How to get the most for junking a vehicle?

[Owen Lucas]

I thought the certificate of destruction was only issued at the junkyard not given to the previous owner? More or less a token that the vin and vehicle were properly disposed of.

You are right. The yard will give me a copy of the certificate for my records. Also to assure the vehicle wasn't flipped while title jumping with my name on the title. This way I will be certain there isn't a truck out there that is still my responsibility and that I am liable for if something were to happen.

 

[atikovi]

You are right. The yard will give me a copy of the certificate for my records. Also to assure the vehicle wasn't flipped while title jumping with my name on the title.

You DID put the name of the junkyard on the title as the buyer? That's all that is required plus maybe a bill of sale that they signed.

This way I will be certain there isn't a truck out there that is still my responsibility and that I am liable for if something were to happen.

No disrespect intended, but that's pretty paranoid thinking. 1) That someone actually wants to drive around in a moldy barely running vehicle, and 2) that you would be liable were something to happen.

 

[Owen Lucas]

You DID put the name of the junkyard on the title as the buyer? That's all that is required plus maybe a bill of sale that they signed.

That would have been a good idea! I don't sell many vehicles and though I've had 1000's of titles pass through my hands, never did we have a customer sign IAA or Copart as the seller for a total loss. I was advised to only sign the seller portion, presumably because the yard fills out the rest and or you can't trust the general public to fill out the buyer section correctly? IDK.

No disrespect intended, but that's pretty paranoid thinking. 1) That someone actually wants to drive around in a moldy barely running vehicle, and 2) that you would be liable were something to happen.

Working in auto insurance and seeing all kinds of wacky scenarios and the financial chaos that an insured can be exposed to, I play it safe. To some it's paranoia but to me its just CYA, doesn't bother me though, in fact I feel better knowing I covered all my bases.

Imagine if the truck fell off the flatbed and rolled into a new car lot or fell on someone at the yard. With my name on the title there is still a legal case that can be made against me, even if it was the tow drivers or yards responsibility by mishandling the vehicle, I am financially exposed.

Here's a situation where a mechanic doing an OLF at a Jeep dealer was killed and the dealership sued the owner of the vehicle.

Michigan car owner sued after Jeep kills mechanic during oil change

Sergio Enrique Diaz-Navarro took his red 2019 Wrangler to a Chrysler Jeep Dodge dealership on March 13, 2020, and 19-year-old lube technician Daniel Thompson worked on the car.

nypost.com

 

[97prizm]

You are right. The yard will give me a copy of the certificate for my records. Also to assure the vehicle wasn't flipped while title jumping with my name on the title. This way I will be certain there isn't a truck out there that is still my responsibility and that I am liable for if something were to happen.

Odd you mentioned that. When I worked at an emissions testing facility we had a couple come in with an Audi with a title that said "ready for crusher ". Which I'd never seen before. They didn't speak English. From my limited Spanish I tried to explain that they had to go to the State Patrol for inspection and a re-vin. They didn't want anything to do with the police. I always thought it was stolen or had a vin swap.

 

[Owen Lucas]

Odd you mentioned that. When I worked at an emissions testing facility we had a couple come in with an Audi with a title that said "ready for crusher ". Which I'd never seen before. They didn't speak English. From my limited Spanish I tried to explain that they had to go to the State Patrol for inspection and a re-vin. They didn't want anything to do with the police. I always thought it was stolen or had a vin swap.

Could have been a rogue employee at a wrecking yard sold it to them? Definitely a black market vehicle.

 

[loneryder]

I give one to the Kidney Foundation. A wrecker arrived and towed it away. That's it. Gone.

By giving to a charitable organization, you get a tax write off of the currant book value of the vehicle. Doesn't matter if it's running or not.

 

[D60]

By giving to a charitable organization, you get a tax write off of the currant book value of the vehicle. Doesn't matter if it's running or not.

And sadly, under current tax law, it likely changes your tax owed by zero dollars. At least that's been my experience the past two years. Everyone's situation is different I suppose.....