You may have faithful and loving feelings to your old motor, but that doesn’t mean you should be keeping hold of it forever. Yes, it’s taken you to hell and back, and it’s been its own character throughout your time together, but sometimes it’s time to say thank you and goodbye. This article aims to gently tease your old car from your clutches, pointing to ways in which you can recycle, upgrade, trade-in, or scrap the vehicle that’s been with you for years but is, frankly, a little past its sell-by date.
Scrapping
Okay, this is always going to be the most difficult option. If you’ve gone thousands of miles with the same car over the years – bringing it through the country, and patching it up when it needed a quick repair – you’re going to be sad to see it go. But, scrapping can sometimes be the most effective and profitable thing to do with an old banger of a vehicle – should you find no alternative. Keep this option in the back of your mind should the tips below fail to reap rewards.
Trade-Ins
You can also find a way to trade in your car with a reputable and trustworthy trader that’ll give you a good price in exchange for a less old, more functional used car. The folks at Tear-A-Part are a good example of this, helping you offload a problem car with ease, and asking for a part-exchange (one in which you also pay a little cash) in order to pick up one of their better-used motors. It’s this option that might also be the most lucrative, as well as simple, option for you and your old car.
Sell it Yourself
Depending on the state of your car, it may be possible for you to sell it independently – thus skipping out the price of any middle man and saving all the profits for yourself and your new car. If you’re going to take this route, ensure that:
- You advertise online and offline in order to reach the largest amount of people
- You ensure that the photos you take of the car are accurate – but also clean and shining
- You’re fair with your pricing, and you’re willing to haggle a little for the best price
- You are not dishonest in your sale – and you keep the car’s service and repair history handy for the buyer
This can be a hit-and-miss method. Sometimes you’ll make a sale within the month, and other times your advert will languish unseen for a year. Give it a go, but don’t be disheartened if you get no interest.
Going Out With a Bang
If you have some spare time in the coming months, perhaps you ought to take your car on its final journey across the country. See if you can reach a distant part of the US in your old car and, if it breaks down, simply sell it for scrap – or scrap it entirely – and take the coach homeward. This way, you and your cherished old car will go out with a bang.
These tips are here to help you decide what to do with your old motor, showing you how to make the most of your old yet still-valuable asset.
