Ask Lemmy

For reference, your car is probably worth about $400 in scrap metal alone. As in, if you drive it to the junkyard, they'll pay you $400 for it.

Running (needs significant work) is probably worth $1k, but that really depends.

The biggest limit will be your time and patience. Carvana and the like will cut you the smallest check, but they will do so today after a simple inspection.

The next highest will be private sales with a short timeframe. The longer you are willing to wait, the higher your final sale price will likely be. Also, don't be afraid to post it on multiple forums. Craigslist has dwindled in popularity, but it's still a very viable listing.

If you have a friendly personal mechanic, you may be able to enlist their help. Sometimes they maintain a project car for their downtimes, often from a customer that couldn't pay. They can tell you how much the car is really worth, or work out a discounted rate for slow repairs. Or they cut you in on the profits when they repair and sell it. But this only works with friendly personal mechanics, or shade tree mechanics.

I’ll disagree here and suggest a car dealer if you’re buying a new car. While they generally are the worst deal, they also seem to have a floor. For a car with little to no value, I’ve always gotten $2k, even if no one else would give me that. Of course buyer beware and all that, you may be losing that $2k somewhere else in the negotiation

I don't think this is good advice by any means, but I dropped my previous car at a car dealership for $500. They only were able to give me $500 because 1) it was an ex-police car and they apparently couldn't sell it under normal circumstances, and 2) the car was pretty beaten up and probably have to be scrapped for parts.

This information is 2-3 years old so maybe things have changed... but back then I believe car dealerships would be willing to take a car for at least $500, since they can probably make a profit by auctioning the car or scrapping it for parts that way. So if I really just want to get rid of something, it's not a bad option. However, most second-hand cars are worth way more than that, especially if I'm willing to put in a bit of effort, so... take this information as you will. I agree with the other comments that a used car can go for much higher if I'm willing to try.

I sold a Honda Civic Si that I'd done a k-swap on, and overheated (!!!), about two years ago. I specified in the ad that I hadn't seen coolant in the oil when I'd changed the oil, and that the a/c compressor failing and killing the serpentine belt was what caused it to overheat. I got more than I expected, esp. for a car with 180,000 miles on the body/transmission. So, for starters, don't assume that you can only get $700.

For someone that knows what they're doing, and has the tools and space to work, a head gasket isn't usually a big deal, as long as it's just the head gasket, and not a warped cylinder head. Most of the charges for the repair are labor.

I agree that FB Marketplace is your best bet. Check the KBB value, and use that as a starting point. Take a lot of photos, make sure that you're pointing out the known issues. Write a very detailed description, i.e., not "message me for details"; if people ask you shit that you've already addressed in the listing, refer them back to the write up. It's a good way to weed out unserious people. Don't take the very first offer! You're likely to get a number of people trying to give you ridiculous low-ball offers. Specify cash-ONLY, as in, no Venmo, PayPal, CashApp, check, money order, cashier's check, bank draft, or goats. (You can take bitcoin if you're into that; there's no way to do a chargeback with BTC once you've gotten 3 confirmations.)

Make sure that you make two receipts, and have them sign both. Check the name against their driver's license. Remember to remove the license plate. Call your insurance and cancel the policy immediately after the sale. Essentially, you want to CYA so that if they get tickets or crash the car, you aren't going to be on the hook.

It pains me to say that, most Facebook marketplaces are hoppin. Just like CL, you gotta weed out beggars and possible scammers. I've known people throughout the states, at least midewest to west, to have luck with:

Find a busy or busy adjacent intersection, or wide roadside that you've seen cars park on safely. Near highway ramps is popular. Make sure it's safe-ish, good lighting if in a busy area, not on a curve in dark rural areas. We have a wide dirt berm that attracted so many cars parked for sale that a tamale lady and honey guy set up. Out in the sticks, somewhere on the way "into/out of town" gets quite a few passerby and you might get a grocery or corner store to let you park it there.

Then: Brief info in paint maker on the windows (RUNNING NEEDS WORK- CALL SNOT 5558675309) big on one side and windshield then, on a back window or pass side a little more detail such as miles, head gasket is on its way out but there, etc. More serious lookers will prob be stopping to peek in windows and see if there is info like that.

You could also check with a junk yard to see what they'll give you for it. I had a similar situation a few years back. They mostly wanted it for the catalytic converter, but I got a few hundred dollars for it. That will be, by far, the easiest way to go. The more convenient it is, the less money you're going to get.

What make and model? If it’s a Honda or Toyota you will have better luck selling. Carvana probably won’t buy your car. Craigslist or FB might be your best options. Just be transparent about what needs to be fixed and highlight the positives like low mileage, any other preventative maintenance you may have done or will do (e.g. cheap things like new oil, air filters, belts and plugs if you have tools) Maybe you could even put a For Sale sign on it.

You might try some head gasket fix like seafoam, but that’ll be on your conscience for the next buyer.

Good luck!

List it on Craigslist or Autotrader and see what you can get. I doubt you will get any bites with such an expensive repair bill coming in the future. If no one is interested, then just take whatever instant offer Carvana will give you because you won't do any better than that.

See if Carmax will make you an offer. If it’s not bad enough to be blowing blue smoke and the coolant is clean, you may by able to sneak it by an underpaid intake tech.

If you do use CL or FB marketplace, don’t offload it without a word of warning please. People are struggling right now and the ones buying $400 cars are doing so because they can’t afford anything else. Carvana and Carmax are giant corporations so no moral issues with offloading on them.

Facebook Marketplace is probably the most popular, although I personally don't facebook. Craigslist is the next best choice.

Might be worth posting over in [email protected] as well. I unfortunately don't have any advice myself