What to Tell a Buyer to Get an Accurate Junk Car Quote

Fill in the blanks and read it over the phone, or paste it into our pickup form.

• “It’s a [year, make, model, trim], about [mileage, if you know it].”
• “It [runs and drives / starts but should not be driven / does not start / has not been started in ___].”
• “The problem is [what you know, or “I don’t know”].”
• “Missing or damaged: [engine, transmission, wheels, converter, doors, glass, crash damage, or “nothing that I know of”].”
• “The paperwork is [title in my name / affidavit / lost title / other], registered in [whose name, which state].”
• “There is [no loan / a loan with ___] on it.”
• “It is parked at [town, street or cross street], in a [driveway / garage / apartment lot / street].”
• “The wheels [roll / do not roll] and I [have / do not have] the keys.”

Mileage is not one of our five factors on its own. It is still fine to mention it; see does mileage matter.

A sale can stall on paperwork, so say exactly what you have. We need one of these: Title, Affidavit in Lieu of Title, or Junk Vehicle Affidavit. If there is no title but the car is registered in your name in Washington, call us and we will try to help. Our no-title page explains more.

If the title is in someone else’s name, from another state or has a loan on it, say so early. Call us at (206) 941-0612 and tell us what you have, and we will tell you whether we can take it. If there is a lien, this guide explains what comes first.

A good quote works both ways. Before you hang up, ask:

• “What is the amount, and is that what I am paid at pickup?”
• “Does anything come off that amount?”
• “What would change the number?”
• “When could you come, and will you call first?”
• “What do I need to have with me?”

Write down the answers, the name of the person you talked to and the date. You will find more wording in our 12 questions to ask a junk car buyer.

• Rounding the year. “Around 2008” can be a different generation of a car, with different parts. Check the paper.
• Saying “it runs” for a car that only cranks. Say what it actually does.
• Skipping the embarrassing part. A missing engine or a rat’s nest will come out at pickup anyway.
• Giving your home address when the car is elsewhere. Distance is one of the factors, so use the car’s location.
• Giving each buyer different details. You can’t compare quotes if you described two different cars. Here is how to compare them.

When you are ready, send the script through our form with up to 3 photos, or read it to us at (206) 941-0612. We call back within 4 hours. Our how it works page covers what happens next.