Selling a junk car to a salvage yard is one way to make a little extra cash and rid your garage or driveway of an unwanted vehicle. However, in order to ensure this transaction goes smoothly, there are a few things you will need to ensure you have in hand before you reach out to local salvage yards in order to get an offer on your vehicle. Continue reading to learn more about the three things that you will need in order to ensure you are prepared to sell your junk car.

1. Detailed Information Regarding The Car You Are Selling

The more information you have regarding the car you want to sell, the more likely you are to get a fair and accurate estimate over the phone. Some of the information you will want to have on hand when making calls to local salvage yards includes:

• the year, make, and model of the vehicle
• how many miles are on the vehicle
• any aftermarket parts that have been added to the vehicle
• any parts that have been removed from the vehicle
• whether the car has steel or aluminum alloy wheels

Having all of this information on hand when you call the first time will allow you to avoid the need to call back once you have gathered all the information you need.

2. Proof Of Ownership

In order to legally sell a vehicle, you will need to prove that you are the legal owner of the vehicle. The easiest way to do this is with a valid title that is free of all liens. However, if you do not have or cannot locate the title for your vehicle, there is another way in which you can demonstrate ownership. In order to do this, you will need to be prepared to sign a legal document known as an affidavit that states you are the current owner of the vehicle. In addition to this affidavit, you will need to show a secondary proof of ownership such as an old vehicle registration or auto insurance card.

3. A Working Key For The Car

Even if your vehicle is not in running condition, you will still need to provide the salvage yard with a key for the vehicle. There are a few reasons for this. First, a key is often required in order to put the car into neutral in order for it to be loaded onto a tow truck without damaging the suspension of the vehicle. Second, some salvage yards will choose to sell off parts rather than immediately crushing the vehicle for scrap metal. Having a working key for the vehicle is a must if they wish to sell certain parts of the vehicle such as the ignition. 

Contact a salvage yard near you to learn more about this topic.