How do you get the most out of scrapping a good car with a bad motor?
What kind of car is it?
Some cars have a pretty good market for parts, and are worth parting out or selling as a rolling chassis. Otherwise you'll probably be better off selling it to a junkyard or recycling company that will write you a check for a few hundred bucks and tow it away. Keep an eye out for those "WE BUY JUNK CARS" signs.
9 Answers
Look at the blue book (www.kbb.com) value of the vehicle and see how that compares to the repair estimate. That gives some idea if the vehicle is worth fixing to sell.
To get the most money out of it, you could part it out on Craigslist and e-bay. But that is a rough way to go. You have to deal with lots of people. Another way would be to have it auctioned. Search for 'insurance salvage auction' in your area. The absolutely worst thing you could do is use it as a trade in. The auction price is the real value, and the difference will wind up either being financed or included in the cash price of another car from the dealer.
Look at the blue book (www.kbb.com) value of the vehicle and see how that compares to the repair estimate. That gives some idea if the vehicle is worth fixing to sell.
To get the most money out of it, you could part it out on Craigslist and e-bay. But that is a rough way to go. You have to deal with lots of people. Another way would be to have it auctioned. Search for 'insurance salvage auction' in your area. The absolutely worst thing you could do is use it as a trade in. The auction price is the real value, and the difference will wind up either being financed or included in the cash price of another car from the dealer.
What kind of car is it?
Some cars have a pretty good market for parts, and are worth parting out or selling as a rolling chassis. Otherwise you'll probably be better off selling it to a junkyard or recycling company that will write you a check for a few hundred bucks and tow it away. Keep an eye out for those "WE BUY JUNK CARS" signs.
depending on the car (newer cars are a bit harder to part out, but also have higher price fetching ECU's and other electronic modules) and your mechanical skill part it out. It also matters what you mean by bad motor? is that bad gaskets, cracked block, warped head? You might also be better getting a friend and renting a cherry picker and putting in a new motor.
No matter what though taking a weekend to pull parts, put it either on ebay or a car specific forum, and have a beer.
This is the way for you to make the most money.
if its a 'good car' and you like it - put another motor in it -- it will definitely be cheaper than replacing the vehicle and there are auto shops that can do the whole job for a not unreasonable amt and give you a guarantee on the job -- or if you need to be a hero do it yourself talk with local mechanics as to where to get the motor buy or rent some tools and get to work
most DIY books say a motor swap takes several hrs done correctly - figure you're new to it, coupla days with a few friends to help and some cold ones after work is done
plus how cool is it to walk into work on monday and say "yea me & the boys swapped out an engine"
and the money you save goes towards that new kitchen the wife wants
Post the car on Craigslist. Use a decreased blue book value as a price for the entire car and/or price out individual parts. Look on ebay as a good guide for individual part prices
El Santo