Every junk car buyer gets asked for a price before the caller has said what the car is. We understand why. But a 1999 sedan with a cracked block and a 2008 pickup that just needs a transmission are different conversations, and any buyer who quotes both the same number is guessing, or planning to change it at the curb.
Here is what actually moves the number.
The factors, in order of how much they usually matter
- Weight. The floor of every offer is the metal. Pickups, vans and SUVs weigh more than compact cars, so they start higher.
- Year, make and model. These tell a buyer which parts are in demand and how much the car weighs without anyone putting it on a scale.
- Engine and transmission. A running engine or a transmission that shifts can be resold. A seized engine is metal.
- Catalytic converter. It contains precious metals, so a car with its original converter is worth more than one where it was cut off. If yours was stolen, say so.
- Wheels and tires. Aluminum wheels add a little. Missing wheels mean the car is harder to load and worth less.
- Completeness. A car missing its doors, seats or radiator has had value removed already.
- Papers. A clean title makes the sale simple. Other papers can work, but they take more checking. See our no-title page.
What doesn’t matter as much as people think
New tires you bought last year. A good stereo. Low mileage on a car that won’t start. These matter to someone buying a car to drive, not to someone buying it for parts and metal. Fresh paint doesn’t help either.
Why quotes differ between buyers
When you call three buyers you’ll get three numbers. Some reasons are fair: one buyer has a use for your engine and another doesn’t. Some aren’t: a quote that sounds high on the phone can come with a towing fee deducted at pickup, or a “the converter’s not original” adjustment once the truck arrives.
Two questions sort them out:
- Is the tow included, with nothing taken off at pickup? With us it is; the tow is free.
- What would make the number change when the driver sees the car? An honest answer is “if the car isn’t what you described.” Anything vaguer is a warning sign.
Our buyer checklist has more of these.
How to get a number that holds
Be specific on the call. Say whether it starts, what’s broken, whether the converter is there, whether any parts are missing, and what papers you have. A photo of the damage helps. The more we know before the truck leaves S Yale Ave, the less there is to discuss when it arrives.
Should you strip parts first?
Sometimes it pays to sell a set of good wheels or a new battery separately. Usually it doesn’t, once you count your time. We break that down in part out or sell it whole.
Get your number now. The form takes about a minute and the offer doesn’t expire.