How to Sell a Junk Car in San Diego


We’ve all been there. The crank shaft on that old Buick finally went. Your college kid ran into a ditch. Or maybe the head gasket is blown, and God only knows what else the mechanic will find once they start tearing the engine apart. When you went to trade it in, the used car salesman just shook his head. It’s time to get rid of that junk car. The best option for selling a junk car is https://sellmax.com/california/san-diego-cash-for-cars. But, here are a few other ways to do that, along with pros and cons:

The Old-School Method – The Junkyard


The junkyard is easy, fast, and convenient. You can call them up, and have your car picked up in under an hour. Great! You got rid of your junker, and there’s cash in your hand. What’s not to like?

Enjoy the cash while you have it. With scrap prices as low as they’ve been lately, the money from that ’97 Civic won’t even cover a week’s grocery bill. The pied-piper’s tune of the scrapyard has led many an inexperienced seller over the cliff of low expectations. You can do better.

The Tech-Savvy Method – Sell it Yourself


So let’s say you’ve been around the few block around the few times (or have read this article). You know you can get a much better deal by selling a car yourself, so you list it in an online marketplace like Craigslist San Diego. Just to be sure, you list it on a few different websites, and place a local print ad as well. The offers flood in, you make a deal, and within a week or so you’ve gotten a good price for that old beater.

The internet can be a dangerous place, though. Sure, you’re smart. You know there’s no Nigerian prince waiting to send you twenty million dollars in exchange for your car’s title, your social security number, and a $500 money order. But scammers are smart too, and every day they’re coming up with new and more devious ways to separate you from your money. Even local print marketplaces aren’t safe from counterfeiters, money order scammers, or people you’d just rather not have in your house, even to fill out a bill of sale.

The Johnny Cash Method – Sell it for Parts


By far the most profitable way to sell it “one piece at a time”, like the old Johnny Cash song says. A steering wheel alone is worth give or take $50 depending on its condition. Power window regulators will earn you around $30 apiece, or $120 for the full set. Radiators for a mid-sized sedan will net a cool $50 if they’re in good condition. In addition, by restricting your sales to parts, you can use safer venues like eBay to make your sales. By the time you’ve sold every last bolt and bearing, you can easily get several times your car’s value in parts.

The downside? Unless you’re a professional mechanic or serious hobbyist with your own shop, you’re going to spend a lot of time and frustration doing a serious teardown. That’s not to mention the tedium of shipping out hundreds of individual parts. If you have a full-time job, this option is definitely not for you.

The New Method – Sell to a Specialized Buyer


With the growth of the internet, businesses like Sellmax.com have gotten into the junk car market. These businesses aren’t interested in buying only certain used cars. By running a nationwide business, they’re able to buy all makes and models, which means you can get a fair price for your car while dealing with a buyer you can trust.

If you need to sell your junk car today, you’re in luck, because Sellmax.com is buying in the San Diego area. You can get a quote in just a few minutes, and be on your way to a new car!