Scrap car for cash, whatever shape it's in

Can you sell a scrap car for cash in any condition?

Yes, you can sell a scrap car for cash in any condition. Cash For Junk Cars Chicago Smart Tow Inc buys wrecked, stripped, burned, flooded and non-running cars, plus trucks, vans and SUVs, tows them free and pays you before the truck leaves: cash, Zelle, Cash App or another digital payment. No keys? That’s fine too.

The condition rarely decides whether we’ll take a car. What it changes is what we need to know before the truck rolls, and sometimes what the offer looks like. If this is your first sale, how a junk car sale goes, from papers to plates covers the steps; this page is about the car itself.

What each condition changes at pickup

Scrap: old, rusted out, at the end of the road

Usually the simplest pickup of the lot. Tell us the year, make and model, whether you have the title, and whether the floor or frame has rusted through. If you’re not sure your car is scrap or just tired, the difference between junk, salvage and scrap has its own guide.

Wrecked

Crash damage is fine. Airbags out, a corner pushed in, a wheel folded under: tell us which side took the hit and whether the wheels still turn, so the truck comes ready for a car that won’t roll straight. Two things to sort out first. If the car is at a body shop, arrange its release with the shop; we pick up from repair shops once you’ve done that. And if an insurer is involved, check with them before selling, because a total-loss payout can mean the insurer takes the car.

Stripped

Wheels gone, engine pulled, converter cut off, seats out. We still buy it. Tell us exactly what’s missing and whether it’s on its wheels or on blocks, since a car that can’t roll needs a different load. The offer follows what’s left on the car, which is why a straight list on the phone matters more here than anywhere.

Burned

Fire takes the glass, the tires, the wiring and the interior, and leaves most of the metal. A burned car is bought like any other. If the fire was recent and an insurance claim is open, settle it with your insurer first. Then tell us how much of the car burned, front only or the whole cabin, and whether it still rolls. What to do after a car fire covers the report and the claim that come before the sale.

Flooded

Water gets into the electrics, the carpet and the seats, and often the engine. Tell us how high the water came, if you know, and whether the car has sat wet since. Insured? Talk to your insurer before you sell, same as with a fire. For what water does to a car, how rain and flood water damage a car goes into it.

Not running

On its own, a car that won’t start changes very little. What we need to know is whether it rolls: flat tires, a seized brake, or a car stuck in park all matter to the load. If you’re not certain it’s finished, what to check when an old car won’t start goes through the battery, starter and fuel before you give up on it.

No keys

We buy and tow cars without keys. Say so when you call and the truck will come ready for it. Keys and papers are separate questions, though. A missing key doesn’t affect the sale; a missing title might. What Illinois and Indiana ask for is set out in the paperwork guide, and we confirm your case on the call.

How much will a scrap yard pay for my car?

There’s no fixed rate for a scrap car. What moves an offer is how big and heavy the vehicle is, how complete it is (engine, transmission, catalytic converter, wheels), how much demand there is for that model’s parts, and whether the papers are in order. Scrap metal markets move too, so a yard’s numbers move with them.

That’s why we don’t publish a price list. Two cars of the same year can be very different under the hood, and a list would be wrong for most of them. Send the details and you’ll get an actual number, and that number holds: our offers don’t expire.

How much will a junkyard pay for a car that doesn’t run?

To a scrap buyer, not running matters less than people expect, because the car leaves on a truck either way. What counts is what’s still on it. A dead car with its engine, converter and wheels in place is a more complete car than a running one somebody has already picked over.

More than one car to go?

One visit can take several. Tell us how many there are and where each one sits, whether that’s the driveway, a garage or a lot, and they’ll all be collected together.

Where the truck goes, and how to start

We pick up across Chicagoland, which for us means the city, the Cook, DuPage and Will County suburbs with Joliet and Aurora, and Northwest Indiana as far as Gary. Apartment and HOA lots are fine too, once the manager or the association knows a truck is coming. Same-day pickup is often possible.

Payment, the pickup steps and the towns we cover are summed up on our home page. To get a number for your car, use the two-step quote form or call (708) 663-1010, any day from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Central.