Sell for scrap or split for parts? What to do with your old car

This article was originally published by Aaron Borderman on Clean Fleet Report, a publication that gives its readers the information they need to move to cars and trucks with best fuel economy, including electric cars, fuel cells, plug-in hybrids, hybrids and advanced diesel and gasoline engines. 

What to do when calling it quits on your aging vehicle

Most people sell their old car when they get a new one, but what happens if the car is beyond its useful lifespan? In some cases, you might be able to sell a beaten up car to somebody that is willing to repair it, or you could repair it yourself before selling it. But sometimes, you need to know when to call it quits and admit that your car is simply too far gone to be useful to anybody anymore.

When you find yourself in this situation, you need to think carefully about how you are going to get rid of your car. If they are not disposed of properly, the waste from cars can cause a lot of environmental damage, so you need to follow the right procedures. Here’s everything you need to know about getting rid of your old car.

[Read: How Netflix shapes mainstream culture, explained by data]

Selling your car for parts

The 💜 of EU tech

The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!

Cars are actually one of the most recycled consumer products there is. The majority of the metal can be recovered and recycled, and even the windshield can be recycled. But before you think about scrapping the car and recycling it, you should consider selling it for parts. Even though the car is not in good working order, and it isn’t worth paying for repairs, that doesn’t mean that the whole car is useless. There are plenty of parts in there that could be useful for making repairs on other cars. You will get more money if you get rid of your old car this way, and you know that at least some of it is still being used. You could visit a local salvage yard and see if they are willing to buy the car, or you could advertise it privately. However, if you sell privately, it does require a lot more work on your part.

Scrapping your car

If you don’t think that it’s worth selling for parts, you will have to scrap your car. When you are scrapping your car, think carefully about where you take it. If you want convenience, you should use an online service. Search for junk car near me and you’ll find some great companies that are willing to pick up the car and take it away for you. Alternatively, you could take it to be scrapped yourself if it’s still driveable, or you have a way of transporting it.

Regardless of where you decide to take it, you need to do your research beforehand. Make sure that you use a professionally licensed service that will do everything above board. Although the rules vary from state to state, it’s usually best to remove your license plate. In some places, you can sell them back to the state to be reused on other vehicles.

On arrival at the junk yard, you will be asked for all of the relevant documentation to prove that you own the car. Make sure that you bring your driving license and all of the registration documents with you, or you will not be allowed to scrap your car.

There are strict rules and regulations about getting rid of an old car, so make sure that you follow the procedure to the letter or you could end up with a big fine.

You can follow Clean Fleet Report on Twitter and Facebook.