A car that won't run still sells

When “doesn’t run” means junk

A car that won’t start isn’t always junk. A dead battery or a bad starter is a cheap fix, and a running car is worth more to you sold privately than to us. Here’s the honest split:

Problem	Usually worth fixing?	Selling it to us makes sense when
Dead battery	Often	It’s the third battery this year, or the car has other faults
Failed starter or alternator	Often	The car is old and other repairs are coming
Blown head gasket or seized engine	Rarely	The repair costs more than the car
Slipping or dead transmission	Rarely	The car is high mileage or rusted
Sat for years, flat tires, rodent damage	Rarely	You just want it gone and paid for

We’d rather tell you that than buy a car you’d regret selling.

What we ask on the call

• Year, make and model, and roughly how long the car has been off the road.
• What’s wrong, as best you know. “It clicks and won’t turn over” is useful. So is “the mechanic said the engine is done.”
• What’s missing. Catalytic converter, wheels, battery or major parts change the number, so say so up front. Our guide on why junk car offers differ explains how those details move a price.
• Where it sits and whether the wheels roll.
• What papers you have. Title, registration, bill of sale. Illinois rules decide which papers work for a scrap sale, and we tell you on the call where your car stands.

Cars that have sat too long

A car parked for months on the street or in a yard can become a code problem before it becomes a scrap problem. Chicago and most suburbs have rules about vehicles that don’t move or don’t run, and a notice can arrive before you’ve decided what to do. If you’re in a suburb, our guide to inoperable car rules in the southwest suburbs compares what each village’s code says.

We pick up non-running cars across the Southwest Side, from West Lawn and Garfield Ridge to Burbank and the rest of the areas we serve. Towing is free and handled by us (how pickup works).

Want a number for your car? Get your offer.