Sell My Car for Cash to a Salvage Lot: Should I Remove the Old Tires?

Tires are the parts on vehicles that tend to wear fastest. Even if you invest in the best model tires for the best brands, those tires will constantly roll down the road, pulling the car forward with however much horsepower you use. This is why tires commonly wear out faster than other auto components.

If you want to “sell my car for cash” to a Killeen, Texas, car buyer that operates as a junkyard, you may be wondering: Would it help the sale if I removed the old tires instead of leaving it to the junkyard? The answer may surprise you.

Leave Your Old Tires in Place

There are several reasons a junkyard may want you to leave your vehicle’s tires on the wheels. For one, if the tires still contain useful thread that gives them more miles of safe operation, a customer might want the tires as temporary stand-ins for new tires he is saving up for. Deciding whether your car’s tires have too much wear is up to the buyer.

A second reason why a Killeen, Texas, car buyer may want tires left in place — even if the tires have been shredded in a wreck — is because they can be sold to tire recyclers, who pick them up from the junkyard, and then process them into various new products, from tires to rubberized mulch found in playground areas.

Long story short: You may end up receiving a better sale offer from a Killeen, Texas, car buyer, if you leave your tiers in place. Tires are usually valuable parts that are sold in one way or another, to one entity or another.

Let Us Make an Offer for Your Car

Wrench-A-Part operates as a professional junkyard, so we don’t expect to see cars with shiny new parts when we travel to customers’ locations and tow the automobiles for free. We simply expect to find a junker that has some useful parts we can sell to consumers, including car tires.

To receive an initial price quote for your end-of-life automobile, please call our Belton location today at 254-831-4905, ext. 1. If we decide to buy your car, all we ask is that you to have personal items removed from the car and proof of ownership ready, so the sale can transpire legally and smoothly.

To receive a free, no strings attached price quote for your junker, contact us today. Your cash payment for your junk vehicle awaits!

Selling a Junker to a Lubbock, Texas, Car Buyer: Does Auto Recycling Affect Price?

A Lubbock, Texas, car buyer that operates as a junkyard may participate in recycling. If it does, this is usually how the recycling progress plays out from start to finish:

  • The Lubbock, Texas, car buyer purchases an end-of-life vehicle from a consumer.
  • The business inspects the car for potentially faulty parts and removes them.
  • The car is placed in the salvage lot for consumers to “pick and pull” the used parts.
  • After used parts are sold, the junkyard sells the leftover scrap metal to an auto recycler.
  • The scrap metal is processed into new car frames and other products.

For many would-be junk car owners who want to “sell my car for cash”, a nagging question is whether the revenue junkyards earn from selling scrap to recyclers is reflected in the price offer they make to purchase end-of-life vehicles. The answer can differ from junkyard to junkyard.

Why would junkyards pay consumers for scrap metal?

If a Lubbock, Texas, car buyer decides to include a portion of a car’s scrap metal value in the price offer, it does so based on how much money it will receive from a recycler for the scrap metal.

However, when recyclers buy scrap metal in bulk quantities — as they often do — it can be difficult to determine precisely how much a single car frame is worth in relation to the voluminous stack of frames. If a junk buyer calculates the value of scrap metal into the price you receive, the value is likely to be a hard, flat fee.

Why wouldn’t junkyards pay consumers for scrap metal?

The main reason why a Lubbock, Texas, car buyer would not pay you for scrap value is because scrap isn’t the main reason why the business buys vehicles. Vehicles are purchased to sell useful parts to consumers.

Selling car frames to a recycler is a different business process altogether — one that doesn’t involve owners of junk cars, who have legally transferred ownership to the junkyard.

Contact Wrench-A-Part Today

To learn about our junk vehicle buying process, please call Wrench-a-Part’s Lubbock location today at 806-748-5865, or each us through our contact form. Our car buying specialists are here to answer your questions about selling vehicles and how our particular process works.

We offer some of the most competitive prices for junk cars in the business. Contact us today to get started on selling your end-of-life vehicle for a great cash offer!

Sell My Car for Cash to a Junkyard: Do Aftermarket Tuner Parts Affect Price?

If you’ve ever been on a relaxing Sunday drive, and a car that sounded like it had a small airplane engine blasted past you, you probably heard one of the more annoying effects “tuner parts” can have on vehicle performance. But the driver of the vehicle could have paid thousands of dollars for those obnoxious-sounding muffler slip-ons that create the annoying sound.

When the car is retired and offered to a Belton, Texas, car buyer that operates as a junkyard, would the expensive muffler add-on and any other high-dollar aftermarket parts and systems contribute to the vehicle’s value? The answer is often yes, but not in the way you may think.

The Reality of Aftermarket Tuner Parts

Aftermarket tuner parts are special components you can’t get from an original equipment manufacturer (OEM). For example, Ford is the OEM for Ford vehicles, while aftermarket parts for Ford are sold by various companies whose parts inventories have something in common: They are filled with components that upgrade the looks and performance of Ford models in a special way. Consequently, the parts are often quite expensive.

Naturally, a driver who has as extensive collection of aftermarket parts installed in a junker would like to recoup some of the premium investment in those parts. However, it’s nearly a foregone conclusion that no junkyard customer would pay $5,000 for a turbo drive and manifold set that originally cost $11,000 — and has since traveled thousands of high-perfomance miles.

When Tuner Parts are Practically New   

One situation in which tuner parts can sell for more money than standard components is when the parts are nearly new. In other words, the parts were likely installed shortly before an auto accident turned the tuner car into a junker.

A Belton, Texas, car buyer of junk vehicles may offer slightly more for a tuner vehicle if it contains nearly new parts. But the novelty of the parts holds virtually no value for two reasons: the cost associated with the novelty is typically far in excess of the cost of junkyard parts, and the novelty of the parts passes quickly. In addition, per capita, there simply aren’t many people interested in tuner parts.

Contact Wrench-A-Part Today

If you’d like to “sell my car for cash” to a Belton, Texas, car buyer that acquires junk vehicles, and your vehicle has premium aftermarket parts installed, it may be best to disconnect the parts and try selling them to individuals. But this is something to discuss with Wrench-A-Part.

To receive a free price estimate and information for getting the most out of your end-of life tuner car, call our Belton location today at 254-831-4905, ext. 1, or refer to our contact form. We look forward to hearing from you and working with you on a fair price for your car!

Sell My Car for Cash to a Junkyard: How Does Mileage Affect Price?

The vehicles you find in the inventory of an Austin, Texas, car buyer that purchases junk vehicles vary widely in terms of mileage. The mileage of a junker is one of the criteria that affects how much the junkyard offers for the car, when you approach the business to “sell my car for cash”.

Why would mileage affect price?

At first glance, it sounds counterintuitive that the number on a junk vehicle’s odometer would affect how much the junker is worth. After all, the automobile doesn’t drive anymore, so what’s the big deal about big miles? Maybe the wheels and tires would be priced according to wear, but what about hundreds of other components located under the hood, in the cabin, and on the body?

While it’s true that some engine parts receive higher wear than others, and that cabin parts and body parts usually aren’t subjected to the most rigorous wear, the fact remains: These components do accrue wear. The cabin of a junker is generally far more worn than when new, and the body usually has an assortment of scrapes and dents. When it comes to selling the car, it’s best to consider it a junker in all respects, except perhaps one.

Recently Installed New Auto Parts

When an Austin, Texas, car buyer that purchases junk vehicles sees that an end-of-life automobile has, say, 164,000 miles on the odometer, the business knows that the original parts on the car — the factory-installed parts — have been though 164,000 miles of wear.

However, parts that have been installed more recently obviously haven’t been exposed to all of those miles. A conscientious Austin, Texas, car buyer that acquires junkers my pay you slightly more for these parts, offering you a total price that’s slightly higher than if the parts were original. However, don’t expect to receive a significantly higher quote. The offer will probably be in the range of $150-$300 — roughly the price of the average junk car.

About Wrench-a-Part

Wrench-A-Part is a professionally operated junkyard with Texas locations in Austin, Belton, Holland, and Lubbock. We buy end-of-life vehicles and used vehicles that still drive, offering some of the most competitive prices in the business. We also offer free towing for all vehicles we buy.

Contact our location nearest to you today to receive a free quote for the automobile you wish to sell. We look forward to hearing from you!

Sell My Car For Cash: What if the Buyer Doesn’t Ask for Proof of Ownership?

“What if I sell my car for cash to a Killeen, Texas, car buyer, and the buyer doesn’t request proof I own the vehicle? Should I move forward with the sale?”

The question is relatively uncommon, because a Killeen, Texas, car buyer almost always requests proof of ownership. Nevertheless, there are occasionally situations in which a buyer doesn’t request any of the following proofs of vehicle ownership, all of which are acceptable for transferring ownership from buyer to seller:

  • Vehicle owner’s title
  • Auction sales receipt
  • Mechanic’s lien
  • Storage lot lien
  • Repossession affidavit

So, there are plenty of documents a junkyard could accept for  transfer of ownership. This leads to another question: Why would the buyer say I can sell my car for cash without producing ownership documents?

Establishing Proof of Ownership

To be clear, whether you sell a junker or a used vehicle that still operates, Texas requires you to present a valid proof of vehicle ownership that can be transferred to the buyer. Otherwise, the sale is legally invalid. With that fact out of the way, let’s look at a couple of reasons why a Killeen, Texas, car buyer may not ask for proof you own the vehicle you’re selling.

1. Mom and Pop Junkyard Businesses

Some mom and pop junkyards, which are commonly operated by a few individuals, who are often family, frequently don’t have a registered junk yard business. Consequently, they set their own rules for buying junk vehicles. If they registered ownership of vehicles they buy, it could put them in a tax situation in which they must pay a significant amount for assets.

Mom and pop junkyards often experience low revenue ― and the income they receive may not be enough to cover yearly taxes. This is one reason why some of the outfits don’t want a record of ownership in place. It’s an underhanded way to help them preserve revenue.

2. Vehicles Sent Directly to Recyclers

Some junk car buyers aren’t in the business of selling secondhand parts from salvage vehicles. The vehicles they acquire are quickly sent to an auto recycler, where they are crushed into non-existence and formed into new products.

Like professionally operated junkyards, professional car recyclers require proof of ownership for vehicles they buy. However, just as you’ll find junkyards that don’t require proof of ownership, you may also find recyclers that let the law slide in favor of revenue.

However, while crushing a car may put the vehicle out of existence, it doesn’t eradicate proof of ownership. Someone will still be registered as the car’s owner ― and if the vehicle is no longer in your possession, you don’t want the trail of ownership leading back to you.

About Wench-a-Part

We are a professionally operated junkyard that buys end-of-life vehicles and used cars that still drive. Regardless of the type of vehicle you sell us, we ask that you produce and transfer proof of ownership to us. Doing so ensures we purchase the vehicle legally, and it officially disconnects you from situations that may involve the car after you liquidate it.

If you have vehicle you’d like to sell to us in Killeen, please call our location nearest to you, or reach us through our contact form. We look forward to seeing your vehicle and making a competitive cash offer, if we presently need the vehicle in stock.

Sell My Car for Cash to a Junkyard: Why is the Price Lower Than Expected?

Owners of junk cars that sell their vehicles to a Lubbock, Texas, car buyer commonly have two motivations to “sell my car for cash”: They wish to remove a vehicular eyesore from their property, and/or they want a cash payment they can use as they please. Often, sellers have both of these motivations, but motivation can be dampened when they receive a lower than expected sale offer.

Why a Lubbock, Texas, Car Buyer May Offer Lower Prices Than Expected

The average price for standard, end-of-life automobile is roughly $300. This is generally the amount you can expect to receive from the sale. When the offer is lower, there are at least three reasons why the Lubbock, Texas, car buyer you’re working with may make the lower offer.

1. Many Parts Have Already Been Removed

The primary value of junk vehicles to junkyards depends on four things: the make and model of the car, how popular the vehicle is with current drivers, the age of the automobile, and how many reusable parts from the car can be sold to customers looking for used, spare parts.

If you have already removed a significant amount of your vehicle’s parts, you may receive a sale offer that’s lower than the average payout.

2. A Fire or Other Accident Destroys Parts

Junkyards still buy vehicles that have experienced an accident that ruins most or all of the salable parts in the automobile. However, junkyards often sell the cars to vehicle recyclers, without first placing them in the salvage lot.

In this case, the amount you receive is largely based on what the recycler would pay a junkyard to acquire an automobile in this condition.

Depending on the recycler’s prices for scrap car frames, the sale offer could potentially be lower than the average price junkyards pay for a vehicle.

3. The Vehicle is Unpopular With Drivers

A Lubbock, Texas, car buyer typically prefers cars that current drivers routinely need parts for. For example, a ubiquitous car such as the 2015 Ford Taurus is driven by many people. Consequently, it only makes sense to keep the car continually in stock.

On the flip side, while specialty cars such as Bentleys and Ferraris also need replacement parts, few people own the cars, so the market for secondhand parts is quite low for the vehicles.

Furthermore, drivers who can afford expensive autos usually have them serviced by the auto dealer. The service is more expensive than if your did it yourself with used replacement parts, but the price of dealer services are usually no object for those who can afford a six-figure car.

There’s a good chance that selling a high-end car to an individual who wishes to customize it could bring a bigger payout than selling to a junkyard.

Contact Wrench-A-Part Today

Wrench-A-Part is a professionally operated junkyard that buys various makes and models of foreign and domestic vehicles. We offer highly competitive prices, but we also tell you about other opportunities that may offer a better price, especially if you have a used vehicle whose value may be higher to a car aficionado than it is to us. It’s a part of our dedicated customer service program that carefully considers the best interest of sellers.

If you have a vehicle you think we may be interested in buying, please call our Lubbock location today at 806-748-5865, or send us an email through our contact form. We look forward to hearing from you!

Selling Used Cars to a Belton, Texas, Car Buyer: Can I Swap for a Different Car?

There are some types of businesses where bartering to trade one product for another is common practice. For example, people swap valuable pieces of valuable art, high-end jewelry, and other distinctive items whose financial value is well-established in their respective markets.

Is a used car that still drives something that a Belton, Texas, car buyer would consider swapping for another vehicle in the used car inventory? The answer depends on the junkyard to which you plan to “sell my car for cash”. However, more often than not, the answer is no. Below are four reasons why.

1. Junkyards Focus on Generating Revenue

Like most businesses, a Belton, Texas, car buyer wants to receive steady cash flow, and that doesn’t happen by swapping vehicles; rather, it happens by selling the cars. Swapping car for car is a transaction that doesn’t generate income. Junkyards want to sell used cars, not exchange one set of wheels for another in a moneyless transaction.

2. Quantifying Trade-in Value can be Tough

Used cars have various levels of wear ― and some of the wear is hidden away in compartments that would require partially disassembling the car to arrive at a specific estimation. Doing this for two cars that would be traded is time consuming and typically wouldn’t result in a complete reassessment of either car’s value.

In terms of vehicular reliability and remaining lifespan, you take on some risk when buying a used car. However, the tradeoff is that you get a car for a much lower price than a new car. If a used car ends up needing repair parts, you can purchase them affordably from a junkyard.

3. Most Junkyards Primarily Sell Auto Parts

Most junkyards earn the most revenue from selling reliable, used auto parts that are pulled from junkers in the salvage lot. Selling used cars, too, provides an additional stream of revenue. To keep the extra revenue flowing at a steady pace, junkyards are naturally more interested in selling their inventory instead of doing a swap that causes a hiccup in revenue flow.

4. Lack of Movement in Vehicle Inventory

Professionally operated junkyards quickly sell parts from junkers, and then replace the vehicles with similar models or clones, whenever possible. The inventory has a high turnover, which is what exactly junkyards want in order to attract new customers.

Swapping one car for another keeps the inventory static. So, from the junkyard’s perspective, it’s preferable for you to sell your used vehicle for cash, and then use the money to buy a different vehicle. If you’re set on swapping autos, it can be done easily at most auto dealerships, but don’t expect to get the best price.

Many car dealers earn the biggest profit from selling used cars, not new ones. This means dealers offer low prices, so they can apply a significant price markup that lets them capture the excellent profit margin.

About Our Business

Wrench-A-Part specializes in buying used cars and end-of-life automobiles ― otherwise known as “junkers”. Swapping cars isn’t a part of our business model, but we do pay highly competitive prices for used cars. Often, the price is better than you would get from auto dealers, which focus on buying used vehicles at bargain prices, so they can then apply a generous price markup.

To inquire about selling a used car to our Belton, Texas, car buyer location, call our Belton office today at 254-831-4905, ext. 1, or reach us through our contact form. We continually need used cars in stock, and we’d love to take a look at the pre-owned vehicle you’re selling!

 

Selling a Junker to an Austin, Texas, Car Buyer: Helpful Tips

Interested to “sell my car for cash” to an Austin, Texas, car buyer that pays for junkers? If so, the process is surprisingly easy. But there are three steps you can take to encourage the sale: Remove personal items from the vehicle before the tow truck arrives, remove car parts that are non-functional to the point of irreparability, and have proof of ownership in hand before the tow truck arrives your location to pay you for the car, and then tow it to the junkyard.

Remove Personal Items

If you keep the cabin of your vehicle immaculately clean and organized, you can probably accomplish this step in a few minutes. Obviously, some personal items shouldn’t be left in the car you plan to sell, such as financial documents, proprietary workplace documents that must not be shared, and any items that have high personal value.

Regardless of what you need to retrieve, the primary point is to remove it before the tow truck arrives. If you wait to start removing items after the truck arrives, you’re wasting the junkyard’s time ― time in which its trucks could be towing other junk vehicles.

If the tow truck driver has a tight schedule for picking up other vehicles, don’t be surprised if the truck leaves to keep other business on schedule, and then comes back for your vehicle when it’s ready to go.

Remove Broken Parts

Removing broken parts isn’t a must. The junkyard would remove them after performing a careful inspection, but you can save the buyer time by removing them yourself.

In addition to expediting the junkyard’s parts assessment process, you remove the possibility of the recalcitrant parts inadvertently ending up in the hands of consumers. Think of it as being a good steward to the junkyard and its customers, who will pull parts from the car after it’s in the salvage lot.

Have Proof of Ownership

Not removing personal items and faulty parts won’t necessarily keep an Austin, Texas, car buyer from purchasing your vehicle, but not proving you own the vehicle will halt the sale.

Buying a car that lacks proof of ownership is illegal in Texas, so you need to produce one of the following official documents that confirm ownership: vehicle owner’s title, auction sales receipt, mechanic’s lien, storage lot lien, and repossession affidavit. You’ll use these documents to finalize the sale and transfer ownership from you to the buyer.

Contact Us Today

Wrench-A-Part is an Austin, Texas, car buyer that makes it easy to sell junkers that are well past their prime. Towing services are free. As long as you have an ownership document that can be transferred to the buyer, and you have your vehicle ready to tow, you’re good to go.

To see if we need your end-of-life automobile in our inventory, call us today in Austin at 512-501-6946. We look forward to examining your car and offering a competitive payment in cash. Contact us today to get started on the sale!

Sell My Car for Cash: Should I Drain Engine Fluids Before the Sale?

An automobile uses several types of engine fluids. Most of them, such as gasoline, engine coolant, and motor oil, are essential to a vehicle’s operation. Consequently, when a car reaches the end of its life, it still contains most of these fluids in ample supply.

Because engine fluids can pose safety risks to junkyard customers, the fluids are removed before a car is placed in the salvage lot. Do I need to remove engine fluids to sell my car for cash? That’s the question we answer here, so you can move ahead with the sale and receive your cash payment.

Should you remove engine fluids on your own?

It would be rare to find a Killeen, Texas, car buyer that requires you to remove a junk car’s engine fluids prior to sale. There are a couple of reasons why.

First, some fluid reservoirs are tough to drain. For example, while it’s fairly easy to drain motor oil, removing gasoline is harder. Some car owners resort to mouth-siphoning the liquid using a rubber tube, sucking in until gasoline fills the tube and starts flowing to a lower center of gravity.

This siphoning method works, but it could cause a gasoline spill, posing a safety hazard.

Second, a Killeen, Texas, car buyer can usually remove engine fluids faster than consumers, which means it can buy junkers and get them in the salvage faster if it handles fluid removal. Over time, a junkyard that performs fluid removal may earn more revenue than if it had sellers do the job.

What’s more, some junkyards — including Wrench-A-Part — work with recyclers to keep spent car fluids and parts out of landfills. If you’re passionate about eco-friendliness, this is the kind of junkyard to do business with. Most engine fluids in a consumer vehicle can be recycled and repurposed in some way.

Get a free price estimate on your junker today

Do I need to remove engine fluids to sell my car for cash? If you’re selling to a professionally operated junkyard, the answer is no. When you sell to Wrench-A-Part, we remove your car’s fluids, so you can make the sale faster and avoid getting your hands dirty.

To receive a free price quote for your junker, please call our nearest location today, or reach us through our contact form. We look forward to making you a competitive cash offer for your junk vehicle!

Sell My Car for Cash: Do Junkyards Buy Industrial Vehicles?

If you own an industrial grade vehicle, such as a dump truck, you probably either use it for work or don’t have much use for it at all. People who haven’t use for industrial vehicles can end up  owning them in a variety of ways, such as through inheritance, bidding on a group of vehicles at a business liquidation sale, and as a part of a legal settlement against a business contractor.

Understandably, consumers who “luck into” industrial vehicles often wish to luck out of them as quickly as possible. When the vehicles are at the “end of life” stage, their owners frequently offer them to junkyards, posing the question: Can I sell my car for cash to a Lubbock, Texas, car buyer, even if the so-called “car” is an industrial vehicle?

The answer is yes, but it depends entirely on the type of junkyard you choose.

Finding a Junkyard for Industrial Vehicles

Junkyards generally fall into two categories: those that buy consumer junk vehicles and those that purchase industrial junk vehicles. You’ll also find junkyards that buy both types of vehicles, but these businesses tend to be catchall junkyards that are either “mom and pop” operations or outfits that are interested in acquiring vehicular scrap metal for recycling.

There are also two categories of Lubbock, Texas, car buyers that solely purchase industrial vehicles: those that buy various kinds of industrial automobiles and those that buy a particular type of industrial automobile, such as an asphalt laying machine that moves on tracks.

If you have a highly specialized machine like this, your best bet is offering it to the latter type of junkyard. Because the business specializes in your specific kind of machine, you are likely to get an offer that’s truly fair, with an explanation of exactly how the vehicle is valuated.

Does Wrench-A-Part Buy Industrial Vehicles? 

No. We are a Lubbock, Texas, car buyer that specializes in domestic and foreign consumer vehicles, although we happily buy heavy duty pickup trucks that are often used on industrial worksites, such as Ford F-350 and super duty Chevy Silverado editions.

If you have a vehicle like this that is ready for the junkyard, call our Belton location today at 254-831-4905, ext. 1, or send us an email through our contact form. We look forward to seeing your vehicle and making a competitive cash offer if we need it in our inventory!