What should I do with my wrecked car?
Posted by mzxcvbnm@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 16 comments
Hi, my 1998 Honda Accord was recently in a collision and its front end is in bad shape. I've gathered that the smart thing to do is to forget about restoring the car, and instead just try to sell it for parts. But I'm not sure how to do this. My only guess is that I have it towed to an autobody shop and ask them what the parts might be worth, but I have no idea. In the meantime, I have a wrecked car in my parking space, and my property manager wants me to have it towed immediately.
Does anyone have any recommendations for an absolute know-nothing like myself? Thanks!
A_Bot_A_Bot_A_Bot@reddit
You don't tow your car to any autobody shop and ask them what parts might be worth. And, reputable autobody shops usually aren't buying wrecked cars to use the parts.
Your landlord has made it clear that he wants your car gone so I wouldn't even consider parting out the car on your own. Plus, you can still end up with a huge amount of stuff that you need to dispose of on your own and will require a flatbed trailer/truck and maybe even a winch. It's not worth your time or risking your landlord's ire.
Contact auto salvage yards and tell them what you have -- year, make, model -- and what is damaged and what is good, that it will need to be towed, and how much will they pay you.
For an '98 Accord, you may have to pay out of pocket to get it towed away.
Rough_Cancel7265@reddit
Peddle might be a good resource to sell it. See if you have any junkyards around you that buy cars or post it on Facebook marketplace/offer up and see what you can get for it.
mzxcvbnm@reddit (OP)
Does Peddle have any towing service available?
Rough_Cancel7265@reddit
Yes, I've sold a couple through them, they've always towed it away. Might be worth a shot
mzxcvbnm@reddit (OP)
Thanks, but it said "Unfortunately, we can't make you an offer on your 1998 Honda Accord Sedan EX today."
IAteTonysLoMein@reddit
Try calling your local pick n pull yards - I used peddle to get rid of my wrecked car a couple years ago and they just handed it off to the local pick n pull - you might even get a bit more going direct with the yard, since peddle is getting a cut somewhere in there for facilitating
Bulocoo@reddit
A 98 Accord is worth about $300.
You might get a wrecking yard to haul it away for free. If they want it and you drive it there you might get $300.
Melodic-Picture48@reddit
local junkyards will pay between $150 to $300 in my experience, they'll even come and tow it away. Just sign the title and hand it over to them thats it.
Gahreesen@reddit
If it runs and drives, it's worth $1,000. Even $500 with damage. Put it on Marketplace. It will sell. Problem is you need extra time for that, good luck.
brandon_7ohmit@reddit
Call up your local scrap yard and see how much they will pay you to take it away
mzxcvbnm@reddit (OP)
Do they do a part estimate?
brandon_7ohmit@reddit
The only way to part the car out is by dismantling it yourself storing all the parts and slowly selling them over the couse of months and months on craigslist and Facebook marketplace.
brandon_7ohmit@reddit
It sounds like your only option here given the fact that you don’t have the space to even keep the car parked is to junk it for a couple hundred dollars
Gabrielredux@reddit
Pick and pull….the KC one is temporarily closed but there are a few more in the area. They buy and pick up.
mzxcvbnm@reddit (OP)
What do you mean by "KC"? I live in Ithaca.
Swamp_Hawk_420@reddit
Parting it out is generally something you do yourself, I've never heard of hiring a shop to part out a car for you, it sounds like you're better off just selling it for scrap value