Should You Strip Your Unwanted Car Before Selling It?
If you're planning to sell your old beater to a junk car buyer, you may be thinking about parting it out before turning it over. Taking valuable parts from your old vehicle is one option for extracting a little more value from it, but it's not always the best or most cost-effective choice. If you're planning on taking this route, you should carefully consider the pros and cons.
Since everyone's situation, needs, and skills are different, you can use these three questions to help you determine if you should pull a few parts from your old beater before sending it on its way.
1. Are You Mechanically Inclined?
Removing parts from an old car requires less finesse than repairing a vehicle you care about, but that doesn't mean it's easy. Reaching more valuable items in most cars will require some mechanical aptitude and experience. If you haven't worked on cars before, you may be surprised at how challenging it can be to reach these components.
If you don't have much automotive experience, you may want to limit yourself to a few easy-to-reach items, such as interior trim or electronics. This approach will save you time, get you a few items to sell, and leave your car relatively intact for a junk buyer. As a result, you'll get the best of both worlds: a higher offer for your junk car and a little extra cash from the parts you can remove.
2. Do You Already Have Tools?
You can usually handle a few simple jobs on most cars with a basic automotive toolset, but many manufacturers use a wide range of specialty fasteners. Removing parts without destroying them can require a good selection of tools, and the cost to buy these items can add up rapidly. Thoroughly parting a vehicle out typically requires an extensive collection of tools.
If you don't already have these tools on hand, you may find that you'll need to spend hundreds of dollars just to get started. The extra cost and hassle of removing parts from your old car can cut into your potential profits, making this a less attractive option. If you aren't confident in your tool collection, it may be better to sell your car to a junk buyer intact.
3. Can You Locate Buyers?
Finally, you'll need to consider your market for the parts you strip from your old car. Is it a popular model with many potential buyers, or will you need to store your stripped parts for weeks, months, or longer? If you're sure you can sell the parts you remove, taking a few items and making some extra money isn't a bad idea.
On the other hand, stripping old, unpopular, or uncommon models may not pay off. If you don't think you'll be able to turn a profit on the parts you remove quickly, it's best to sell your car to a junk buyer as-is rather than waste your time and effort. Contact local unwanted car buyers near you for more information.