What Happens to Salvaged Vehicles, and How Can You Make Money from the Deal?
In Utah, you could end up with a pretty hefty fine for allowing unregistered vehicles to hang out in your driveway. Unfortunately, not all cars can be registered due to the fact that they can’t be insured and aren’t drivable. In these situations, it’s best to rid yourself of the financial burden.
Contact a Local Junk Dealer or Auto-Buyer
Do you have a junky, clunky, dead car you need to get rid of? These cars aren’t entirely unsalvageable, so don’t go contacting the junk yard just yet. There are two ways you can profit from a dead car taking up space in your driveway: you can sell its parts to a local junk dealer, or you can sell the entire car to a private auto-buyer. The car won’t rot in a junk yard; instead, it will be fixed up and resold, which is great for the environment.
General Guidelines for Selling a Car’s Parts
If you don’t already know about dismantling vehicles, you’ll need to do some research. Junk dealers want to get the very best value, so if they sense you don’t know what something should cost they will offer you less than its worth. To ensure you get the best value, Google the car’s make and model, and the value of its various car parts.
Then, call around and ask junk dealers the following questions:
- Will I save money if I dismantle the vehicle myself? Additionally, what is the price difference if you dismantle the vehicle?
- What are the title and registration requirements?
- What parts are you interested in?
As with anything, if you shop around, you’ll get the absolute best value, so don’t be afraid to contact more than one junk dealer.
Selling Your Car to a Private Auto-Buyer
Because auto parts buyers don’t want your entire car, you could be left with a lot of valuable pieces and no one to sell them too. This is why it’s often a better idea to consult a private auto-buyer, and see what they’d offer you for the entire vehicle.
Moreover, if you can’t move a vehicle, auto-buyers often come to you to remove the junked car. The Cash for Clunkers Utah offers promises to pick up your vehicle no matter where it’s located; “Whether your car is at your house, your work, the repair shop, or the side of the road; we’ll come to you. We will work around your schedule. We have appointment times Monday through Saturday; and not only do we offer standard day-time appointments, but we make house calls in the evening hours too.” This is a level of service junk dealers simply won’t offer.
Do “Cash for Clunkers” Auto-Buyers offer Fair Deals?
In most cases, you will end up with a fair deal; moreover, you could receive a rebate if your next car is fuel-efficient. This helps offset any loss you may receive having to part with a vehicle that was unintentionally totaled, and isn’t worth much to an auto-buyer.
The Cash for Clunkers program is intended to be environmentally friendly. The program offers consumers anywhere from $3500 to $4500 for their gas-guzzling vehicles, but this program can only be taken advantage of when you trade the car in for something more fuel-efficient. It’s also not available in every state.
In Utah, there is limited availability to the program. You’ll need to sign up early in the year to qualify to take advantage of the Cash for Clunkers incentive. Because it fills up quickly, your chances of qualifying are low. Your best bet is to choose a reputable auto-buyer that offers a fair rate for your junked vehicle. In Utah, the best place for this is CarSoldForCash.
As far as your old car is concerned, you should get a fair deal because it’s a buyer’s market. Be smart and haggle the price, but don’t expect too much if your car is severely damaged.
