Do you have a car that costs more to repair than it is worth? Or a car you simply cannot sell, no matter how many times you have lowered the price? If so, it may be time to think about selling your car to a junk or salvage yard. 

A junk or salvage yard purchases cars that other people do not want. The working parts can be pulled off the car and sold to those needing the parts, and the metal can be recycled.

If you are considering selling your car to a junkyard, here are a few important steps you should take first. 

Clear Titles & Liens

If you have a clear title, you should find no difficulty transferring ownership to the recycler. Ace Auto Parts wants to conduct all business legally and ethically. 

Therefore, before a vehicle can be considered junk in Minnesota, you will need to surrender the title and the license plates and cancel the insurance on the car. If there are multiple parties, you must obtain the other party's signature to transfer the title.

If you have a clear title but have lost or misplaced it, you may retrieve a copy from the state but will likely have to wait a week or more. This process differs from state to state, so check your local regulations. 

You may still be able to sell the car without a title but expect more difficulty in finding a buyer and possibly a lower offer. You will also need to pay off the lender/previous owner and remove any liens on the car. Failure to do this could result in penalties against the owner or towing company. 

To learn more about Minnesota's regulations on salvage vehicle sales, contact your local Department of Motor Vehicles office. If you still have an active insurance policy on the automobile, make sure you cancel that, too. 

Remove Your Personal Belongings

Cars collect a variety of items over time. They're usually scattered throughout the glove compartment, center console, and, of course, the trunk. Prior to selling your car, it is important to take the time to remove personal belongings because once the car is sold, you may be unable to get back anything that was left inside. 

Also, take the time to look under the seats and between crevices to ensure nothing important fell into these areas. You may also want to remove any valuable items you installed after you purchased the vehicle, such as a custom stereo.

Just a few personal effects people often let slip their minds include:

  • Seat covers

  • Floor mats

  • Belongings in the center console

  • Stuff in the trunk of the vehicle

  • Documents in the glove compartment

  • Steering wheel covers

Even if you don't think there's anything in your junker you want, give it a quick once-over, at the very least. You might be surprised to find a few small things you didn't know existed. 

Empty the Gas Tank

Gasoline remains a precious commodity, and the salvage yard must drain all the fluids when processing cars for recycling. There is no reason to waste that liquid gold in your gas tank. If you have a significant amount of fuel left in the car, try to use it if the vehicle is still drivable. 

Otherwise, if you're comfortable siphoning fuel from the tank, you can store it in approved containers for later use. Whether you put that fuel in the tank of a different vehicle or another piece of fuel-powered machinery like a lawnmower, you'll get your money's worth out of it rather than letting it go to waste!

Remove Your License Plates

Once arrangements have been made for your car to be picked up, you should remove your license plates from the vehicle. If you wish to request a partial refund on your registration from Minnesota, you must surrender the plates to the DMV.

Pull Valuable Aftermarket Parts

Generally, when you sell a junker to a salvage yard, the yard pays you based on the weight of your automobile. If your junker vehicle has any aftermarket parts, you may want to pull those parts and sell them yourself. Chances are you'll get more money from a private sale, especially if your vehicle has even moderately valuable aftermarket components. 

However, you may be able to negotiate the sale so that you may remove valuable parts beforehand. Parts such as used batteries and custom wheels with used tires can be sold separately or used on another vehicle you own. 

If you want to maximize your profits, consider pulling things like:

  • Aftermarket GPS equipment

  • High-quality, aftermarket rims

  • Stereo equipment (both the console and any subwoofers or speakers)

  • Backup cameras or other interior cameras

  • Exhaust system

  • Fenders

  • Spoiler

  • Media equipment (aftermarket screens, video players, etc.)

Cancel Your Insurance

Once the junk or salvage yard has taken possession of your automobile, call your insurance company and cancel your insurance. You do not want to continue paying insurance on a car you no longer own.

Get Offers From a Few Salvage Yards

Not all salvage yards will offer you the same purchase price for your vehicle, so it's a good idea to get a few offers and compare them to maximize your profit. Once you've decided on the yard you'd like to sell your car or truck to, give them a call and finalize the offer. 

If your vehicle isn't driveable, you'll need to schedule a time for pick-up, but if you can safely drive your car or truck, the yard will expect you to deliver it.  

Schedule Your Pick-up in Ideal Weather

During snowstorms or severe thunderstorms, we may be hard-pressed to come pick up your vehicle. Even though we can come out, pulling your car away is always easier in ideal weather. 

Please check the forecast and schedule a pick-up when the weather is more favorable. 

Although our team is flexible and aims to work with our customers' schedules, severe weather conditions can impact our ability to pick up and tow away your vehicle.  

Make Your Car Easily Accessible

Because we strive to make your experience as quick and efficient as possible, you should ensure no objects or other vehicles are blocking your car. You will also want to transport the vehicle as close to the road as possible. If your junk car has been sitting in the garage for the last couple of months, take the time to move it to the street so our tow truck can pick it up quickly and remove it right away. 

Complete the Sale

When you arrive at the salvage yard (or when they come to tow your vehicle away), be ready for a brief vehicle inspection before you complete the sale. If there are no glaring issues with your car or truck, the buyer will hand over your cash, and you'll both sign the title, agreeing to the purchase and transfer. 

Although you'll no longer own the vehicle, you'll want to keep the license plates since they don't transfer with new ownership. You can re-register a different vehicle with those plates, or you can surrender them to your DMV, and you may be able to get a partial refund on the current registration. 

Report to Your DMV

In the state of Minnesota, you must report the sale of your vehicle when you sell it to a salvage yard, which you can do online or in person at your local motor vehicle office. Once you've completed this step, you're finished!

Benefits of Selling Your Junker Car to Ace Auto Parts

Why should you seriously consider selling your old junk vehicle to our team at Ace? Here are just a few good reasons.

Full-Service Pick-up 

We offer full-service pick-up and towing from your property, so you don't have to hire a third-party service or arrange pick-up and drop-off at a salvage yard.

Get Paid on the Spot 

With us, you can complete the entire pick-up process and get paid without making a single trip. 

Quick & Efficient Service 

At Ace, we aim to make selling junker vehicles as simple, convenient, and efficient as possible. That way, you don't have to hassle yourself with listing a vehicle for parts or dealing with random buyers. 

Peace of mind 

We've been buying junker vehicles and selling pre-owned and discount auto parts at our St. Paul salvage yard since 1929. When you sell to us, you're working with a reputable company proudly serving Twin Cities residents for nearly 100 years. 

Not sure you want to sell your junker to a salvage yard? Check out these other things you can do with your old car.  

Live in the Twin Cities and Own a Clunker? Ace Auto Parts Buys Junkers!

If you own an old junk vehicle and you're not sure what to do with it, let our team at Ace Auto Parts take it off your hands! We offer free towing and will schedule a convenient time for pick-up, so when we arrive at your location, all you need to do is answer the door when we come knocking. 

We pay cash for clunker automobiles and have served residents throughout the Twin Cities metro for nearly 100 years. Check out our reviews to see what people are saying!

To learn more about how we can help you get rid of your junker, call us today at 651-717-4299 or message us online with your questions or concerns.