Let’s face it. An old car that’s just sitting in the garage is an eyesore. Every day before you get off for work, you see it slowly rotting away. But before you call someone to turn your junk into cash, go over this checklist of things you have to do beforehand:

1.   Decide Whether Repair Costs Are Justifiable

At some point, you’ve probably thought about taking your car to a mechanic to get it repaired. But as soon as they gave you an astronomical quote, you crossed it off as an option. If you can’t justify the repair costs based on the value of your vehicle, there’s one option left: scrapcar.cash. This way, you’ll be able to get some money out of it. That’s always better than just watching its market value dip to zero!

1.   Remove Your Belongings

There’s a reason a lot of people forget about their belongings. They think that any effort to go through the car is cleaning it. And why clean something that you’re about to sell for scrap?

But if you haven’t been in the vehicle for a long time, you most likely can’t remember what’s in there. So don’t think of it as cleaning. See it as saving yourself from potentially losing something valuable. Check the trunk and all compartments.

2.   Get It off Your Insurance

It doesn’t make sense to be paying for insurance on a car you don’t use anymore, does it? So, it makes financial sense to consider removing not only your material things but also whatever policy you have linked to the car.

Notify your insurance provider. If you’ve paid in advance, you may be entitled to a refund.

3.   Take Off the License Plate to Avoid Issues

Who knows what will happen to your license plate if you leave it with a car? There’s always a possibility that someone else will use it to misdirect authorities. Even if you don’t do anything wrong, you definitely don’t want the legal hassle that could potentially come your way.

If you’re getting a new car, you’ll have to deal with vehicle registration. Even though certain processes won’t require your license plate, you’ll want to keep it just in case.

4.   Take Out Potentially Sellable Parts

People who are strapped for cash can more quickly get money from their vehicle by selling parts. Some dealers require you to take out non-metallic parts anyway. Why not use this as an opportunity to get even more money?

For example, your car seats may just be what another person needs for their project. Other potentially sellable parts, like the compressor and the engine, may still have some value on the second-hand market.

Normally, junk car dealers will give you a quote based on weight. Take that into consideration in determining whether it’s worth it to sell parts by piece.

5.   Prepare the Necessary Documentation

Even though not all dealers will ask for paperwork, it’s best to have it in hand just in case. Having proof of ownership is important if you want to officially transfer ownership to the dealer.

By transferring ownership, you won’t have to deal with any investigation should the car get stolen after the fact. You also won’t be liable should anyone get injured because of the vehicle.

6.   Compare Deals from Various Dealers

Call various dealers to see what they’ll offer for your car. If they have an active social media account or website, even better! This will allow you to send them pictures and videos, which will allow them to better assess its value.

But it’s not just the deal per se that you should consider. If you need to get rid of the junk car as soon as possible, a dealer that can haul it on the same day may be on the top of your list.

Before making your final decision, ask them if there are fees associated with getting it from your property. Ideally, you can ask in text or chat, so you have proof of it. This way, you won’t end up on the bad end of a deal.

7.   Make Sure the Dealer Is Licensed

Another way you can protect yourself is by only considering dealers with a Salvage Dealer License. This lets you file a valid claim against the dealer should they fail to pay you for the value of your car.

If you’re not sure if their dealer’s license is active, call the relevant department at your local government to verify the information.

There’s no reason to keep junk in the house, and this principle should apply to the rest of your property. If you’re trying to sell your home, boosting the home’s curb appeal is one sure way to improve your home value.

Scrapping your car allows you to get rid of your junk while getting paid for it. And because higher-quality metal commands a higher price, the sooner you do it, the better!