Getting a junk car out of an alley garage or backyard

If your car sits in a detached garage behind the house, the pickup usually happens from the alley, not the street out front. That works fine, as long as the driver can get to the car and the car can get to the truck.

Here’s what makes the difference, and what to mention by phone so the driver isn’t surprised.

What the driver needs before he backs in

Think about the path the car will take, from where it sits now to the truck. Everything in that path is your job to clear. Everything about the car itself is something to describe.

• A clear exit. Move bikes, bins, lawn chairs and anything leaning against the garage door. If a working car blocks the junk one, it has to move first.
• A door that opens. Check before the truck comes. A dead opener can usually be released by hand from inside.
• Keys, if you have them. We buy cars without keys. Still, a key can matter for steering and for shifting out of park on some cars, so tell us if there isn’t one.
• The truth about the wheels. Four inflated tires, a couple of flats, a wheel missing, a brake that’s seized: each changes how the car is pulled out.
• Someone to point the way. Alley garages all look alike from the driver’s seat. A garage number, a color or “third garage past the gangway” saves time.

Tight garages

A detached garage behind a bungalow or two-flat can be a snug fit, and a modern SUV nosed into one may have inches to spare on each side. That’s workable. What the driver needs to know is how the car is parked (nose in or tail in), whether the doors can open, and whether shelving or storage is crowding it.

A car that rolls can usually be pulled straight back out. A car that won’t roll, because the tires are flat to the rim or the wheels won’t turn, is harder in a tight space, and the honest answer is that some setups take more planning than others. Describe it on the phone and we’ll tell you what we need.

If the garage holds two cars, or the junk one is boxed in by a working car, plan to move the working car out first.

The alley itself

Chicago doesn’t let the alley double as a parking spot. The city’s parking violation schedule lists “Parking in Alley” and “Blocking Alley” as violations under section 9-64-130 of the Municipal Code, and section 9-64-100(c) covers blocking access to an alley, driveway or fire lane.

Two practical takeaways:

1. Don’t stage the car in the alley. Rolling the car out into the alley ahead of time so it’s “ready” only parks it where a ticket can find it. Leave it where it sits (garage, pad or yard) until the driver arrives.
2. Give the neighbors a heads-up. While a car is being loaded, the truck takes up the alley. If someone across the way leaves for work early, a quick word helps everyone.

Alleys also come with their own obstacles: garbage carts, utility poles, a low branch, a fence that sticks out past the lot line. If anything narrows your stretch of alley, mention it. Suburbs set their own rules for side streets and alleys, so if the car is in Burbank, our Burbank page covers what the village code says about where a car can wait.

Backyards and gangways

A car in the backyard usually went in through an alley gate, or across a parking pad that later got a fence.

What matters is the way back out. Is there a gate wide enough for a car, and does it still open? Is the ground hard or soft? A yard that’s fine in August can be mud after a week of rain. Is the car on grass, gravel or concrete?

A car with no route to the alley or street except a narrow gangway between two houses is a different problem. Not every spot can be reached by a tow truck, and we’d rather tell you that on the phone than after the truck shows up. Describe the layout, and if there’s a way to open a fence section or a gate, say so.

Shared lots, two-flats and condo buildings

A two-flat often means a shared yard and a shared garage. If the junk car sits in a space the other unit uses, or the garage belongs to the building rather than to you, sort that out with the other owner first.

Apartment and condo lots work too, as long as you arrange access. That means permission from whoever controls the lot (a landlord, a management company or the association) and, for a gated or indoor lot, a way for the driver to get in.

Repair shop lots are fine as well. Let the shop know a truck is coming and confirm the car can be released to you.

Details to have ready when you call

Where the car is	What we’ll ask
Detached garage off the alley	Garage location, door working, nose in or tail in, room on each side
Parking pad behind the house	Anything blocking it, which alley it opens onto
Backyard	Gate width, ground surface, any fence in the way
Shared two-flat garage	Whether the other owner knows, which space
Apartment or condo lot	Who controls access, gate or garage entry, space number
Repair shop	Shop name, whether they know you’re selling

We pick up from spots like these all over the Southwest Side, from the bungalow blocks of Gage Park and West Lawn to the garages behind the homes in Archer Heights. Towing is free; our free towing page explains what that covers. If the car hasn’t moved in years, the cars that don’t run page covers what we buy. Request an offer or call (708) 838-5553 once the path is clear. Same-day pickups are often possible, and payment is made on the spot at pickup by Zelle, Cash App or cash.