Scrapping or junking old cars that are beyond repair is common practice. But before the crusher comes, you may be able to purchase these scrap cars cheaply and benefit from usable parts or restoration projects. Scrap cars for sale can offer affordable options for auto DIYers, parts resellers, or those just looking for ultra-cheap basic transportation. However, cheap scrap car purchases require careful inspection and realistic evaluation of required work. In this guide, we’ll cover locating scrap cars, assessing condition, legal titles, parts value, and tips for leveraging scrap autos on a budget.
What Qualifies a Car as Scrap?
When a car is no longer roadworthy or worth fixing, it enters scrap status. Common reasons include:
- Very high mileage (over 200k miles)
- Significant collision, flood, fire, or rust damage
- Non-functioning engine or transmission
- Failure of emissions or safety inspections
- Abandonment after lengthy non-operation
At this point, the owner usually junks the car by selling to a scrap yard for a small sum based on weight. But before that happens, scrap cars offer money-saving opportunities.
Benefits of Buying Scrap Cars
Scrap cars provide a few advantages if purchased smartly:
- Extremely low prices – usually just a few hundred dollars even for newer models.
- Parts value – usable parts like doors, wheels, engine components can be sold to offset costs.
- Restoration candidates – With enough time/skill, some scrap cars are worth DIY repair.
- Flip potential – Those that get fixed up can sometimes turn a decent profit.
- Useful items – Tools, aftermarket parts, electronics left behind can sweeten a deal.
Just be realistic about condition, costs, and required effort before pursuing any scrap car. Thorough inspection is a must.
Where to Find Scrap Cars for Sale
- Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist ads – owners list old cars for cheap.
- Junkyards/Salvage Yards – Buy cars just for parts or sell before crushing.
- Mechanic shops – Scrap customer cars after providing repair estimates.
- Auto recyclers – Obtain cars from insurers or auctions to dismantle and sell parts.
- Classifieds/Auctions – Newspapers and online auction sites.
- Tow companies – Some sell unclaimed cars.
- Friends/Family – Ask around your network if anyone has an old car they plan to junk.
Expanding your search across multiple listing sources gives the most chances to find scrap car deals. Being ready to move quickly is also key, as cheap projects go fast.
Inspecting Condition
Thoroughly check out any potential scrap car purchase:
- Match VINs to title paperwork to confirm identity and ownership.
- Look for signs of extreme crash or water damage that may total the car.
- Check for frame rust or corrosion which can also make repairs impossible.
- Assess if engine at least turns over and has compression.
- Make sure transmission engages and changes gears if manual.
- Scan for valuable aftermarket parts like custom wheels, speakers, etc.
- Check that seats, interior, lights, switches are intact.
- Look for useful tools, electronics, or spare parts left behind.
Verifying Legal Title
Confirm you can obtain a proper title to legally own the scrap car:
- Review title status – is the car on a salvage or total loss title due to previous damage?
- Make sure title is in the seller’s name and signed over to you upon purchase.
- Know your state’s rules on titling scrapped vintage cars where records may be lost.
- If no title, look into procedures for applying for a bonded title.
- Get a bill of sale as a backup for ownership verification.
Lack of title may prevent registering and insuring the car later. Make sure it can be properly titled.
Estimating Part Value
Carefully assess usable part value before buying:
- Research current market prices for desired parts through online part retail listings.
- Factor in labor to remove usable parts if you plan to sell any yourself.
- Consider paying a junkyard or recycler to simply pull the most valuable parts and buy those sans car.
- Calculate potential scrap metal weight payout if the car lacks valuable parts. This sets a baseline price.
- Estimate shipping costs if you plan to sell any heavy parts online. This eats into profit margins.
While parts can help offset acquisition costs, also be realistic about true market demand and the work to capitalize.
Scrap repairable cars offer opportunities for major bargains, but condition issues, titling challenges, and removal labor mean proceeding cautiously with eyes open. With the right deal, they can secure cheap parts or projects.
