Is It Too Late To Junk Your Clunker?
Good intentions are rarely a good match for the allure of procrastination. If you have an old clunker on your property, the odds are good that you've been meaning to do something with it for a while. Unfortunately, it's easy to wait "one more week" and discover that months or even years have gone by and that old car is slowly rusting into dust.
If this sounds familiar, don't worry. It's not too late to do something with your old car, and you can even get some cash for cars in the process. Don't let procrastination keep you from turning an old wreck into cold, hard cash.
Why You Shouldn't Wait
Have you ever heard anyone say that cars age like a fine wine? Probably not, because it's rarely the case. While some classics might only get better with age, it takes dedication, time, and money to keep those cars in showroom condition. On the other hand, the typical daily driver will only develop more problems over time, especially if you leave one sitting around unused.
Sadly, idle vehicles can potentially develop even more problems than ones that see daily use. When a car sits for too long, water and moisture can pool in unexpected places, creating the potential for significant rust. Fluids also wear out with age, even if you don't use the car, making turning that key after a few years a risky proposition.
Ultimately, the longer an old car sits around, the more likely it will lose value and potentially not start at all. If you had plans to sell that old clunker or restore it, it might be worth reconsidering them after leaving it for a few years. The added costs and headaches mean that starting with a vehicle that's suffered from less neglect is often a much better idea.
How to Junk That Old Car
The good news is that scrapyards won't care about most of the issues that develop when you leave a vehicle sitting in your driveway or yard for too long. In general, you can always sell your vehicle to a junk buyer as long as it's still feasible to get it onto a wrecker. Of course, you'll also need to ensure your car is in a location that a tow truck can safely access.
Even if you've allowed your car to rot away into a pile that's more rust than metal, you can still expect to get some scrap value from it. If it's in slightly better condition (and you've got some mechanical skills), you may also want to try stripping and selling a few high-value parts, such as interior electronics. By taking these two steps, you can turn that rusty lawn ornament into a small windfall.