Scrap car questions, answered
What do people ask before selling a scrap car to Cash for Scrap Junk Cars?
Mostly four things: how the offer is set, whether the tow is free, how payment works and which papers Illinois requires. Short answers: by weight, metal prices and what's on the car; yes, towing is free; you're paid at pickup in cash, by Zelle or by Cash App; and bring the title plus two IDs.
Offers and payment
- Why don't you list prices on the website?
- Because a posted price would be wrong for most cars. A scrap offer depends on the car's weight, the metal market that week and what's still on the car, so we quote each car individually.
- When do I get paid?
- At pickup, when the car is collected and the title is signed.
- Which payment methods do you use?
- Cash, Zelle or Cash App. You pick.
- Do I have to accept the offer?
- No. There's no obligation to accept it.
- How long does an offer stay good?
- It has no end date. Take the time you need, and call back whenever you're ready to book the pickup.
Towing and pickup
- Does towing cost anything?
- No. The tow is free and isn't taken out of the offer.
- I have two or three junk cars. Can you take them together?
- Yes. One pickup can cover several vehicles. Tell us about each one on the call so we quote them all and plan the trip.
- Which towns do you pick up from?
- Crestwood and eleven nearby southwest suburbs, from Robbins and Midlothian out to Hickory Hills, Tinley Park and Orland Park. The areas page lists every one.
- Can I bring the car to your lot instead?
- No. We do business by phone, and our own tow truck comes to your address and loads the car there.
- Does the owner have to meet the driver?
- Someone needs to be there to sign the title, show ID and take the payment. It can be someone you trust if they can sign for the car.
Titles and paperwork
- What ID do I need?
- Illinois requires a scrap buyer to record at least two forms of identification from the seller, one of them a driver's license or state ID card.
- Do you buy cars without a title?
- Sometimes. Illinois lets a scrap buyer accept certain other proofs of ownership. Tell us what papers you have and we'll confirm on the call which route fits your car.
- Who keeps the plates?
- Keep them. In Illinois, plates belong to the owner, not the car, and you can transfer them to another vehicle you own.
The car
- Do you buy cars that don't run?
- Yes. Whether a car starts doesn't decide its scrap value.
- Will you take a car with the catalytic converter missing?
- Yes, at a lower offer. We don't buy converters on their own.
- Do you buy trucks and vans?
- Yes, pickups, cargo vans, minivans and SUVs, running or not.
- What about motorcycles, RVs and semis?
- We buy those too: junk motorcycles, motorhomes and campers, box trucks, semi tractors and trailers. For the big ones we arrange the right tow, and the paperwork rule is the same as for a car.