# How do you get rid of a car...
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-rid-of-a-car/390939
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [February 5, 2007, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-rid-of-a-car/390939 "2007-02-05T16:07:14Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2007, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-rid-of-a-car/390939/1 "2007-02-05T16:07:14Z")
That you can’t sell and can’t donate?
I don’t _think_ this is going to happen to me, as I’m fairly sure I can still donate even my 1990 Toyota Corolla. Due to the age, however, I have been rejected by one charity and it got me to thinking - what do you do if no one will take it?
I am unfamiliar with the world of junkyards, but I’m thinking that’s where I would have to take it. How does that work? The car still runs, so I could have driven it there, would I have to pay? What happens with the title and ownership? Would I get to see a real junkyard dog?
Thanks ahead of time.
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### Author:  [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2007, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-rid-of-a-car/390939/2 "2007-02-05T16:14:30Z")
[QUOTE=Anaamika]
That you can’t sell and can’t donate?
I don’t _think_ this is going to happen to me, as I’m fairly sure I can still donate even my 1990 Toyota Corolla. Due to the age, however, I have been rejected by one charity and it got me to thinking - what do you do if no one will take it?
I am unfamiliar with the world of junkyards, but I’m thinking that’s where I would have to take it. How does that work? The car still runs, so I could have driven it there, would I have to pay? What happens with the title and ownership? Would I get to see a real junkyard dog?
Thanks ahead of time.
[/QUOTE]
Auto salvage yards around here will pay you $150 to $200 for a car that runs. Some yards are in high cost areas and they will only take relatively new cars with parts they can turn over quickly but that’s not too common.
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### Author:  [@Booker57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Booker57)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2007, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-rid-of-a-car/390939/3 "2007-02-05T16:17:28Z")
the last “Auto recycling center” that I went to had no dog.
Bring all the paperwork that you would if you were to sell it. Some times you get money, never had to pay them myself.
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### Author:  [@Bag\_of\_Mostly\_Water](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bag_of_Mostly_Water)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2007, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-rid-of-a-car/390939/4 "2007-02-05T16:17:54Z")
I would ask another charity. I hear ads all the time saying they will take any car, running or not.
However, any car which can run is worth at least a few hundred dollars to someone. Depending on condition and what options work, you could be able to sell it for over $1000. It may make sense to put a listing on Craig’s list or another free or low-cost service. Do note that the people interested in cars with this value can be difficult and unpleasant. You should meet in a neutral location, not your home. Bring at least one other person and a cell phone with you. The terms of sale should include both you and the buyer going together to the DMV to transfer the title. This is the only way to ensure the title is transferred and you are not assumed to be responsible for what the new owner does with the car.
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### Author:  [@aktep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aktep)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2007, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-rid-of-a-car/390939/5 "2007-02-05T19:39:20Z")
When we were still dating, my wife had a car that stopped running. She called some places that had ads in the classifieds, and one guy came out and towed the car away, and gave us $150 in exchange for the title. He said he took it off to smash it.
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### Author:  [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2007, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-rid-of-a-car/390939/6 "2007-02-05T19:59:06Z")
Is this an Urban Legend? A friend of my dad (one strike already) left his junker at the airport when he left the country. A few years later, when he came back for a vacation, The immigration guy told him that he had to take care of his abandoned car. Turns out he had fees worth more than 10 times the value of the car. Could this be?
At any rate, don’t just abandon it. As was already said, a running car is worth $150 at the junkyard. Been there, done that ☹
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### Author:  [@Litoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Litoris)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2007, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-rid-of-a-car/390939/7 "2007-02-05T22:23:43Z")
I have to call the junkyard tomorrow to come pick up my husband’s non-working cars. Yup, cars, he is hard on them. I should get around $150 for 2 non-working cars (that is the price they told my husband). Just call around, they will haul it off for you. Of course, if it actually runs, you can usually get at least $200-600 from someone who is desperate – just get permission to park it somewhere highly visible (or even in your front yard) with a phone number to call you. You might be surprised at how much interest you get.
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### Author:  [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2007, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-rid-of-a-car/390939/8 "2007-02-05T22:38:50Z")
Twice in my life I’ve had to get rid of cars that did not run and had zero usable parts (not much demand for Geo Metro parts, I’m afraid). In both cases, I called a towing company and told them they could have it for the cost of the towing. A few hours later I met the tow truck guy, signed off on the title, and watched my baby get towed away, presumable to be recycled for scrap metal.
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### Author:  [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2007, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-rid-of-a-car/390939/9 "2007-02-05T22:45:03Z")
[QUOTE=HeyHomie]
presumable to be recycled for scrap metal.
[/QUOTE]
That and window glass.
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### Author:  [@Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Full_Metal_Lotus)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2007, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-rid-of-a-car/390939/10 "2007-02-06T00:34:37Z")
Call your local high school auto shop teacher. Many will take old but running cars, even if they are “doomed/nearly dead”. The students can practice all sorts of things on them, from engine and mechanical work to body work and more, with out having to worry about “ruining” a running, valued vehicle. Also, many school auto shops “fix up” and sell/raffle old cars as a fund raiser for their activities.
It won’t hurt to try…
Plus, there is always E-Bay… (_I am in Nigeria, and will send you a ceque for $1500000, for your car, but you need to send me a counter cheque for the balance. I will of course pay shipping, and would like much very to arrange thiese transaction as possible as is soon!)_
Regards
FML
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### Author:  [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2007, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-rid-of-a-car/390939/11 "2007-02-06T00:42:10Z")
[QUOTE=Anaamika]
Would I get to see a real junkyard dog?
Thanks ahead of time.
[/QUOTE]
There ain’t but one Junkyard Dog:
> **[Junkyard Dog](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylvester_Ritter)**
>
> Sylvester Ritter (December 13, 1952 – June 1, 1998) was an American professional wrestler and college football player, best known for his time in Mid-South Wrestling, where he would serve as a world heavyweight champion, and the World Wrestling Federation as the Junkyard Dog (or JYD). He was known for entering the ring with his trademark chain attached to a dog collar, headlining cards that drew large crowds and regularly sold out the Louisiana Superdome and other major venues. WWE author Brian...
😃
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### Author:  [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2007, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-rid-of-a-car/390939/12 "2007-02-06T01:13:51Z")
I had an old Camry which wouldn’t pass inspection, and I donated via the Car Talk website, so my local NPR affiliate would allegedly get a few bucks. Two fellows with a battery and salvage dealer tags came out, shook my hand, and drove it away.
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### Author:  [@Baffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baffle)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2007, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-rid-of-a-car/390939/13 "2007-02-06T01:45:28Z")
If the car’s been registered for the past six months, you could take it in to a GM dealership in Alberta and get $1000 off the price of a new car.
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2007, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-rid-of-a-car/390939/14 "2007-02-06T02:43:14Z")
Anyone who tries to charge you for “disposing” of a car is ripping you off. Amazingly so, if the car is still running. Even assuming the car has zero saleable parts (which is very unlikely) the value of the metal is worth something.
For a running car, the dealer will probably want to transfer the title. However, if you decide to scrap it yourself for some reason, I believe on the back of your registration there are instructions on how you can close out your registration and title by declaring that you are scrapping the vehicle.
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2007, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-rid-of-a-car/390939/15 "2007-02-06T02:47:03Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Is this an Urban Legend? A friend of my dad (one strike already) left his junker at the airport when he left the country. A few years later, when he came back for a vacation, The immigration guy told him that he had to take care of his abandoned car. Turns out he had fees worth more than 10 times the value of the car. Could this be?
I don’t know if this particular case is true, but it’s certainly possible. There are laws against public dumping and the fines on dumping something as big as a car would be high.
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### Author:  [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2007, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-rid-of-a-car/390939/16 "2007-02-06T09:34:42Z")
Advertise it in your local shopper.
Say its a parts car and you want to trade it for something of equal value.
Took me a long time but I just traded 2 old pickups for a 2 year old pellet burning wood stove. the guy liked to tinker with cars and had just moved and had no use for the wood burner. Worked out just fine for the both of us.Its better for him cause if he uses them for parts he can just ask me if I had any problems.
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### Author:  [@lowbrass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lowbrass)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2007, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-rid-of-a-car/390939/17 "2007-02-06T09:43:44Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo]
I don’t know if this particular case is true, but it’s certainly possible. There are laws against public dumping and the fines on dumping something as big as a car would be high.
[/QUOTE]
Sidetrack: I have had two cars towed in the past that weren’t worth the cost of getting them out of impound, so I just left them there. I don’t remember there being any repercussions. One was stolen, stripped, abandoned, and then impounded. The other was towed because I left it parked in the same spot on the street too long.
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### Author:  [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2007, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-rid-of-a-car/390939/18 "2007-02-06T10:08:30Z")
Check freecycle. That’s how I got rid of one of my cars. There was a group that advertised they took cars and either stripped them for parts or repaired them and gave them to the disadvantaged. They didn’t charge me anything for it, nor pay me anything for it, but considering the car was in very rough shape, I was just glad to get rid of it.
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### Author:  [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2007, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-rid-of-a-car/390939/19 "2007-02-06T14:39:35Z")
[QUOTE=lowbrass]
Sidetrack: I have had two cars towed in the past that weren’t worth the cost of getting them out of impound, so I just left them there. I don’t remember there being any repercussions. One was stolen, stripped, abandoned, and then impounded. The other was towed because I left it parked in the same spot on the street too long.
[/QUOTE]
Check your local laws. I got hit with a hefty bill from the county after they had impounded an old car that I owned. It hadn’t been abandoned, but someone must have decided that it had been parked in the same place for too long. Soon after I noticed that it was missing, the county sent me a letter saying that it had been auctioned off for almost nothing, and that I owed them some ridiculous amount of money for towing, impound, and storage. Luckily (?), there was a legislative cap on the amount they could charge me, but it was still painful.
The whole thing smelled of a scam. They never send out notification letters when they impound the vehicle, only after they have held it long enough to run up a large bill. The rates for storage are outrageous. I wouldn’t be surprised if the auctions were also fixed.
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### Author:  [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2007, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-rid-of-a-car/390939/20 "2007-02-06T14:43:43Z")
I can’t afford a new car. And I wouldn’t buy a GM either.
I have a 2001 Corolla now which is new to me.
And the charity is coming to pick it up tomorrow.
Thank you for all the information. I thought about selling it, but then the charity came through, so this works!