what to do with wrecked car?

[figner]

Over the weekend I was in a freeway collision which has probably sent my 10-year-old car to the big wrecking lot in the sky. Fortunately no persons were injured. Since I don't carry collision coverage on the car (was only worth a few thousand), I'm guessing I have to find an independent auto shop to assess the damage. I'm guessing it won't be worth the repair cost, and I'm also not sure I'd trust the car for safe driving again even after repairs, due to the extent of the damage.

So far, the options for getting rid of the old car seem to be:

1) scrap yard
2) donate to charity (although so far most online car donation sites seem to want intact cars)
3) sell to private party for small amount.
4) try to fix with own money and sell/donate afterwards.
5) trade in to dealer for new car (which I'm planning on buying anyway)

Am I overlooking any options? Any suggestions appreciated, as well as any other tips for handling the aftermath of an accident.

[ls99]

I'd vote for donating to Purple Heart. But be sure to get the right one thre are many impostors.

Purple Heart works with and for veterans

[W2R]

I vote for the scrap yard. You should be able to get at least a couple of hundred dollars or more for it that way, and you won't be stuck with working on it every weekend until the end of time. They will probably come and get it, too.

Sorry to hear that your car got wrecked! I'm really glad nobody was injured.

[rocketdog]

I'm sorry about your accident, but at least no-one got hurt! I donated an old beater car to a local high school that had an automotive repair program. The kids got to fix it up and then they sold it to raise funds for the program. The local community college didn't want my old car for their auto repair program because it was too old--but the high school was very thankful.

[figner]

Thanks for the suggestions and good wishes. I just thought of another option: trading the wreck in to a dealer when I purchase a replacement new car. Don't know if the dealer would even want an old wreck, and I prefer not to complicate the car negotiation process, but thought I'd throw it out there.

[kumquat]

Are you in a no-fault area? Where was fault assigned?

#4 is not (or should not be) an option.

One other option might be (if the other party was at fault) to either take their insurance company's offer or STB (sue the ba$tard$).

1-3 may be your only options and I suppose you may have to consider:
#6 pay someone to take it away.

Just be glad you came out of the accident OK.

[tryan]

A dealer is not going to accept it unless it drives.

Had 2 hauled from a rental ... no title, not running. Guy took'em for free; they were cubes the next day. Says scrap metal prices are very high now. So you may be able to get some cash for them.

[brewer12345]

I'd send it to the wreckers. Scrap prices have gone batsiht, so you should at the least be able to get a free tow if it is not driveable, and you may well get cash for it if you can deliver it to the yard.

[tryan]

Quote:

Scrap prices have gone batsiht,

This explains the reaction I got from my tow-guy ... called him on a Sunday at noon, he was at the house with the tow truck at 3pm.

[brewer12345]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tryan This explains the reaction I got from my tow-guy ... called him on a Sunday at noon, he was at the house with the tow truck at 3pm.

Yup. The price of iron ore has roughly doubled on the spot market in the last year and the cost to ship it has done the same, so the alternative is scrap. Not surprisingly, scrap has gone to the moon. Even in my ho-hum suburban neighborhood we have a guy who cruises through the cul-de-sac the night before trash pick-up looking for anything big made of metal that is on the curb.

[calmloki]

http://www.scrapmetalpricesandauctions.com/

Steel and Iron Scrap Metal Prices in the USA

Posted on May 29th, 2008 by admin
Selected spot market scrap metal prices (LTL, TL) in USA below:
Sheet Iron Scrap (Sheet Tin) 41.50 83.00 ton USD
White Goods 31.12 62.25 ton USD
Mixed Steel Can Scrap 87.15 124.50 ton USD
Mixed Scrap Iron & Steel 265.60 332.00 ton USD
No.1 Steel (HMS1) 332.00 415.00 ton USD
No.1 Steel (2 foot) 365.20 456.50 ton USD
No.2 Steel 298.80 373.50 ton USD
No.2 Steel (2 foot) 315.40 394.25 ton USD

The scrap yard is closer for me than the dump - and getting paid to dispose of white goods (stove, dryer,washer) is better than paying to do so. Scrap that wreck!

[tryan]

My neighbor put a broken washer curb-side with a sign "Free" ... gone in 2 days.

[mn54]

Sorry to hear of your accident. If someone else was at fault you should be able to receive some compensation from the ins. co. of the driver who was at fault. Take pictures of the car and damage before you get rid of the car. I doubt if a dealer is going to want it and you would be surprised at how picky some charities can be about accepting donated cars. If you look in the newspaper there will probably be ads for people looking for "towaways" who will pay you for them.

[Sarah in SC]

We just sold an old car to a junk car dealer for $250. We got to hear some great stories about people calling him at 11 pm on Friday nights to sell a car for cash to buy drugs. metals business must be very good.

Charitable donation is what the car actually brings, which usually isn't very much.

I wouldn't bring it into the negotiations on a new car, just makes your position a bit weaker in my mind.

Glad you are okay!

[Marquette]

I had a car that wasn't safe to drive in its current condition. There's a local charity that does vocational training of at-risk youth. It was a perfect match. The deduction if the charity uses the car is blue book value. The deduction if they sell it is the actual sale price.

If no such organization exists near you, then I'd sell it for scrap.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarah in SC I wouldn't bring it into the negotiations on a new car, just makes your position a bit weaker in my mind.

This is a good point. IME the dealer won't necessarily give you any more than the scrapyard, either, unless you want to pay more for the new car.

[P.S.]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marquette I had a car that wasn't safe to drive in its current condition. There's a local charity that does vocational training of at-risk youth.

My parents did this with their old cars when I was growing up. They figured they already got much good use out of it and why squeeze the last little bit out? Leave some for others to reap a little. Also, partly selfish... if it would save someone local from crime, better for themselves.

[rocketdog]

Quote:

Originally Posted by figner Thanks for the suggestions and good wishes. I just thought of another option: trading the wreck in to a dealer when I purchase a replacement new car. Don't know if the dealer would even want an old wreck, and I prefer not to complicate the car negotiation process, but thought I'd throw it out there.

Remember that old beater car I mentioned earlier? I tried to use it as a trade in at a dealer and he gave me $250 to KEEP the car!

[NotReady4Purple]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocketdog Remember that old beater car I mentioned earlier? I tried to use it as a trade in at a dealer and he gave me $250 to KEEP the car!

Now that's funny!

[rocketdog]

I'm embarrassed to say that I actually felt insulted the dealer didn't want my car...
But at that point I started driving around with the title in my car, looking for anyone to take it. The high school was surprised when I whipped that title out in an instant as soon as they said they'd take it!