Pertinent FAQS About the Worth of a Junk Car

If you want to sell a junk car, your first thought is likely regarding the limits to the amount of profit you can make. The truth is, the value of a junk car is dependent on several factors, some of which are unique to the vehicle itself, while others are ever-changing and never constant. To help better understand how much profitability your junk car has to offer, continue below and review some of the most frequently asked questions about the worth of salvaged cars.

Louisville Junk Car Buyers 502-804-5605
Louisville Junk Car Buyers 502-804-5605

What Influences the Worth of a Junk Car?

The most influential factors that determine how much a junk car is worth include the current market value for the vehicle, the make and model of the vehicle, the condition of the vehicle, how much repair it will take to get the car running again, and the location of the vehicle. However, the number one factor that influences how much a salvaged car is worth is the current metal market. The market is the ultimate decision-maker when it comes to the value of a junk car. Along with the current price of metal on the market, other factors, such as metal demand, import/export trade tariffs, the strength of the U.S. dollar, the strength of the Canadian dollar, and business overhead costs, all affect how much you can get for a junk car. Additional factors can include natural disasters, elections, political events, wars, and the general condition of the global economy.

Can I Sell a Junk Car With No Title?

A vehicle with a title is worth more because of the potential to resell, however, you do not necessarily need one to sell a car, especially if you are doing business with a scrap yard or junk car buying company. Although you can sell a junk car without a title, you will still need to provide alternative documentation to prove ownership of the vehicle. This might include the registration, insurance policy, or similar legal documents. You can also choose to replace a lost or stolen car title. See our blog, “How to Sell a Junk Car Without a Title” to learn where to get started.

How Much is a Catalytic Converter Worth?

Since catalytic converters are primarily manufactured from platinum, which is a highly-valuable precious metal, they are prized parts in a junk car. If a junk car is missing its catalytic converter for some reason, it will be appraised at a lower value than if it did have one. Catalytic converters also contain additional precious metals, like nickel, manganese, rhodium, palladium, and cerium. Depending on the type of catalytic converter, the values vary. Generally, their market values linger between $45 and $90, but can be as low as $8 and as high as $250 or more. See our blog, “Current Scrap Prices for Catalytic Converters” to view the market values from April of this year.

How Do I Sell a Junk Car?

The first step to selling a junk car is locating local buyers. Once you have a list of seemingly-trusted junk car buyers, begin calling each one and requesting a free quote. Some companies will require you to bring your vehicle in for an in-person evaluation, while other companies are equipped to provide virtually accurate estimations over the phone. From there, choose a Louisville junk car buyer that you feel offers the most cash and the best amenities, such as free pickup and towing. Just be sure to choose a company that will give you payment on the spot!

Who Will Pay the Most for Junk Cars in Louisville?

Call GC’s Junk Cars at 502-804-5605 to sell your junk car in Louisville and its surrounding areas. Not only do we accept all vehicles, regardless of age, make, model, and condition, we pay the highest returns for junk vehicles in Kentucky, all in cash! Just accept our offer and we will come pick up your junk car! No title? No problem! Contact us today to request a free estimate.

Louisville Junk Car Buyers 502-804-5605
Louisville Junk Car Buyers 502-804-5605

How to Prove You Own Your Junk Car

If someone wants to sell their car, they must be the owner of the car, and furthermore, retain the proper documents to prove it. The most common document used to prove ownership of the vehicle is the car title. To sell your car with the title, you would simply sign it over to the new owner upon transaction. However, not all junk car owners have a car title. After all, many junk cars are older than their owners, making the history of its paperwork very ambiguous. Titles often get lost, stolen, or destroyed in house fires and flood damage. So, when a car owner doesn’t have the title, how can they possibly sell it to someone else? Fortunately for cases like these, you can use other documentation to prove you are the owner of your junk vehicle.

Continue reading to learn the top 4 alternative methods to show proof of ownership of a car so that you can sell it to a buyer.

Louisville Junk Car Buyers 502-804-5605
Louisville Junk Car Buyers 502-804-5605

DMV Paperwork and Proof

One option for a junk car seller without a car title is to ask the Department of Motor Vehicles for assistance. You can fill out specific paperwork at the DMV disclosing all the relevant information about your car, including where it was purchased originally, its mileage, mechanical history, and the last transaction that was made between you and the previous owner or dealer. In this case, it is common for the DMV to require you to make several legitimate and recorded attempts to contact the previous owner of the vehicle and ask about a copy of the car title. You would prove these attempts through a certified letter sent to the previous owner.

Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin (MCO)

Also known as the Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin (MSO), this document comes with brand new, never-been-owned vehicles purchased at dealerships to prove who manufactured the vehicle. In some cases, this document can be used to prove you own a car when you do not have the title. DMV offices generally accept this as enough proof to assign your name to the car’s registration. From there, you can sell it to a buyer legally.

Bill of Sale and the Registration Certificate

DMV offices are sometimes open to accepting Bill of Sale and registration certificates as proof of ownership for a vehicle. However, this option is not always viable. It depends on the local and state regulations. You must be able to show that a temporary registration certificate was filed, and a bill of sale was completed.

Letter of Release From Lienholder

You must also prove that a vehicle does not have any bank ownership or liens before you can sell it to another buyer. To do so, you would need to present a letter of release from the previous lienholder. Conveniently, this letter is also commonly accepted by DMV offices as proof of ownership without a car title.

How to Sell a Car Without a Title in Louisville

Call GC’s Junk Cars at 502-804-5605 to sell your junk car without a title in Louisville and its surrounding areas. Not only do we accept all vehicles, regardless of age, make, model, and condition, we also payout the highest returns for junk vehicles in Kentucky. Just accept our offer and we will come pick up your junk car! Contact us today to request a free estimate!

Louisville Junk Car Buyers 502-804-5605
Louisville Junk Car Buyers 502-804-5605

How to Sell a Junk Car Without a Title

In our previous blog, we reviewed the easiest and most convenient way to sell a junk car in Louisville. You learned that GC’s Junk Cars lets you skip the hassle of finding a trusted junk car buyer near you, and offers abundant customer conveniences that make the junk car selling process even simpler. Not only do we offer free quotes and the highest returns in town, we also have our own in-house tow truck that will pick up your junk car for free! That means all you have to do is contact our office, accept our offer, and wait for us to arrive. There is no easier way to get fast cash for a junk car in Louisville.

But if you do not have proof of ownership, you may have doubts about selling your junk car. After all, titles go missing or get destroyed every day, so you are not alone. If a missing title has been holding you back from getting rid of your junk car, you will be happy to know that you still have viable options.

Continue reading to learn how to sell a junk car without a title, including accommodating links and resources to help you meet your goal.

Louisville Junk Car Buyers 502-804-5605
Louisville No Title Junk Car Buyers 502-804-5605

Titles are Best, But Not Necessary

Vehicles are certainly worth more with a title because there is a better potential for resale, however, if you are selling to a local Louisville junk car buyer or scrap yard, a title is not always necessary. That is because junk car buyers are not looking to resell your junk car; instead, they are in the business of dismantling junk vehicles, and re-purposing the valuable scrap metal within them.

If you have a title for your junk car, the only purpose it would serve in relation to doing business with a scrap yard is to simply prove ownership. Basically, a car title proves that you have legal permission to do what you want with the vehicle.

To Replace or Not to Replace…

Missing or Faulty Titles

In the case that your car title is lost or destroyed, and you wish to replace it, you can apply for a duplicate title by filling out an “Application for Kentucky Certificate of Title or Registration” at your local BMV. The Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) permits vehicle owners to replace lost, faulty, or stolen car titles so long as they meet all state requirements for replacement. Once issued, your new title will have “DUPLICATE” printed on its face to demonstration that is it not the original document. And once a duplicate title is issued, the original one is no longer valid.

Don’t Want a Replacement Title?

In the case that you do not want to replace your lost or stolen car title, you can just contact your Indianapolis junk car buyer and ask them about their policies for proving ownership. You may be able to prove ownership of your vehicle by alternative means, such as the registration paperwork, insurance policies, and more. Although it is not always a guarantee, it is common practice for junk car buyers to do business without a title provided by the seller.

Where to Get Started

GC’s Junk Cars Louisville Kentucky
Call 502-804-5605 Today

Call GC’s Junk Cars at 502-804-5605 to sell a junk car in Louisville, Kentucky. Whether your vehicle runs or not, we are ready to make you an excellent offer and take it off your hands for free. Plus, we have an in-house tow truck that will come directly to your location to pick up your junk car! Call 502-804-5605 anytime for a free quote!