Selling an old car for parts is easier than most people realize, and your junker could be worth quite a bit of money. With a little hard work and some research, you could potentially make hundreds from an old or broken down vehicle.
Research Your Vehicle
The very first step in this process is learning as much as you can about the car or truck. In addition to the make and model, you might also want to take a look at the VIN. That number is going to tell you a lot of information about the vehicle including where it was manufactured, the year it was made, and which facility it was built in. With that data, it will be much easier to sell each of the parts.
Identify and Remove Valuable Parts
Once you have carried out some research, it will be time to remove all of the most valuable parts. While every vehicle is slightly different, there are a few key components that you should try to sell first. That includes the airbags, seats, transmission, and engine. If the vehicle has any custom parts or upgrades, then you should remove those components as well. Selling a custom exhaust and four clean wheels could easily make you a few hundred dollars.
Pile up the Scrap Metal
All of the usable parts should make you most of your money, but the scrap metal could also be valuable. In order to sell that metal, you will need to carefully remove individual parts such as the body panels and firewall. It is very difficult to sell scrap metal if it has been contaminated with other materials, and the recycling process is going to take you quite a bit of time if you want to maximize your profits.
Consider Selling the Whole Thing at Once
While parting out your vehicle can be lucrative, that process requires time, tools, and expertise. If you want to get the vehicle off your property as quickly as possible, then you should find a company that offers money for junk cars. Most of those companies will give you cash on the spot, and you won’t have to worry about finding individual buyers or shipping dozens of different parts.
As you are parting out your car, you must make sure that you use all of the proper safety equipment. Many older cars are filled with dangerous chemicals, and you might end up with serious health problems if you don’t wear the proper respirator, gloves, and safety glasses.