?? about selling an old car for scrap

[susiestar]

We have an old car. A 1987 LeBaron, to be exact. Doesn't run, and someone wants to haul it off. He told husband he would pay us 1/3 of its weight. Not sure what that means.

How do I find out how much it weighs, and how much it would be worth for scrap? I offered to give it to Wiz if he wanted to haul it off for scrap, but he hasn't made a move in six months. I want it gone if possible, esp if we can get some $$ because we need it for xmas. But I don't want to get ripped off, Know what I mean??

Any ideas would be a great help. This one was made back when cars were made of metal, not fiberglass, so it should be worth something.

 

[donna723]

My son does this sometimes and I can ask him for the particulars when he comes home. He and his friends sometimes go to auto auctions and buy up big old gas guzzler cars, strip off everything they can resell, then sell what's left for scrap metal at a junk yard. They always get more for it as scrap metal than what they paid for it as a car. I'd have to ask him to know for sure but I think you have to take everything off of it like tires, before it is weighed, and you have to have all the proper paperwork for the car to prove that you own it. The scrap yards have their own scales. They weigh it on their scales and then pay you however much per pound. I think the rates they pay vary by area and from dealer to dealer.

It sounds like this guy is offering to pay you one third of what he gets for it as scrap metal.

 

[hearts and roses]

On the title it will tell you the weight. Then call a scrap yard, tell them the weight and ask what the going rate is. Then figure how much you're going to get. Ooor, just ask the guy what he means in dollars and cents. We got rid of difficult child's old chevy Corsica, circa 1985, for $175. I was happy to be rid of it.

 

[donna723]

You can find out the weight of the whole car easy enough but the scrap dealer will only pay you for the metal part of it. They won't pay scrap metal prices for old seats or tires. You could call a scrap metal dealer or a junk yard and they could probably give you a pretty good estimate of what that model of car would bring as scrap.

 

[DammitJanet]

Well a couple of years ago I sold one of my old yard cars to a guy who was going to junk it and he paid me $200 for the car. I am sure he stripped it for the usable parts then junked the body. Cory has taken cars with friends on dollies to the junkyard before too but they have to take the gas tank out and remove the tires. Here they dont make you remove the seats. Most of the time you get around 2-300 for a normal car.

 

[flutterby]

The sticker on the driver's side door (where you open the door, near the bottom) should tell you the weight. A lot of junk yards give good money for junk cars. They part them out.

 

[donna723]

Yeah, I forgot that. My son did say that they had to take the gas tanks off of the cars before they scrap them. The ones my son has gone to had their own scales and they were paid according to the weight of the car, which means that they made a lot more money off the big old clunkers that nobody would want to drive. They also had to remove the tires and everything from the trunk, etc. because they're basically only paying for the metal content.

 

[skeeter]

We donated one to Good Will and got a tax write off when it sold. It sold for $800.

 

[susiestar]

Thanks. I will let you know how it pans out.

 

[Star*]

DO NOT .............sell this to a guy who will give you 1/3 of the weight.

Check your local Craigs List (even thought I abhore CL) for services that will PAY YOU for scrap cars. Right now the going rate for a scrap car is around $250 -$300.00 title in hand. (meaning you are the registered owner of the car - no hassles and you sign it over to the guy or give him the title)

Call a few wrecker places and tow yards and ask them what they would give you for it - there are probably SEVERAL of these guys right now in the paper begging for cars to haul for money - and a 1985 LeBaron is not that easy of a car to find for parts (interior) original etc.

Another thing you could do is put it on EBAY - and auction it off AS IS ------whole car, buyer must haul. If you think the buying price s/b $400 for parts - put a reserve on it.

Kidney Foundation, Good Will, American Lung Association, Heart Association - all take cars........and will pick up and give you a tax write off slip - this is great provided you ITEMIZE your taxes. If you don't itemize? Then it's not going to be of any help to you to get an 1800 -2300 lbs deduction.

If it doesn't run? Can't be made to run cheaply? They will scrap the car themselves and keep the money for job services at GW.

You can ALSO call your local HS - auto shop and either ask them if they want a project car or ask a tech school - you can donate it - or see if they will fix it for you cheaply.

Just ideas that roll into my head - I used to have a salvage business years ago - and I made a lot of money doing it -People would call me - say the car has sat for years didn't run------I'd buy it for 50 - $100 bucks, back my tow truck up to it haul it off. Then get back to the shop hit the carbuerator with some engine start, and put jumper cables on it, and fire it right up, Then check it out, do a few minor fixes and sell it to needy families. It was a pretty neat business. Even had a tow truck for repos if they didn't pay. lol.

Best of luck - but 1/3 of the weight? Fooey -------For that? I'd rent a tow dolly from Uhaul, cut the gas tank off myself - and haul it in to the scales & crusher myself. (you have to take the gas tank off) they pretty much do the rest) Unless you can prove it runs - then you don't have to do anything but drive it in.