How to Get Cash For Junk Cars in Kansas City
You can sell your junk car for cash in Kansas City at auto recycling and salvage yards like the Clunker Junker and Midway U Pull.
Written by Shannon Fitzgerald
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
When you have a broken-down beater on your hands, selling it for cash can turn an offloaded vehicle into a profit. You can sell your junk cars in Kansas City through auto recycling and salvaging businesses like the Clunker Junker and Midway Auto Parts.
You’ve had a good long run with your 1998
Honda Accord
, but its battery and engine have officially called it quits. What do you do now? While some may assume a car this far gone can only go to the junkyard, you can actually get some cash for its working parts by selling it to an auto recycler or salvage yard. To help guide you through the process of selling your junk car in Kansas City,
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What qualifies as a junk car?
You probably don’t want to think of your old, once-reliable commuter vehicle as a “junk car.” But like a neighbor’s totaled
Toyota Prius
or your friend’s 1978 Ford Mustang
fixer-upper, it may be time for your beater to leave the garage. In truth, there isn’t a definitive answer as to what constitutes a “junk car.” However, you typically have a junk car on your hands if your vehicle:
- Doesn’t run
- Has a resale value of less than $500
- Has been parked indefinitely in one spot
- Requires major repairs that cost more than the car itself
You can’t judge a junk car by its cover—some junk cars look like junk, and others don’t. But if you’re spending more of your time waiting on (and paying for) repairs than actually driving your vehicle, you may be better off just selling it for cash.
How to sell a junk car
Before you can walk away with a nice chunk of change from a buyer, you’ll need to prepare your junk car for sale. While some of these preliminary steps might seem excessive, doing them could help you get a better selling price.
1. Gather your car’s title and official documents. Some salvage yards accept junk cars without the certificate of title, but you’ll typically get paid more if you do have the title on hand. Remember—you can always
replace a lost title
at the DMV if yours has gone missing. 2. Research reputable buyers and salvage yards. There are plenty of junk car buyers out there, but some are more reliable than others. Check for properly licensed salvage yards that use a certified scale. You can also use sites like Craigslist or local newspaper listings to find an individual buyer, but try to look into their sales history and background as much as possible.
3. Clean and clear out your vehicle. You’ll want to wipe down the surfaces of your car and vacuum the carpets to get a better sale price. Be sure to remove all personal items from every nook and cranny—including the glove compartment and backseat pockets.
4. If necessary, remove license plates and all non-metal components from your vehicle. You’ll need to remove your license plates before the buyer takes possession of the vehicle. These must be surrendered to the DMV in
Kansas
, but you can keep them as a souvenir in Missouri
. Some salvage yards may additionally require you to remove non-metal components such as upholstery and carpeting. 5. Take out any working parts. The engine may not be salvageable, but if your alternator’s in top shape and the buyer doesn’t want it—why not hold onto it for future vehicles—or future sales?
6. Sign over the title. To finalize the sale and officially hand over ownership, you’ll need to
transfer your vehicle’s title
to the buyer. 7. Cancel your car insurance. Your junk car may not need insurance anymore, but when you need a policy for your replacement vehicle,
Jerry
can streamline the process!Where to sell a junk car in Kansas City
You may be overwhelmed by the number of companies advertising cash for junk cars in Kansas City, but be careful—not every junk car buyer is legitimate. To help you get started finding a reliable buyer, here are a few places vetted by the Better Business Bureau.
The Clunker Junker
Address: The Clunker Junker Kansas City, Kansas City, Kansas 66012
Phone number: (888) 383-4181
BBB Rating: A+
The
Clunker Junker
is a national junk car-buying business covering the Kansas City area. They offer online quotes, free junk car removal, and will even purchase vehicles without titles on a case-by-case basis. Midway Auto Parts
Address: 4210 Gardner Ave, Kansas City, MO 64120
Phone number: (816) 241-0500
BBB Rating: A+
Headquartered in
Kansas City
, Missouri, Midway Auto Parts
serves both states of the Kansas City metro area. They have two self-service “pull your own parts” auto recycling yards full of any type of junk car you’re willing to sell— running, not running, and completely wrecked. Once you accept their bid on your vehicle, they’ll send a complimentary service to collect your car with the payment in tow. IAA
Address: 2663 S 88th St, Kansas City, KS 66111
Phone number: (708) 492-7000
BBB Rating: A+
IAA, or
Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc.
, has locations on both the KS and MO side of Kansas City and will either auction your vehicle or buy it directly. IAA has junk car auctioning and buying down to a science with tools like bid tracking, remote inspections/appraisals, and catastrophe damage assistance. It’s easy to offload vehicles for cash no matter what their condition.Economy Auto Salvage
Address: 3139 N Stadium Dr, Kansas City, MO 64128
Phone number: (816) 921-1900
BBB Rating: A+
Economy Auto Salvage
offers fair prices on wrecked or salvaged cars and trucks in the greater Kansas City metro area. Established in 1984, Economy has decades of expertise evaluating both foreign and domestic vehicle parts to ensure you get the best price for them. How to find affordable car insurance in Kansas City
While selling your junk car can give you a little extra spurt of cash, lowering your car insurance rates can keep money in your wallet year-round—
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