Can I Sell My Junk Car To The Government And Get Cash For It?

Can I Sell My Junk Car To The Government And Get Cash For It?

cash for junk cars

Can I Sell My Junk Car To The Government And Get Cash For It?

The federal government provides several assistance programs to needy citizens. But will the government pay you top dollar for your scrap car?

Read on to know whether the government offers cash in exchange for junk cars.

Why Would the Government Buy My Old, Junk Car?

The government does not buy junk cars from citizens usually. Junk car buying companies and individual buyers pay cash for junk cars but what about the Government?

In 2009, the federal government initiated the Cash for Clunkers program to offer financial aid to the automotive industry at the time of the recession. In this program, incentive drivers would trade in their old, useless vehicles and gain credit to buy new and better vehicles.

During this period, the vehicles that attained lower than the EPA-estimated 18 integrated MPG were qualified for trading in the Cash for Clunkers program. Every car owner would get a credit of $3,500 – $4,500 for buying a new and fuel-efficient car.

It was a great way initiative where both the federal government as well as the automotive industry were benefitted. Yet, this program only lasted from August 2009 – July 2009 and it is currently unavailable.

How Much Cash Can I Get By Selling My Old, Junk Car to the Government?

At present, you cannot sell Junk cars to the government. When the government would accept junk cars car owners were provided vouchers with credits of $3,500 – $4,500.

The voucher amount was calculated based on the vehicle’s fuel economy that was traded in and the new car that was going to be purchased with the voucher.

Where Can I Sell My Junk Car to The Federal Government?

As mentioned above, the federal government does not buy vehicles from citizens right now. Regardless, residents of California would be able to participate in the vehicle retirement program of their state.

This citizen assistance program is also called the Consumer Assistance Program (CAP). It enables the eligible citizens to trade in their old useless cards for $1000-$1500 cash.

The aim of this program was to enhance the air quality of California through incentivization of the citizens for getting rid of their old inefficient vehicles.

How Can I Sell My Old, Junk Car to The Federal Government?

The households with incomes equal to or less than 225% of the Federal poverty level were granted a $1,500 incentive. Other households were granted a $1,000 incentive.

Furthermore, The participants were required to meet the following criteria to gain financial eligibility:

  • The Car’s or vehicle’s title should be in the seller’s name.
  • The seller of the vehicle should be its registered owner.
  • The old car should not already be considered junk.
  • The vehicle must be registered with California’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
  • The vehicle should have failed its previous smog test.
  • The vehicle must be in working condition as prescribed by the California Bureau of Automotive Repair.

These are a few prerequisites that are to be fulfilled to gain eligibility for the voucher. However, online application makes the process much more simple and easy as you can get notified when some information is missing.

At Present, California is the sole state that offers a vehicle retirement program.

Can I Sell My Junk Car To The Federal Government Right Now?

Although the federal government offered financial incentives for old cars during the year 2009, it does not do so now. Hence you cannot sell your junk card to the federal government. But you can sell your junk car to junkyards, dealerships, private buyers, auto salvage yards, and buyers who are willing to pay top cash for junk cars.

Is Cash For Clunkers An OnGoing Program?

The federal government initiated a cash for clunkers program to offer financial incentives to drivers where they could trade in their old less efficient vehicles and buy new better vehicles. This program was enacted on July 1, 2009, and ended on August 24, 2009. Hence it is currently not in effect and you cannot exchange your old vehicle for a new one.

According to the Cash for Clunkers program the vehicle needs to:

  • Be drivable condition
  • Be 25 years old
  • Possess an EPA-estimated fuel efficiency of less than 18 MPG

Modern vehicles possess high fuel efficiency that will lead to disqualification if this program was still enacted.

What Alternatives Available to Sell Junk Cars for Cash?

Luckily there are several junk car buying companies that purchase junk vehicles and pay top cash for them. These companies buy junk cars and junk vehicles in their present condition so the car owners do not have to make any repairs on them.

Local junkyards are the first places where you could try to sell your junk car. Junk cars buy junk cars in any given condition as long as the car meets their requirements. But junkyards only pay for the scrap metal of the car. Hence the price of the junk car completely depends on the weight of the scrap metal on the car.

Additionally, you can trade in your car to dealerships. Used car dealerships offer a fair price for junk cars. But they offer a low price because they repair the old cars they buy and sell them.

Furthermore, you can personally sell your junk car in the private market. You can get a good price for your junk car if there is high demand for its spare parts in the market. You can negotiate with buyers until you get a satisfactory and fair price for your junk car.

All the alternatives required time, resources, and effort. You will have to take several pictures of your car, research and find out the estimate of the car, talk with buyers and negotiate with them, and secure the sale of junk cars.

Sell Your Junk Car To Cash For Junk Cars Chicago – Smart Tow Inc

There are several alternatives to get rid of junk cars. However, the most convenient one is probably selling your junk car to Cash For Junk Cars Chicago – Smart Tow Inc.

We provide instant quotes for junk cars and offer free towing and same-day pick-up in Chicago and nearby areas. We calculate price cards based on the market value of your car and vehicle-specific information like make model year and condition of the car.

Once you accept our offer we will ask you for a convenient time and your location for the pickup. We will arrive at your doorstep and pick up the car. We never delay payments and always pay cash on the spot.

If you want to get the best cash offer for your junk car then give us a call at +1 708 663 1010 or fill out our online form here.

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