Is your lemon car or junk vehicle a hidden gem? Or is it just a piece of trash only worth its weight in scrap metal?
When it’s time to junk your car, be mindful that some types of junk cars are worth more than others. Knowing how salvage yards categorize the vehicles that come to their lot will be handy if you’re planning to sell your junker.
What’s the best price that you can get for it? Does it even have any value at all?
Keep on reading to learn more about the best junk cars you can sell for a lot of cash and those that are probably not worth the trouble.
The Two General Types of Junk Cars
While there are countless types of vehicles in the automotive industry, such as sedans, SUVs, etc., the scrap world only recognizes two. You have your “scrap cars” and “salvage cars.” So what’s the difference between the two?
The short answer is that a scrap car only has value in its weight in metal, while a salvage car is worth more than that. Let’s examine the characteristics of each type so you’ll have an idea of what you have in your garage.
Scrap Vehicles
The scrap cars or scrap vehicles are what you imagine when you hear the word “junk.” They’re what you see stacked up on top of each other in junkyards. There’s no way to make them functional, and they have no parts that are worth anything.
These are cars with lots of missing parts, such as the engine, doors, or tires. Even the paperwork or proof of vehicle ownership is long gone. Some of them may have been through a fire or flooding and sustained massive damage.
In a nutshell, everything on the vehicle is useless and without value. Well, except for the metal. Typically, there’s no opportunity for profit, and the towing and transport fee may be more expensive than the scrap metal price.
Salvage Cars
On the other hand, salvage cars are damaged cars that are worth more than their weight in metal. Some of these vehicles end up in the junkyard when they shouldn’t. In some cases, it’s more appropriate to send them to a repair shop instead of a salvage yard.
Sure, they may have suffered some damage, even a major one, but nothing that’s not fixable. These cars are still drivable after repairs. Getting cash for junk cars like these depends on how the repair costs compare with the appraised value when repaired.
Even if these cars have extensive damage that makes them unfit to drive, you can get lucky selling junk car parts. If they still have usable parts, they belong in this category. Sometimes, you may have big-ticket items on your hands if the parts are rare and in demand.
What Type of Junker Is the One in Your Garage?
Now that you’re familiar with the two types of junk cars don’t be in a rush to sell your lemon or junk car. Take a closer look at what you have, and assess if you have a scrap car or a salvage car. You may be able to sell it for more than you thought.
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