Running, wrecked or junk cars
Cash for Cars: Fast Offers, Free Towing, Paid on the Spot
Cash for cars should be simple: tell us about your vehicle, get a cash offer, and get paid when we pick it up. Sell My Car Online is a used car buyer that comes to you, for cars that run and cars that don’t, across the country.
Questions? Text us at (855) 397-7771
Founded by Todd Bialaszewski, whose companies have had a hand in more than 250,000 vehicle purchases since 2016. More about us
- Your offer
- Within an hour Business hours, no cost
- Good for
- 3 days To compare it
- Towing
- $0 Wherever it’s parked
- Getting paid
- On the spot With our check
- Vehicles
- Running or not Cars, trucks, SUVs, vans
- Where
- Nationwide Anywhere in the U.S.
Recent sales, and what we paid
Cash for cars from Sacramento to Rochester: real vehicles from real driveways, each paid at pickup.
2015 Dodge Dart
Rochester, NY
We paid$1,250
2012 Infiniti QX56
182,000 miles
Sacramento, CA
We paid$1,750
2011 Chevrolet Equinox
Rochester, NY
We paid$1,800
2017 Mercedes-Benz CLA
120,000 miles
Sacramento, CA
We paid$875
How to sell your car for cash
This is how cash for cars works online: three steps, and only the last one needs you in person.
Tell us about your car
Enter the year, make, model and mileage, say how it runs, and add a few photos. Damage, warning lights and title history all go in up front.
Review your offer
It comes back within an hour during business hours, and it’s good for 3 days. Accept it, compare it or let it go. There’s no obligation.
Hand over the keys. Get paid.
Pick a pickup time that works for you. We come to the vehicle, you sign the title, and you’re paid before we leave.
Our pickup promise
What you can count on, from the offer to the moment you’re paid.
Your offer holds for 3 days
That’s time enough to compare it, without anyone rushing you into a yes.
The offer you accept is what you’re paid
As long as the vehicle matches what you told us. If we find something your description missed, you hear it before anything is signed, and you can still say no.
Towing is on us
Running or not, we tow it from wherever it’s parked, as long as a tow truck can reach it.
Paid before we leave
Once the title is signed and the keys are handed over, with a Sell My Car Online check, right there at pickup.
We buy cars, trucks, SUVs and vans
Most are everyday vehicles that still drive. We buy the ones that don’t, too.
Vehicles that still run
Cash for running cars
Used cars that still drive, exactly as they are. There’s no need to clean, detail or repair anything first.
Cash for old cars
Older years and high mileage, with dents, scratches or a worn interior. The offer reflects how it looks and runs today.
Cash for unwanted cars
The second car nobody drives, or one with warning lights you’d rather not chase. Tell us about it as it is.
Cash for trucks and vans
Pickups, minivans and cargo vans, plus SUVs, all through the same three steps.
Not running, wrecked or a junk car
Cash for broken cars
It won’t start, won’t drive or has been sitting. Pickup still costs nothing: it only needs to be somewhere a tow truck can reach.
Cash for wrecked cars
A wrecked car after an accident, or a totaled car you kept after the insurance claim. Photos of the damage keep the offer accurate.
Cash for damaged cars
A damaged car you’d rather not pay to fix, from body damage to mechanical trouble. Show it in your photos and it’s priced in from the start.
Cash for junk cars
Some people call them junk cars. We make offers on them the same way, from what you tell us, and towing costs you nothing.
- Hybrid or electric? We buy those too, including a hybrid with a dead battery. Tell us about any battery warning, an EV’s range, or a battery that’s been replaced.
- Salvage or rebuilt title? Tell us about it when you request your offer, and it’s part of the price from the start. Whatever its condition, the vehicle needs a title in your name with no loans or liens on it.
Find out what yours is worth to us
Your offer comes back within an hour during business hours, and it’s good for 3 days.
How you get paid
We pay you on the spot at pickup, with a Sell My Car Online check, once the title is signed and the keys are handed over. We confirm the time and what to have ready when we schedule your pickup, so you know what to expect before we arrive.
If what we find doesn’t match what you told us, say there’s damage that wasn’t in your description or photos, we may revise the offer before anything is signed. You can still say no.
Do you pay taxes when you sell your car?
Usually not. Selling your own car for less than you paid for it, as most people do, isn’t a taxable gain, and the IRS doesn’t let you deduct the loss either. If you sell it for more than you paid, plus what you’ve put into it, the difference is a capital gain, reported on Form 8949 and Schedule D. How you’re paid doesn’t change that. For your own situation, ask a tax professional. IRS Topic 409
Have these ready at pickup
- The title, in your name, with no loans or liens on it
- A government-issued photo ID
- All the keys and remotes you have
- You, the owner named on the title, there to sign
How much money can you get for your car?
Your offer is what your car is worth to us today, as it sits. It’s built from what you tell us: the year and trim, the mileage, how it runs, any damage or rust, the title’s history, and where it’s parked. A newer car that runs well brings the most. One that doesn’t run is worth less, and a junk car is priced mostly for its parts.
How to get the best offer
The best offer is an accurate one. Describe the vehicle as it is and show it in your photos, and there’s nothing new to find at pickup, so the number you accept is the number you’re paid.
Then compare. Your offer is good for 3 days, which is time enough to get a few quotes and take the best one.
Photos that show its condition
- Each side, in daylight
- The dashboard with the key turned on, so the mileage and any warning lights show
- Close-ups of any damage or rust
- The seats, front and back
Where to sell your car for cash
Cash for cars services aren’t the only way to sell cars for cash. These are the three main ways, and what each one pays and asks of you.
| Sell My Car Online | Private sale | Trade-in | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Getting a quote | Online, within an hour on business days | When a buyer answers your ad | At the dealership |
| What it usually pays | A firm offer, good for 3 days | Usually the most, if you have the time | Varies; many states cut the sales tax on your next car |
| If it doesn’t run | We buy it and pick it up | Hard to sell: buyers want to drive it | Up to the dealer |
| Strangers and test drives | None | Usually several | None |
| How you’re paid | On the spot at pickup, by our check | However the buyer pays: check it’s real | Credit toward your next purchase |
| The paperwork | We walk you through it | All yours | The dealer handles it |
| Do you have to buy a car? | No | No | Yes |
When we’re not the best fit
Honest advice is part of the service: sometimes another route makes more sense.
You have time to sell it yourself
A private sale usually gets the most money, if you’re willing to list it, answer messages and meet buyers. Our offer costs nothing, so it’s still a good number to hold.
You’re buying from a dealer anyway
In many states a trade-in also lowers the sales tax on your next purchase. Compare our offer with the trade-in once your state’s rule is counted.
There’s still a loan on the car
We can’t buy it while the loan is open. Pay it off and get the lien released first, then come back for an offer.
The title isn’t in your name
We need a title in your name. If it was signed over to you and never transferred, get it into your name through your state’s DMV first.
Cash for cars near you, in every state
Sell your car online from wherever you are, and we come to you: cities, suburbs and small towns, in every state. Start your offer with your ZIP code and we arrange pickup where the vehicle is. We work with tow companies across the country, and most pickups happen within one business day.
Questions sellers ask us most.
Straight answers before you get an offer.
How does cash for cars work?
You tell us about your vehicle online and get a cash offer within an hour during business hours. The form asks for your ZIP code, the year, make, model and mileage, how it runs, any damage, and a few photos. If you accept, we come to you, tow it away at no cost, and pay you at pickup once the title is signed.
Do you pay in cash?
We pay by check, not cash: a Sell My Car Online check, handed to you at pickup once the title is signed. “Cash for cars” is about the speed. You’re paid on the spot, not days later.
How much money can I get for my car?
It depends on the year, make and model, the mileage, how it runs, any damage, and the title. A newer car that runs well brings the most, and a junk car is priced mostly for its parts. The quickest way to know is to get an offer: it costs nothing and comes back within an hour during business hours.
Who buys cars for cash?
Dealerships, online car buyers like us, junkyards and private buyers. A dealer may buy it outright or take it in trade, a private buyer usually wants one that drives, and a junkyard prices it for its parts. We buy cars that run and cars that don’t, and pay at pickup.
Who buys cars for cash near me?
We do, anywhere in the U.S. If you’ve been searching “sell my car for cash near me,” start your offer with your ZIP code and your car’s details, and we arrange pickup where it’s parked.
How fast can I get paid?
Fast cash for cars comes down to pickup. Your offer comes back within an hour during business hours. Once you accept, we confirm a pickup time with you and you’re paid on the spot, by check, when we collect it. Most pickups happen within one business day, anywhere in the U.S.
What are the benefits of selling a car for cash?
You’re paid when you hand over the keys, with a check from us rather than a stranger, so there’s no payment to chase. It’s fast, there’s nothing to list or repair, and no strangers come for test drives. The trade-off: a private sale can pay more, if you have the time for it.
Who buys junk cars for cash?
Junkyards, salvage yards and car buyers like us. We buy junk cars for cash whether they don’t run, are wrecked or have a salvage or rebuilt title, and towing costs you nothing. The title still needs to be in your name, with no loans or liens on it.
Will you buy a car that doesn’t run?
Yes, and pickup is still on us. It just needs to be somewhere a tow truck can reach.
Should I sell my car as-is or for parts?
As-is, for most people. Parting it out can bring more in total, but it takes tools, space and weeks of selling pieces one at a time, and you still have to get rid of what’s left. Selling it whole is one sale: tell us what works and what doesn’t, and it’s priced as it sits.
Do you buy hybrids and electric vehicles?
Yes, running or not, including a hybrid whose battery has died. Tell us about any battery warning, an EV’s range, or a battery that’s been replaced, and the offer reflects it.
Can I sell a vehicle with a salvage or rebuilt title?
Yes. Mention the title brand on the offer form, and it’s factored into the price from the start.
Is there a fee for pickup?
No. The offer and the pickup are free, and you’re never obligated to accept.
Can I sell a vehicle that still has a loan on it?
Not while the loan is open. We need a title with no liens, so pay off the loan and get the lien released first.
Is this the government’s clunker program?
No. The federal Cash for Clunkers program, officially the Car Allowance Rebate System, ended in 2009, and it paid only as credit toward a new car from a dealer. We’re a private buyer: we buy clunkers and newer cars alike, whether or not you’re buying another, and pay you at pickup.
What do I need at pickup?
The title in your name, a government-issued photo ID and the keys you have. The owner named on the title needs to be there to sign.