Here's the short version as a table. Each row is something the form or the call asks, and why.
| Detail | Why it matters | How to check it |
|---|---|---|
| Year | Fixes the generation, so which parts fit | Title, registration or the driver's door sticker |
| Make and model | How many are still on the road needing parts | Title or registration |
| Title | How the handover works at pickup | Look for the title; if there isn't one, list the papers you do have |
| Runs or not | Working engine and transmission are worth more | Try to start it, or say when it last ran |
| Complete or not | Missing parts are missing value | Engine, transmission, catalytic converter, four wheels |
Year
The model year isn't about age for its own sake. It tells a buyer which generation of the car it is, because parts change between generations. A 2008 and a 2014 of the same model can share almost nothing under the skin.
Where to find it: the title, the registration, or the sticker on the driver's door frame. If you type the wrong year on the form, the call will catch it, but it's quicker to check first.
Make and model
This is the demand question. A model that's still common on Chicago streets has parts people are buying every day. A model that was rare to begin with has fewer buyers for its parts, so its offer leans more on its metal.
Trim level matters less than people think for a junk car. The model and year do most of the work.
Title: yes, no, or registration only
The form asks "Do you Have Title?" with three answers. Pick the true one; the call sorts out the rest.
- Yes. The simplest pickup. You sign it over when the truck arrives.
- No. We can still help. Tell us what papers you have (bill of sale, registration, insurance card). Illinois rules decide which papers work for a scrap sale, and we'll confirm on the call.
- I have registration only. Choose this and we'll go through what's needed on the call.
Paperwork changes the number less than it changes the handover. What matters is that the name on the paperwork matches the person selling.
Runs or not, complete or not
We ask these on the call, not the form, because they need a sentence rather than a checkbox.
"Runs" means it starts and moves under its own power. If it started last month and doesn't now, say exactly that. "Complete" means the engine, transmission, catalytic converter and all four wheels are on the car. A car with parts removed can still sell; it just sells for less, and it's much better to tell us than to have the driver find out.
How much on average can you get for a junk car?
We don't quote averages, and we'd be suspicious of any that claim to apply to your car. Averages mix running cars with stripped shells and new-ish models with thirty-year-old ones. The honest answer is the one above: five details decide it, and the fastest way to know is to put the four details in and take the call.
When the tow truck pulls up
The driver checks that the car matches: the title against your ID, the VIN against the title, and the parts you said were there. If they match, you're paid the offer at pickup. We go through each check in what gets checked when the truck arrives.
Want the number for your car rather than a range? Get an instant cash offer and we'll call you.