You may have heard the term “junk car” used to describe cars before. But what makes a car a junk car, precisely? If you want to know what junk cars are and if you have one, we explain everything below.
A junk car is defined as a car that no longer operates or is damaged and not worth repairing. Typically, these cars have low or nonexistent resale values and are only good for parts or scrap.
Now that you know what junk cars are, you may wonder if you have one. Here are a few signs your car is ready to retire at the junkyard:
Is your car old—really old? While cars of any age can be junkers, most junk cars are over ten years old. These cars have typically seen years of use and have outdated features that impact their functionality and safety. Keeping them road-safe takes a lot of time, effort, and money. If you don’t have these resources to spend, selling to a junkyard is the most sensible option.
Perhaps your car takes minutes to turn the engine on, and it shakes and rattles precariously down the road. Or maybe it doesn’t work at all and is just taking up room in your carport or garage. Barely functional cars put you at risk of an accident on the road, while unfunctional cars do nothing but take up space and waste money. For your convenience and safety, junking them is best.
Tires? Deflated. Exhaust? Emitting unusually colored and bad-smelling smoke. Brakes? They work—sometimes. If your car needs lots of repairs to be safe and functional, it could be a junker. As a general rule, if the cost of repairs far exceeds the car’s worth, junking it is the best option.
Unless the car is a coveted classic, junk cars aren’t worth much to most buyers. But to junkyards, junk cars are invaluable. Junkyards will buy junk cars from their owners, harvest the car’s usable parts and metals, and sell them.
The value of a junk car varies based on its make and model, its condition, where you live, and the current price of scrap metal on the market.
Want to sell junk cars in Salisbury, MA, or the rest of the Greater Seacoast Area and make quick money on a car you no longer use? At junkyardnearme.com, we can connect you with one of our partner junkyards that will buy your junk car, no matter its make and model, age, or condition. To estimate the value of your junk car, tell us a bit about it, and we’ll send you an instant quote.