People always tend to get sentimental when it comes to old cars. But, there’ll come a time when you should set aside your feelings and make way for common sense.
The truth is that the longer you wait before selling your old or damaged vehicle, the more its value depreciates. This means that the money you’re going to get after selling it becomes less and less.
So, when you finally decide to let go of it and sell it, you should always do it quickly. Not only will you be happy with the cash you receive, but you can also get to declutter your garage. But who’s going to buy a vehicle that’s beyond salvageable? The good news is there are car wreckers who are more than willing to buy scrap vehicles of all kinds.
Follow these tips if you want to get top cash when you sell your vehicle to a car wrecker:
1. Do Your Research
You should never go for the first car wrecker you’ll find. There’s nothing wrong with taking the time to do some research and gathering at least three options that are willing to buy your junk vehicle.
The best way to do this is to look for car wreckers online, like atlasauto.co.nz. You can reach out to them to get a rough estimate on your car’s worth. Knowing the market value of your old vehicle is essential in getting top dollar when you sell it.
2. Get A Quote From Several Car Wreckers
As mentioned above, you’ll want to get and compare quotes from multiple wreckers in your area. Just make sure that you give them an accurate description of your vehicle so they can offer you the best price possible. It’s also important that you know how they determine the scrap value of your vehicle. Obviously, you want to choose a wrecker with the highest cash offer.
Also, when comparing quotes, don’t just look at the final price offered for your vehicle. You also have to consider the costs involved in hauling it to their wrecking yard. For example, even if an auto wrecker offers a much higher price than others, but is located too far from you, you should look for another one. This is because the towing costs might significantly lower the amount of money you’ll receive from selling your vehicle.
3. Take Care Of All the Legalities
There are plenty of things to do before you can complete the sale of your vehicle. You’ll have to remove its plate number, update its insurance, and cancel its registration.
It’s crucial that the plate number and the registration of your vehicle must be canceled. This is to ensure that they won’t be used anymore and they’re deleted from the vehicle’s registry. You also have to fill out a couple of forms. But you don’t have to worry about such things since they’re often prepared by the wreckers themselves.
4. Have It Inspected First
You should be smart and have the vehicle inspected first by a mechanic. Don’t settle for a lower price just because you’re not sure just how much your vehicle is truly worth.
Have a mechanic take a look at your car and tell you if there are some parts that can still sell and how much they’re worth. When a potential buyer knows that you’re aware of the value of your vehicle and its parts, they’ll be more inclined to pay you a good price.
5. Consider Dismantling The Car’s Parts
As mentioned above, having an inspection can help you identify which parts you can still sell. The engine may no longer be salvageable, but that doesn’t mean that the rest of the parts can no longer be used.
If there are some parts of the car that are still in good condition, such as the battery or stereo system, you can remove them and sell them separately.
Once you’ve identified the usable parts of your vehicle, do some research to figure out the price range for each of them in the local used parts market. It’ll help you get a good estimate of the lowest offer you can receive for each of the parts. By doing so, you can make a good amount of money for every part you’re going to sell.
6. Clean The Car
It can also help if you can clean the vehicle before you bring it to the wrecker. If you do so, you can give them an impression that it is well-taken care of despite it being old. Take it for a quick wash and make sure that there are no personal belongings or trash left inside. Normally, keeping it clean can help you get more money from it.
Regardless if your car is still usable or not, you should make an effort in sprucing it up. This will have a considerable effect on its selling price. It’s true that after leaving your vehicle parked in a garage for a very long time, its condition can get worse over time. Thus, it’d be wise to fix it up a little bit if you want to get top dollar from it.
7. Demand For More
Most of the junk cars need to be hauled or towed because they can no longer run. Obviously, this reduces the value of the vehicle. But, in case your old car can still be driven, you should never hesitate to demand for more. Demand a firm price for your vehicle and be sure to stick to it.
Final Thoughts
Choosing a car wrecker is a good option for many reasons. The process is quick and there’s not much paperwork to worry about. It’s a convenient way to sell your vehicle quickly. Car wreckers are willing to buy all kinds of cars, even old ones and damaged ones. They’ll also negotiate with you if you’re in a rush to get rid of your old vehicle. Just be sure to follow the tips above to get the best possible price for your vehicle.
