[Chevello]

Did my daily scan through Cragslist to see if any parts cars popped up and there seem to be awful lot of cars and trucks listed with no title.

Is it my area, are these shops getting rid of lot clutter, what's the deal?

Seems like a terrible way to buy a parts car, it would take years to cut it up and throw it away in the weekly trash when you needed to get rid of the shell.

 

[jpete]

You need a title to scrap a car?

If you really WANT a title, one can be had but if you are junking it anyway, why would you want one?

 

[1968]

I believe here you DO need a title to scrap a car.

 

[Chevello]

I would think that you do need a title to scrap a car, otherwise getting rid of stolen cars would be too easy.

 

[mwiggett]

Here in NH no title needed for cars over 15 years old. DMV won't even issue one.

 

[Tod74]

I cut up a 67 el camino into little pcs and hauled it away for scrap in the bed of my pickup. No frame or drivetrain of course....just the shell. No title needed that way.it was a parts car I bought just for the frame.

 

[TCSS1970]

No title needed here. Just call the scrappers and they will come and get it and pay you cash.:yes:

 

[Philip]

Titles are needed here due to the the high theft rate. There are scrappers that will haul them away, I think they dice them up before hauling in for scrap. I have purchased dozens of parts cars without titles, have a 71 El Camino in the yard now that will be stripped of any usable parts and the rest recycled and a 2004 Alero that looks like it was hit by a train.

 

[shomejim]

The law requiring titles here in Mo caused thousands of good salvage cars to be crushed. Salvage yards must have a copy of the title for every major component (eng,trans, diff, body etc) It really hurt the small yards that had 100-200 cars most of which were older models and no titles. Most just closed their doors. You can't get a yard to take a car w/o a title. It sux for car guys.

 

[Dean]

They recently changed the laws for scrap yards in Missouri, no titles required on vehicles 10 years old or older.

 

[JWagner]

Sometimes scrapping a car with a title can cause problems. A friend of mine scrapped a 95 Caprice and handed over the title. Weeks later he was stopped driving his old Datsun pickup. The officer told him that the Datsun was no longer registered to him. It took several trips to the DMV to get that straightened out. For the few cars I have scrapped out, the Sawzall is your friend.

 

[Andy's Auto Repair]

Here in Flariduh, I get between $500- $900 for any car with a title. Without one, I get the same, but I have to wait 5 buisness days for the yard to do a title search and a lein check. I picked up a check today for $500 for a Kia Spec I trailerd in a few weeks ago. It was abandoned with a popped engine. The check was ready last week, just no time to drive up.

 

[Chevello]

Here in Flariduh, I get between $500- $900 for any car with a title. Without one, I get the same, but I have to wait 5 buisness days for the yard to do a title search and a lein check. I picked up a check today for $500 for a Kia Spec I trailerd in a few weeks ago. It was abandoned with a popped engine. The check was ready last week, just no time to drive up.

So, what happens if there is a lien on the car, do they send it back to you or just not give you money for that one?

I think I need to look into this deeper since I might be passing up some parts cars because of the lack of title.

I guess the reason that made me think of it was because I found a wrecked Chevy Express van "for parts only, no title" which would make a good donor of an LS and trans if I can get the whole thing for a decent price. But the lack of a title makes me question my ability to get it the heck out of the driveway before the neighbors start to complain. I could just go get the engine and trans, but I lack a pickup, and would much rather do the pull in my own time with my own garage and first aid kit handy, than in some dirt lot next to a pond.

 

[Andy's Auto Repair]

I actually called my guy at LKQ about this. He said if it came back stolen, of course he would report it and I would have to explain. If there was a lein, they contact the leinholder to see if they wanted the car. He said in the last 20 or so with leins and no titles, no leinholder wanted the car, and LKQ still paid out. So if it is not stolen, and there is no wanton leinholder, you still get paid. But IF the leinholder wanted the car back, they get it, and you are out.

 

[augy]

So, what happens if there is a lien on the car, do they send it back to you or just not give you money for that one?

I think I need to look into this deeper since I might be passing up some parts cars because of the lack of title.

I guess the reason that made me think of it was because I found a wrecked Chevy Express van "for parts only, no title" which would make a good donor of an LS and trans if I can get the whole thing for a decent price. But the lack of a title makes me question my ability to get it the heck out of the driveway before the neighbors start to complain. I could just go get the engine and trans, but I lack a pickup, and would much rather do the pull in my own time with my own garage and first aid kit handy, than in some dirt lot next to a pond.

Personally, I wouldn't let the lack of a title stop me from buying a good parts car.

First, ask questions, make sure it's not stolen, you don't want to get involved in THAT!

If it has the parts you need and the price is right, jump on it! You could take the parts you want, then sell it again. Or strip it completely, sell the parts you don't need, and Sawzall the rest into little pieces for scrap. Or call a salvage yard to come and pick up the hulk, they might even give you a few bucks for it.

Do you have a friend or relative that has a farm or shed nearby where you could store it while stripping it? Give'em a few bucks for letting you keep it there for a short time till you get rid of the remains.