If you have an old car, van or SUV, you have probably thought about selling that old vehicle for parts.
⚠️ If It's Broken, Don't Fix It - Get Paid Cash for Your Vehicle ⚠️
How do you pull your vehicle’s parts out? Where do you go to sell them? How much money will those parts be worth?
Having to sell a car for its parts can be a time-consuming task without a game plan.
In this post, we will provide you with some great tips and strategies on how to sell a car for parts and make money!
Assessment of your Car
Once you have made up in your mind that you want to sell your car for parts, you must assess your car. This is something that you may have to do alongside a professional mechanic. You may even find that making a list of the car’s parts helpful. Then, on that list you can create columns. You could have a column for great working parts, mediocre and then non-working parts.
Working with a licensed mechanic is a great idea. He or she will be able to tell you the condition of each part and even provide you with a “ball park” figure as to the worth of each.
Assessing your vehicle with a professional is a great first step in selling your car for parts. Now, you now know what you’re working with!
Know Your Vehicle
The second step in selling your vehicle for parts, is knowing your vehicle. Once you’re ready to sell your vehicle for its parts, you have to know the basics about your car. Perhaps you could even provide this information on a sheet of paper or a card. As the vehicle owner, you should have model, make, mileage and year of your car.
Additionally, you should have your car’s title on hand. Even though your car is a junk car, you should have a general knowledge base of the car’s condition. It would also be helpful to know the engine condition too. And don’t forget to include the signs of interior as well as exterior damage on the car.
Understand All Laws and Complete All Paperwork
Once you have the specs of your vehicle, be sure you take the time to understand the laws in your state, regarding junk cars. What does your state say about the sale of junk cars?
Follow up your understanding of the laws, with completing and paperwork or documents you have to fill out for various purposes. In various states, you need legal documentation in order to scrap a vehicle. So, stay on the right side of the law and follow all rules, regulations and guidelines.
Look for A Licensed And Professional Parts Dealer
Whether you opt to go to a junkyard, a scrap yard or another place, you want to have a company that is licensed, bonded, insured and reputable. There is no sense in dealing with these “fly by night” companies. You need a sound, trustworthy and straightforward business.
One of the best ways to find a good business, is to do an online search. You want to pay attention to ratings of the company. These days, people have no problem letting the world know how a company treated them. Ratings and reviews are everything.
You also want to pay attention to how a company treats you, once you interact with them. Your car may be junk car, but you deserve respect. Any company not willing to offer that to you, is not worthy enough to buy your car’s parts.
Another way to find a good company to sell your car parts to, is word of mouth Let friends know you are on the hunt for a company to sell your old car’s parts to. Word of mouth is a great way to find a great business.
Finally, call various mechanics. They are very familiar with various junkyards and scrap yards in your neighborhood. You may even be able to sell some of your vehicle’s parts to them!
Do Some Comparative Selling
Once you have your car parts ready to sell and you have scouted some great places to sell them, compare what folks are willing to pay you.
You want to be a seller who gets the most money for your vehicle’s parts. So, ask what the parts are worth to various junkyards, scrap yards and other places you have opted to sell your car.
Think Recycling
Perhaps you don’t have big “money making” car parts. That doesn’t mean that they are worthless. More than 80 % of a car can be recycled.
Therefore, you may opt to call around to some auto recycling centers and sell your vehicle’s parts there. Need an idea of what can be recycled on a car? Check out our partial list below!
- Metal – The metal on a junk car is worth great money. Recycle professionals take old metal, melt it and then turn it into tools and items.
- Tires – Those old tires on your junk car are made brand new in the right hands. The rubber is recycled into asphalt for highways, tarps and even new tires for new cars!
- Plastics – The old plastics from a junk car are given new life through recycling efforts. They can be melded into items and even new plastics for new cars.
- Engine and Transmission – Your engine or transmission may not work now, but a great mechanic will take both and rebuild them. Then, they are placed in another car!
What About Parting Out Cars on eBay?
eBay is a great online marketplace to sell and buy various items. Car parts are no exception. The first item of business when selling car parts on eBay, is to have focused, sharp and great pictures. Perhaps finding a white background and placing the car part you want to sell, against it will help. You want to have glorious pictures of each part. So, photographing them will take some time.
Be sure that you photograph the front, back, sides, top and bottom of each part. Your pictures will be seen worldwide by perspective buyers. You want them to tell the story of each part. On eBay, offering a money back guarantee will help to make you a trustworthy seller.
And for those car part enthusiasts, you want to make sure that you answer questions you get.
If you are able to, be sure to include serial numbers with each part or as many of them, as you can. That way, people can cross reference your car part and know more about it.
Don’t forget the description of each part. You want to make sure that you write a detailed description about each. For specific details, think about calling that mechanic friend you have, so you don’t miss anything and you are specific and correct when describing the car part.
Finally, keep your prices for each part, competitive. Even before posting your part, you may want to see what other people are selling the part for.
Of course, never participate in scams. You should not have to send anyone money on eBay for a part. And keep documentation and photos of your part, just in case someone comes back stating that they didn’t get what they ordered from you.
Parting out cars on eBay takes time, patience and a certain know-how. So, if you’re up for it, good luck!
What About Selling Car Parts on Craigslist?
Craigslist is a great online marketplace for buying and selling, just like eBay is. The advantage is, it’s local to your area. As a seller, you post something and local people see it and can see it in person, if they want.
While selling on Craigslist is a viable option, just like parting a car on eBay, it comes with lots of work. You have to take pics of your part and be sure that you get al angles of that part. Photographs the sides, front, back and bottom.
Then, be sure to describe the part in detail, so perspective buyers will know if it is of any use to them or not.
Don’t forget to include some form of contact. You want folks to be able to get a hold of you. So, you may opt to put your email or cell phone on the ad.
And when you schedule a time to meet someone, make sure you are in a safe and secure location.
Notify Your Car Insurance Company of the Sale
Once you junk your car, have to notify your department of motor vehicles, DMV, OMV or whatever department handles title transfers and car sales in your state.
You can send notification via mail, online or just visiting your nearest customer service center. Although you can call your center by phone, we recommend having some sort of documentation of the notification of the sale.
Don’t forget to call your insurance company. You must also notify the insurance company, if applicable. Make sure you remove the plates from that car you just junked and dispose of them properly. If your state allows you to use the same plate on another car you own, do so. But we recommend checking with your state first, to see what you can do with the plate of the junked car.