How to Prepare Your Old Car for Sale

by Kevin Smith Author

You have just decided to sell your old car to a scrap yard—now what? Before you can sell your car and get paid, there are a few steps you should take to prepare. From cleaning the vehicle to organizing documentation, here is what you need to do prior to junking a vehicle.

Get Rid of Personal Items

Over time, cars tend to amass a lot of personal items, both important ones and unimportant ones. Before selling your car, you are responsible for removing everything inside of it. Throw away any food wrappers, empty bottles, unnecessary papers, and other trash. Keep the things you think you may need or want.

Don’t forget to look in the glove box and trunk, as well as unusual spots like under your floor mats or in your visors. You never know what you might find hidden away. Make sure you also grab any identifying documents like your registration or insurance cards. Even if you do not need these documents anymore, they still contain personal information. You do not want your information to end up in the wrong hands.

Find the Vehicle Title

You need your title if you want to sell your vehicle to any junk yards in Florida. This is used to transfer ownership of the car from you to the junk yard. Though it is possible to sell your car without the title, it is much more difficult. For this reason, you should always locate your title ahead of time. If you are unable to find your title, you can obtain a copy from the department of motor vehicles for a fee.

Take Off the License Plates

Lastly, don’t forget to remove the license plates after making the sale. You need to return your plates to the DMV before you can cancel your registration. You may not be able to cancel your insurance until you return the plates, either. If you are dropping off the car at the junk yard, remember to bring a screwdriver so you can remove the plates before you leave.

If someone from the junk yard is coming to tow the car away, remember to take off the plates before they arrive. Oftentimes, tow truck drivers are in a hurry, so they may not notice if you fail to remove the plates. Once you complete these three steps, your old vehicle will be ready to go to the junk yard in Florida.