Last Updated on September 17, 2022 by John Robinson
When you’re trying to get rid of an old car, you have a couple of options. Primarily, you can sell it via a private sale, or you can sell it to an auto wrecking service.
Traditionally, most people tend to think a private sale is the best route if the car is capable of being fixed up, but that’s not exactly true. In fact, an auto wrecker might be your best option even if the car can technically drive for the time being.
Don’t believe us? Let’s dive into our reasoning behind that.
What are the Differences?
Before we dive into some of the reasons you should go with an auto wrecker, you need to know exactly what each of your options is.
Private Sale
A private sale is when you put a “For Sale” sign in the window of your car, list it on a website, or otherwise spread the word that you’re looking to sell it, and then the end-buyer pays you upfront and takes the car away themselves.
In short, it’s when you sell the vehicle to someone directly instead of trading it in or using a car buying service.
Auto Wrecker
An auto wrecker is basically a junkyard. They take in cars regardless of their condition, strip them of worthwhile parts, and turn the rest into recyclable materials.
What you may not know is that they don’t just pick up the wreckage from car accidents and similar situations. You can also sell your unwanted car to them.
Why Sell Your Car to an Auto Wrecker?
So, why should you bother selling your car to an auto wrecker when private sales have been the standard option for decades? As it turns out, there are quite a few reasons. Let’s go over them.
1. No Fuss
When you sell a car privately, the buyer typically wants to know they’re getting a good deal. In fact, majority of the time private buyers tend to be completely unreasonable and expect too much.
If your car has issues or will likely need frequent repairs in the future, it turns off private buyers. Also, proving that the vehicle is in good enough shape to meet their demands may be difficult.
With an auto wrecker, you don’t have any of those problems. You call the business, describe the vehicle, and set up a deal. Then, they pick the car up and pay you cash.
Of course, the condition of the vehicle will affect their offer, but it doesn’t matter if your car has been destroyed in a wreck or simply requires too much maintenance to warrant messing with it anymore; they will buy it outright, either way.
2. Quick and Efficient
When you sell a vehicle privately, especially if it will require repairs to get it running again, it can take a while to get it off your property.
If a buyer does choose to buy your damaged or old vehicle, they’ll likely have to work around their schedule to get it running or hire a tow truck, and if it does drive enough for them to get it home, the two of you still must set a time when you’re both available.
Do you have time to wait a week or more AFTER you seal the deal for the sale to finally go through?
An auto wrecker can usually pick the vehicle up the same day you contact them. That is, if you’re available to meet them at the car’s location, you can get the car sold in as little as half an hour from phone call to pick up.
Even if the vehicle doesn’t run, the car pick-up service is equipped to remove it quickly and at no cost to you.
3. Environmental Benefits
Let’s say your vehicle isn’t running, and you manage to sell it to a private buyer. They get the vehicle with plans to fix it up, and then it just sits around on their property. Sure, you got your money, but ultimately, that sale affects the environment dramatically.
An auto wrecker prevents this from happening. Behind the dirt, grime, and metal debris of a junkyard, an auto wrecker is essentially a recycling service that helps preserve nature despite looking like a messy business.
Auto wreckers take a vehicle, strip it of parts that can be reused, and then breaks down the “carcass” into recyclable materials. This includes toxic chemicals, steel, plastic, and everything else your car is made from.
By choosing an auto wrecker, you know that your vehicle will not only be disposed of properly, but it will be used to bolster multiple industries, repair other cars, and put a bit of cash in your wallet at the same time.
Consider an Auto Wrecker
Auto wreckers aren’t always the best option. After all, you don’t want to sell a brand-new BMW to an auto wrecker when you can likely trade it in or get quite a bit from a private sale.
However, if you’re getting rid of a car that is on its last legs or needs hefty repairs, an auto wrecker can be a far better option than a private sale. Plus, it removes all the time-consuming and annoying parts of the process, too.
