Do Junkyards Ever Sell Whole Cars?

Finally removing your vintage clunker from your property can definitely feel like a godsend, but once your car leaves your premises, have you wondered if junkyards ever sell whole cars? Do they repair them and resell them? Leave them on the lot for clients to strip for parts? Maybe they strip the car for reusable parts themselves and sell the rest as recyclable material? or maybe, they just leave the cars to rust on the lot, providing great backdrops for true crime movies and television shows like Pulp Fiction and Breaking Bad? Rather than let your imagination run wild, review the following three most likely junkyard fates for your old scrap car.

The Best Instance for a Junkyard to Sell a Whole Car

By and large, it's rare for a junkyard to ever sell a whole car, especially if it has been deemed undrivable. However, there are exceptions. If your car is a vintage model (like a '67 Ford Mustang or a '74 Chevrolet Camaro) with a high value for collectors and refurbishing enthusiasts, then your car could be sold as is, either directly or through auction. Also, in the rare case, your vehicle is salvageable and worth more to repair than to sell for parts or scrap, a junkyard may entertain that option.

Parts Unlimited

Most junkyards are in the practice of keeping intact scrap cars on their lots. This facilitates the process of selling used parts, as junkyards can allow clients to come to their establishments with the appropriate tools and pick the parts they need from the cars directly. Most junkyards keep a strict and up-to-date inventory of all the cars they possess, as well as a cross-reference of parts that can be substituted from one model to the next. This streamlines the whole process of buying and selling used car parts, for both the vendor and purchaser.

The Recycling Option

if it is not deemed profitable for a junkyard to sell a whole car (either as vintage/class, refurbished, or for spare parts) it may still have value as a source of recyclable materials. Metal, glass, rubber, and various fluids can fetch top-dollar prices as recyclable salvage, and be transformed into everything from gardening tools to household appliances.

Junkyards engage in a 3-step process when engaging in recycling a scrap car. First, they remove all environmentally hazardous fluids from the car in a process called depollution. This not only ensures the safe removal and disposal of dangerous materials but allows the collection of fluids with resale value. Next, all the valuable metals, glass (in solid states), and rubber from tires is extracted in a process called dismantlement, with highly prized materials being the most sought after. Finally, the remainder of the car is destroyed through magnetic separation (of leftover usable metals) and compact.

If you’re thinking about scrapping an old car and have more questions about the process, contact AutoScrap today for all the answers!