Options for Old Cars

Barberton Junk Cars is back again with some new information relating to the handling of end-of-life vehicles. As indicated throughout our website, we are a buyer of scrap vehicles and the best choice to junk a car in Kent, Wadsworth or Kenmore. Do you need a price for a wrecked car? Are you considering whether or not selling a scrap car for cash is for you? This article will weigh in on the various options that you have for disposing of or selling an older car, truck, SUV or van. In the September 1, 2015 edition of parade.com an article titled ‘Should You Sell or Donate Your Used Car?’ was posted by Leah Ingram, with the following highlights: “While many people trade in an old car when they buy new, what are you supposed to do if you’re not in the market for a car but you still want to get rid of an old car? Due to a death in the family, we inherited a 2003 SUV in great shape; the car had 75,000 miles on the odometer when we assumed ownership. Most cars are driven (on average) 12,000 miles per year; there should have been nearly twice that many miles on the car, given its age.

Soon thereafter our 10-year-old, everyday car, a Ford Freestyle, started having significant problems; the air conditioning gave out and the all-wheel drive stopped working. Estimates to get both fixed added up to almost as much as the Kelley Blue Book (KBB) value for this car. Finally, earlier this summer, the rear windshield shattered–either by a passing lawnmower or the extreme summer heat. This car is older and pretty beat up—both our daughters learned to drive in this car so you can only imagine the dents & scratches it received. All the needed repairs added up to more than the car was worth. With this newer car sitting in our driveway, it became obvious that it was probably time to get rid of the Freestyle. Since we weren’t interested in trading it in for a new vehicle, the question became this: should we sell or donate our used car? Here’s what we learned.

Companies like Carmax.com and Autotrader.com are good places to start when trying to sell your car yourself. The only drawback that we found was that we had to visit a nearby dealer to get our actual offer. Perhaps one of the best ways to sell a car yourself is via Craigslist. That’s how a sold her Ford Focus in 2014, even though her 2003 vehicle needed a new transmission; she priced it at $1,000 on Craigslist and had an offer from someone to give her $900.  What helped her successfully sell the vehicle was that, except for the transmission, the exterior & interior were in perfect condition. Since I couldn’t say the same for my Ford Freestyle, I figured selling it on my own wasn’t an option.

While speaking with her she told me that she had also donated a car in the past; she was disappointed in the resulting tax benefit–only able to write off the car for $200. According to Brian Moody of Autotrader,  it seems that the only time that donating a car might make sense is amid a tax year when you might have a big tax liability you need to counterbalance. So what did we end up doing with our used Ford Freestyle? We junked it. It turns out the car was worth more if we sold it for scrap metal; we drove it to a local junkyard and handed over the title for $600. I called our auto insurance company to let them know we no longer owned the car, and they refunded us part of the premiums we’d already paid to insure that car.” The complete article is available at this link.

Hopefully, this parade.com story provided some good insight on whether to choose from these 4 options:

1. Trade-In. This applies only when purchasing another car from a dealer.
2. Set it privately. Placing ads or posting ‘for sale’ signs to attract a local buyer.
3. Donating the vehicle. Perhaps a good option for those with a large tax liability.
4. Scrapping the car for cash. Basically selling a scrap car to a buyer of scrap vehicles.

Those seeking to junk a car in Kent, Cuyahoga Falls or Fairlawn should contact us at (330) 732-JUNK to receive a price for a wrecked car or other non-running vehicle. As an experienced buyer of scrap vehicles, you can rest knowing we give you a good price for a wrecked car or damaged vehicle. We are available 6 days a week for those selling a scrap car. In the state of Ohio it is required that you have the title and matching ID. This is a state law that applies regardless whether you junk a car in Kent, Medina or Lakemore. The business of auto recycling junk cars tends to experience some pricing volatility based on the market; therefore, do not assume that a junk car quote you receive today will be honored a few weeks later. To receive fast cash for cars from our junk vehicle buyer, simply call us or visit our website. Our scrap car hauler will typically be able to pick up your old car the same-day!