Things To Be Aware Of Before Junking Your Car

If your car is headed for the junkyard, there a number of things you need to consider. If you act too hurriedly, you may find yourself making a terrible realization after your car has already been turned into a mass of unrecognizable metal.

You Should Squeeze Out as Much Money as Possible from the Car

When a car is destined for the junkyard, the value of anything inside is irrelevant. If there's anything inside and outside that you can still resell to someone else, you should remove it before the vehicle is towed to a facility that offers money for junk cars. Whether it's a GPS system that still works, a stereo, relatively new wheels, or the fuel in the tank, remove as much of it as possible. The only exception is if the deal you made with the junkyard was for the car in the condition it's in.

Some Dealers Prefer Stripped Cars

Dealers vary in terms of their requirements. Some will want to buy junk cars as they are, i.e., with non-metallic parts included while others will want the cars to be stripped down to the bone. This means they'll want nothing but the bare metal. If the junkyards in your area want a stripped-down vehicle, this will mean removing seats and plastic parts, removing the fluids, etc. Some of these activities will call for expert hands and tools.

Don't Forget the License Plates

In many states, you have to turn in your car's licenses plates to the DMV if you want your registration to be canceled. Some insurance companies will also want you to turn in the plates and registration before they can cancel your policy. Therefore, if you forget to take out the plates, you may end up incurring further costs even after you've transferred ownership of the car.

There is Probably a Lot of Personal Stuff in the Car

A car can almost be thought of as a second home for most people. Apart from the storage compartments, the floor under the carpets and various nooks and crannies may hold lots of personal items that were either lost or just ignored. Some of this stuff may be valuable while others may be documents with a lot of personal information.

Therefore, it's important to check every single part of the car before it heads to the junkyard. Otherwise, your information or personal property could find its way into the wrong hands and expose you to many risks.