What are the things I should know before recycling and getting rid of my old car?
No car wants to get there, to the time when they just can’t move the way they used to, but unfortunately, like the rest of us, they do. And what are we human owners to do when that time comes? Sure enough, we cannot bury our cars in our backyards when they don’t run smoothly anymore, At this point, our car has one last benefit to give us, we can recycle them for cash!
Make Sure your Car Should be Recycled
We all know the benefits of recycling; it protects our environment from having to produce more metals and stores valuable resources. It is a great idea to want to recycle your car to help the environment and to earn some extra cash but first make sure you are not recycling a car that could still be used or sold for a lot more!
You see, when a junkyard buys your old car, it is basically paying you for the parts on the car that still work. Recycled cars are dismantled completely, parts of the car are turned into scrap and other parts are sold as recycled OEM or aftermarket parts. Read more about the different types of auto parts here!
To know whether your car should be recycled instead of resold look out for these hints:
- the car no longer runs
- the car feels unsafe to drive
- the repair costs are more expensive than what the car is worth
- the odometer reads a high number of miles
- the car is being destroyed by rust
- the car has a salvaged title
What Should I do when I am Ready to Recycle my Car
Great, now you know that your old car does qualify to be recycled, now it is time to locate a recycling center and get your car prepped to be recycled.
Locate your cars Title or Pink Slip
The first thing you should do when getting your old car ready to be recycled is to locate your title. Many times the title of a car can get lost among other papers at home or in the car’s glove compartment. Especially when it is an older car you might not remember where the title is, so just make sure to find it ahead of time. If you have discovered that your title has been lost, you should contact your local DMV office for steps on how to get a duplicate title. In some cases, you might not need a title to recycle your car but the process to recycle it and transfer ownership to the yard may be more complicated.
Remove your License Plates
The second step is to remove the car’s license plates. The DMV will ask for the license plates to be returned in order for them to cancel your car’s registration.
Cancel your Car Insurance
Nobody wants to pay for car insurance, especially if you don’t even own the car anymore! Remember to call your insurance company to remove the car that you will be recycling from the policy.
Use up all your Gas!
Gas is not getting any cheaper, make sure to use it up before recycling your car. That is if the car is still safely running of course.
Remove Personal Belongings
Take everything out from the car, every piece of paper from the glove compartment, seat covers, and everything from the trunk. Make sure every item is removed even if it is something you don’t want or need anymore.
Decide Where to Recycle Your Car
Finally, decide on a junkyard or recycling center that you would like to recycle your car with. Make sure to do your research, there are many recycling centers out there. Pacific Auto Recycling Center in Lancaster, CA provides free towing and always pays you top dollar for your old car. Consider PARC to help you recycle your car.
For more information or questions regarding recycling your car give us a call at (661)949-0048 or visit our website at www.weareparc.com.