The average lifespan of a car is 11 years. While your vehicle might last longer than this, you’ll reach a point where you need to replace it.
So when you need to replace your car, what should you do with your old vehicle? The two standard options are to scrap your car or sell it.
Which is better? You can answer this question by learning the pros and cons of both options.
Keep reading to learn these.
Scrap Your Car
Scrapping your car offers an instant way to sell the vehicle, and you can scrap a vehicle in two primary ways.
First, you can drop it off at a junkyard. Junkyards pay you the scrap value for the vehicle, which they normally base on the current steel price.
You can also scrap a car by contacting a junk car buyer. The buyer comes to your home and picks up the vehicle. Then, the buyer gives you cash for the car.
Scrap car buyers and junk yards take all vehicles. However, learning the pros and cons of scrapping a car might be helpful before taking this route.
Pros of Scrapping a Car
People who scrap cars do this for the benefits it offers. Here are the top ones:
Easy and Fast
As mentioned, you can drop off a car at a junkyard or have a car buyer pick it up. The benefit is that this process is easy and fast. You make a phone call or drop the car off at a convenient time, and that’s it.
Cash on the Spot
Junk car buyers and junkyards pay cash on the spot for vehicles. Additionally, some places even offer free towing for junk cars. So this method offers an instant way to generate some fast cash.
Car Condition Doesn’t Matter
Junk car buyers won’t evaluate your vehicle to determine its problems or flaws. Instead, they buy all vehicles, regardless of their conditions. They even purchase cars that don’t run.
Environmental Benefits
Most junk car buyers recycle car parts. They might sell the good parts and melt the rest. Recycling is always beneficial for the environment.
Additionally, leaving a car sitting around harms the environment. For example, fluids might leak out of the car, and tires might rot. Both of these adversely affect the earth.
Cons of Scrapping a Car
In addition to the benefits, there are some drawbacks to scrapping a car. Here are a few:
Lower Price
The primary drawback to scrapping a car is the price they pay. Scrap dealers pay a rate based on steel prices. Many junkyards also base the price of a junk car on weight.
The bottom line is you might get $300 for your car, give or take. However, you might be able to sell it for more money through a different method.
Moving It
The second drawback is moving the car. You’ll have to bring the car to a junkyard if you can’t find a junk buyer in your city who will pick it up.
You might not have a problem with this if the car runs, but what will you do if the vehicle doesn’t run?
Sell Your Car
On the flip side, you can sell your car instead of scrapping it. Of course, selling a used car is a little more challenging than scrapping one, but you can reap some benefits if you choose this option.
First, you might wonder about your options for selling a car. Fortunately, you can sell a car in multiple ways.
One option is to list it for sale on a classified ad or social media site. You can also learn how to sell car online by posting it to a used car sales site. Another option is to trade it in for a new car.
Check out the pros and cons of selling a vehicle before you handle it this way.
Pros of Selling a Car
Finding a private buyer for your car offers the following benefits:
Higher Price
The primary reason people sell their cars privately instead of scrapping them is for the price. You’ll always get more money when you sell your car outright.
Most people that purchase used cars buy them to drive. Others might buy them to fix them up to sell for a profit. Regardless of why someone buys your car, they’ll pay more than you get from scrapping it.
Many Ways to Sell
Another advantage of selling your car is the number of methods you can use. You won’t have to limit yourself to one place or person to sell it. You can use any of the methods described above and others to sell a vehicle.
Cons of Selling a Car
However, you should understand the drawbacks of selling a car. Here are a few:
More Time-Consuming
Scrapping a car offers an instant sale, but selling a car is a process. First, you must prepare the vehicle for sale, list it, and negotiate. Thus, you won’t have an instant means to sell it.
Car Condition Matters
People who buy used cars ask questions about their condition. For example, they might ask what problems the car has. Therefore, you might have to fix a few things before selling it.
Safety
If you sell it locally, people will want to see the car before buying it. As a result, strangers will come to your home. You might feel unsafe showing the car to people you don’t know.
Scrap Your Car vs. Sell Your Car: You Decide
As you can see, there are pros and cons with both options. Of course, you can scrap your car faster than selling it. But you’ll earn less money.
Consider the pros and cons of each option before deciding how to get rid of your old, unwanted vehicle.
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