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Salvage Yard vs Scrapyard: Where to Bring Your Junk Car

cash for cars rochester ny

When a person wants to dispose of an old car, there are two places that they usually think of. They can either bring their vehicle to the salvage yard or a scrapyard. Most people confuse the two and even believe that they are the same. This is a misconception that needs to be corrected right away. 

While scrapyards and salvage yards may have similarities, they have very different functions and provide different services. This article will tell you what you need to know about the two.

Salvage Yard vs. Scrapyard

You can sell your car to either a salvage yard or scrapyard, but they would utilize it in different ways. The value they would offer depends primarily on the condition of your vehicle, the number of items they can get from it, and their current value. However, compared to the scrapyard, the salvage yard generally offers more competitive pricing. 

You can sell your junk car to the salvage yard whether it is still functional or not. You can drive it directly to their shop or ask them to book a towing service for you. The salvage yard has the option to sell your car as is or only its working parts to other customers in need. Usually, they allow customers to enter their junkyard and browse through items until they find the parts they need. Because of how they can maximize the scraps they buy, the salvage yard can offer you more competitive pricing for your old junk. 

Meanwhile, a scrapyard is specifically interested in scrap metals—these are their main priority. They collect them and weigh them together. In fact, they are not only exclusive to cars. They get metals from old appliances and loose wirings too. 

Generally, scrapyards will not pay for or utilize the other parts of your car. The payment you will receive depends on the weight of the metals they can get from your vehicle and what types of metals are still viable. They often look for metals like aluminum, copper, and zinc. After gathering the material, they would reshape the metal into different shapes and sizes and proceed to sell them, usually in bulk.

Where Should You Sell Your Old Car?

The answer to where you should sell your car depends on your vehicle’s condition. If you think that your junk car still has many valuable and usable features, it would be best to bring it to a salvage yard. You could get a higher offer, and your car would be put to better use in a salvage yard. 

On the other hand, if you believe that your old car has very few useful parts and would be better off broken up in bits and pieces, there is no need to bring it to the salvage yard. 

Conclusion

By now, you may already have a better idea of where the best place to bring your junk car. Regardless of your choice, make sure to contact them ahead and ask for a quotation. If your vehicle is still in relatively better condition than other scraps, you can get a better deal from a salvage yard.
If you are looking for a Rochester salvage yard to bring your car to, you are on the right page. Northside Salvage Yard is a locally-owned and family-operated salvage yard that has been servicing the Rochester area for more than 50 years. We pride ourselves on being able to pay for your junk car with cash on the spot. Call us at 585-444-8866 to learn more about our offers!

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