Our Favorite Online Repair Manual... Mitchell1

To Scrap or Not To Scrap

Question:

My 96 Grand Cherokee in otherwise good condition stopped running last week
and the shop hasn’t figured out how to restart it – some complicated
electrical problem – so would like to know how to sell it for junk and how
much to expect for it. The “sold by owner” blue book value is $4500.
Thanks.

Answer:

I question how complicated the issue is, and maybe the garage is jumping the gun a little bit. If there was a major melt down in the wiring harness, I could see you looking at scrapping the car, but if it’s something a little less severe like a blown fusible link, or bad solenoid/starter it’s worth fixing. I don’t know anything about your repair shop, so I don’t want to say anything negative, you will have to make the call on their competency.

If you are comfortable with the shops diagnosis and it’s going to cost you over $1,000 to fix then you have a few options…

1. List the car as a “Mechanic’s Special” in your local paper/car trader.

2. Put the car on Ebay as a “Mechanic’s Special”

3. Sell it to a junkyard in your area as a whole vehicle.

4. Part it out and sell pieces on Ebay or Locally.

The problem I see with trying to sell it as parts is the time involved with removing the parts, and I don’t see the demand for those parts being very high. If the vehicle was a classic car or truck, selling it in pieces on Ebay or even locally would be worth your time.

Selling the car as a mechanic’s special would be the best way in my opinion to get the most money from the vehicle. A competent shade-tree mechanic could diagnose or replace the wiring harness and have a good running vehicle for a small investment. I would ask $2500 – $3000 for the Jeep if you sell it this way. Selling it this way on Ebay does not make a lot of sense, unless you find a local buyer, as shipping a non-running vehicle is more expensive.

If you want the least hassle, sell it to a local junkyard and let them haul it from the garage. I do not know what price they would be willing to pay, but you can check www.car-part.com for an idea of what major parts are selling for. (engine, transmission, axles, interior, hood, rear hatch, and doors) By checking these prices, you can get a good idea of what kind of money the junkyard would wring out of the vehicle. Take 75% of that value and that would be a good starting point for negotiation.

Good Luck,

Kevin

Posted: 21st August 2006  |  Author: Kevin Schappell  |  Category: Selling Your Car

Selling a Junk Car

Question:

Hi there,

I ran across your site in a google search because I’m trying to get rid of my junk 1993 BMW 325i. I don’t want it and the insurance costs are high-well higher than what I want to pay. Anyway, the car has some minor rust setting in and some body damage and steering problems. After surveying my car at kbb.com (kelly’s blue book), it got a “fair” rating, although I think it’s pretty poor.

My car is something that I wouldn’t want to buy but I would like to get rid of it and get some sort of money for it. I’m wondering the best way to go about it, really. How can I say let’s say a “junk car”? Do you know of any resources I can use that refer to buying beat up or well-used cars? Please let me know if you have any advice to offer me about this inquiry. I could certainly use the assistance. Thanks for your time.

-Ken

Answer:

You can check out www.classicjunkyard.com which is a site I run also. You can list the car for parts, or sell the whole thing. I would also check out Ebay and consider listing it there. I would advertise it locally as a “bodymans special” or mechanics special and see what kind of interest it brings. I would think that you will get a younger kid who would be happy to have something to wrench on. It’s a popular model, and would be a cool custom with the addition of a body kit and a nice set of wheels.

Good Luck,

Kevin

Posted: 7th April 2006  |  Author: Kevin Schappell  |  Category: Selling Your Car

About This Blog

AutoEducation.com has been around since 1999 educating you on how cars work.

Solid advice, a little bit of fun, and even answers to your specific questions keep customers coming back. We want to help make owning a car as easy as possible for you and your family. Americans love their cars, and we are here to help you get the most out of that experience! The blog is an agile way we can respond to visitors and answer questions or post the news of the day.

Sponsored Links...

We Recommend...

Online Auto Repair Information for the Do-it-Yourselfer