to accept old cars, no matter if they are roadworthy.
Donation processes are fast, either online or through a phone call. When you arrange a pickup with them, a free towing or driver pickup of the vehicle will be the next and final step.
4. Part Your Old Car
If your car really does not drive anymore and it has reached the end of its life some time ago, you could sell it for any usable parts, especially if the vehicle has a strong fan following and it is a popular model. Most original parts of older cars are extremely hard to find, hence the high demand and good prices. Parting a vehicle, however, means you should have the knowledge or ability to remove the parts.
Also, you will need some kind of space to store it while the process lasts. Selling the parts online is the best way to go, and auction websites or vehicle-specific pages will work best. Depending on the tools and your expertise, when all the parts are sold, you could remove the remaining scrap metal and sell it too.
Anything that is left after like plastic parts and other unsellable items you can take to the landfill. Even some of these can be sold, while the remaining vehicle is still worth taking to the junkyard.
5. Junk Your Old Car
Speaking of the popular junkyards, you can always employ the services of a car removal service. Depending on your location, as well as the type of your car, the service will pay for your car and take it with a tow truck.
In some cases, especially if your car is in extremely bad condition, you might not receive money back, but the towing service is free. Some will even cost you for the service. For example, you can try cashcarsbuyer.com.
6. Give it away
source: rewire.org
Car fans, like any other fans, love to collect and rebuild their favorite models. If you can find someone who is interested in your dear old vehicle, even if you do not get anything for it, you may want to give it away to a new owner who can rebuild the car to its former glory, or maybe even combine it with another, or multiple other cars and assemble a drivable vehicle. Most online listings and newspapers do not charge for such and add.
