What Do Junkyards Do with Junk Cars?

 

Do you ever wonder what happens to a junk car when you sell it in a junkyard? We often see piles of cars in junkyards in movies and TV, with rust dominating the car exteriors and tires missing. Sooner or later, we might have to sell our old and beat-up cars to a junkyard, if we don’t sell it while it is still usable. When you are faced with a non-working, rusty, and old car, the best thing to do is contact a junkyard so you can get some cash from your ride. But what really happens when they end up in a junkyard?

Parts are recycled

A junkyard assesses the overall condition of a vehicle and sees if there are still parts that can be recycled. If so, these are then taken out of the car and fixed – if needed – and cleaned to be sold. Components such as lead batteries, steel, copper wiring, and rubber are bought by customers who have a need for them. Junk cars are formally called end-of-life vehicles, because they can no longer be used safely on the road for various reasons, like the number of years it has run, the damage to the vehicle, etc.

Vehicle number

Each car has a VIN or vehicle identification number registered at the DMV. When you sell your car at a junkyard, they will remove your car’s VIN out of DMV’s system. This way, no other person can buy the vehicle without learning that it is actually a junk car.

Unsold Parts

Once each vehicle has been stripped of usable parts like copper wiring, rubber, etc. whatever is left of a vehicle will be crushed for recycling. Recycling metal is a very crucial step, so they don’t end up in landfills. Metal doesn’t rot or degrade. It remains for hundreds, even thousands of years, with little change. Recycled metal will then be used to make newer cars and other products.

Cars are the most recycled materials: old tires become brake pads and floor mats, etc. About 95% of junk cars are recycled. Do not let your old car sit idly in your garage or yard, gathering rust, dust, and dirt. You are not helping the environment by keeping your old car at home unless you recycle it yourself, such as making it into a pocket garden for your plants. Besides, cars have harmful chemicals that can leak into the soil and contaminate your water system.

Besides being a responsible car owner when you take your old car to a junkyard, you also get to earn from it. A junkyard company will pay you for your vehicle regardless of its condition. Contact your trusted junkyard company so they can process the sale of your vehicle. You can even get them to haul it from your house. Once you get rid of the car, you can use the freed-up space in your garage or yard for other things.