Local Hauler, Instant-Offer Site or Driving It to a Yard?

This table shows what to find out, because the answers can vary from one business to the next.

If you want exact wording, use our 12 questions.

A hauler makes sense when the car can’t move on its own or you would rather not arrange a tow. You can talk with someone who knows the area, describe the odd parts of your driveway and ask about your paperwork before anyone drives out.

Check that the license is active and that the truck that arrives matches the business you called. Our license guide shows how. Towing distance can be part of an offer, which is one reason offers can differ.

A form can be a quick way to get a first number at any hour, and that can be useful as a starting point. Before you treat it as more than that, get these answers:

• Is this a firm offer or an estimate, and what does the fine print say about changes?
• Does the form’s number depend on anything you have not been asked yet?
• Who is the company that will actually take the car, and can you look up its license?
• Is there a phone number where a person answers?
• Do you get paid at pickup, and how?
• Whose name goes on the title and on your Report of Sale?

Answer the form’s questions accurately. A rosy description gets you a number that may not hold up. Our guide on what to do if the price drops covers that moment, whichever kind of buyer you use.

You are allowed to do this. Under RCW 46.79.110, an individual may tow their own vehicle to a wrecker or scrap processor without a hulk hauler license. It may suit you if you have a trailer and a capable truck, or a friend who does, and a yard nearby that is licensed. Call first and confirm the following:

• Do they accept the car, and what would they pay?
• Which documents do they require? A wrecker may not acquire a car without evidence of ownership (RCW 46.80.090), and it has to verify your identity (RCW 46.80.080).
• What are their hours for walk-ins?

Now the limits. Do not drive an unsafe car to the yard. Brakes, steering, tires, or a car that overheats: if you doubt it, it does not go on the road. Registration matters as well. A trip permit costs $36 and is valid for 3 consecutive days, but it is bought in person and is not for destroyed vehicles. A salvage car cannot be driven or parked on public highways until a new title is issued. Count the cost of renting or hiring a tow as part of the comparison.

Whichever you choose, your own duties stay the same. You remove the plates and file a Report of Sale within five business days, and our after-the-sale guide covers how.

We are the local hauler option. We tow for free on a flatbed, pay cash at pickup, and answer the phone 7 days a week from 8 AM to 11 PM at (206) 941-0612. See how it works and non-running car removal. Then compare us with the other two.