Once a car stops being worth fixing, there are three ways out of the driveway. Each one suits a different kind of car and a different kind of owner, and Illinois has a few rules that tip the balance.
The three options in one table
| Trade it in | Sell it privately | Sell it for scrap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suits | A car that runs and you’re buying another from a dealer | A running car with some life left and an owner with time | A car that doesn’t run, is wrecked, or needs more than it’s worth |
| How you’re paid | Credit against the next car | Whatever the buyer agrees, often cash | Paid at pickup; with us, cash, Zelle or Cash App |
| Paperwork | Title signed over to the dealer | Title assignment, then your Seller’s Report of Sale | Title (or other accepted proof) and two IDs |
| Time | Part of the dealer visit | Listings, calls, strangers test-driving | One call, then the pickup |
| Car’s condition | Matters a lot | Matters a lot | Matters for parts, not for whether we buy it |
| Moving the car | You drive it in | Buyer drives or tows it | Free tow |
Trading in: the tax angle
The trade-in has one advantage the other two don’t. In Illinois, a dealer subtracts a qualified trade-in from the selling price of the car you’re buying before working out the sales tax, so a trade-in saves you tax as well as reducing the price. That credit had a $10,000 cap per vehicle in 2020 and 2021; for sales on or after January 1, 2022, the Department of Revenue’s instructions say the cap no longer applies.
The catch is the allowance itself. A dealer pricing a car that won’t start, or one with a cracked frame, may offer very little for it, and a small allowance saves very little tax. Ask for the trade-in figure in writing, separate from the price of the new car, so you can compare it fairly.
Selling privately: more money, more work
A private buyer will often pay more than a dealer for a car that runs. The work falls on you: photos, a listing, calls, no-shows, and test drives with people you don’t know. A few Illinois points to know:
- Signing the title. You assign the title to the buyer on the back of the certificate at the sale.
- Your report of sale. File the Seller’s Report of Sale with the Secretary of State afterward, so the car is no longer tied to you.
- Plates. Keep them. In Illinois they belong to you, not the car.
- Signs on parked cars. Some villages restrict them. Midlothian bars any car with a For Sale sign from being parked anywhere in the village unless it stands on a car lot that holds a dealer license, so a curbside listing isn’t an option there.
A private buyer wants a car to drive. If yours doesn’t run, the pool of buyers shrinks to people who fix cars for a living, and they price in the repair.
Selling for scrap: when condition no longer matters
A scrap sale is the one where the car’s condition stops being an obstacle. We buy cars that haven’t started in years, wrecked cars, cars with missing parts and cars without keys. The offer comes from the car’s weight, the metal market and what’s still on it, and our guide on scrapping versus parting out shows how missing parts change that number. The tow costs nothing, and the money changes hands when the car leaves.
A quick way to decide
- It runs and you’re buying from a dealer: get the trade-in figure in writing, then compare it with a private-sale estimate.
- It runs and you have time: a private sale may pay more.
- It doesn’t run, or the repair costs more than the car is worth: scrap it. If you’re weighing a big repair, read blown engine or transmission: repair or sell first.
- It’s blocking the driveway and the village has noticed: scrap it now; the scrap car removal page explains the pickup.
Owners in Midlothian, Palos Heights and the rest of our area can get a scrap offer here and compare it with the other two, or call (773) 394-1071. The offer doesn’t expire, so there’s no rush.
Sources: Illinois Department of Revenue, Form ST-556 instructions (qualified trade-ins; the $10,000 limit). Midlothian Code § 10-15-4.