Red Flags When Selling a Junk Car

You can run these checks on the phone, before anyone drives out.

• No clear answer on what could change the number. Offers can depend on condition, so ask which conditions. See what to do if the price drops.
• “Free towing” with no yes or no on deductions. Ask directly whether anything comes out of the offer. Our guide to whether free towing is really free has the wording.
• Pay later. If payment will not happen at pickup, ask how and when, and get it in writing before the car leaves. Our guide on taking cash safely covers the handoff.
• A new paper at the curb. Read anything you are handed. If it differs from the phone call, stop and ask why. You can take the time you need to read it.
• Pressure to decide right now. Your car will still be there in an hour. A short call back to another buyer costs you very little.

Washington sets rules for what a hulk hauler’s truck has to show. These are easy to check from your driveway.

• No name on the truck. WAC 308-65-070 says lifting or transport vehicles must show the licensee’s name, mailing address and current business phone number on both sides, in letters at least three inches high.
• No license certificate. The same rule says the certificate is carried in the vehicles hulk haulers operate. You can ask to see it.
• A name that doesn’t match. Compare the name on the truck with the name you were given and with the state lookup.
• Parts coming off in your driveway. WAC 308-65-080 says hulk haulers may not remove parts from vehicles, with a narrow exception that applies at a licensed wrecker’s or processor’s premises or a department-approved location. If someone starts removing parts, ask what license they hold.

A tow company or carrier hired for a job may have a different license setup, so ask who the licensed buyer is and whose name goes on your paperwork. See who does what.

Some things can feel like trouble and are simply part of the job:

• Being asked for a title or an affidavit. A buyer who asks is following the rules.
• Being asked about missing parts or condition. These affect what a car is worth.
• A difference between two offers. Buyers can weigh cars differently. Here is why offers differ.
• Being asked to show ID. Wreckers must keep a bill of sale with verified seller identity under RCW 46.80.080, so don’t be surprised if you are asked.

1. Stop before you sign

   Hold on to the title and keys until you have your answer. If you feel unsafe at any point, step away and call 911.

2. Check the license

   Use DOL’s license lookup while the driver waits, or call the office.

3. Call the next buyer

   Knowing you have another option makes it easier to say no.

4. Report it if you need to

   You can file a license complaint on DOL’s complaint page or a consumer complaint with the Washington Attorney General at 1.800.551.4636. The AG asks businesses to reply within 30 days, but says it cannot compel a business to respond or adjust anything.

If you sold the car already and something now looks wrong, file your Report of Sale right away if you have not done so, and keep every paper. If there is real money or liability at stake, talk to an attorney.

We are hulk hauler licensed and insured, with Washington Vehicle Transporter endorsement #09770. Check that, and ask us anything on this list at (206) 941-0612. Our license page has the details, and these 12 questions work on any buyer.