A traffic accident can significantly damage your vehicle, but if you’re not an expert, it can be challenging to know if your car is totaled or not. Whether or not to repair the vehicle will be a decision that you or your insurance company will make. In some cases, you may be better off selling your damaged car to an auto salvage yard. These tips can help you decide if it’s time to let your damaged vehicle go.

How to Tell If Your Car Is Ready for the Junk Yard

1. The Actual Cash Value

One determining factor in whether or not your car is considered totaled is the actual cash value of the vehicle before the accident. Compare how much you could have sold the car for against how much it will cost to repair it. If the repairs cost more than the vehicle’s pre-accident cash value, you would be better off contacting an auto salvage yard. 

2. Pre-Accident Condition

Your insurance company uses a formula to determine whether or not to repair a damaged vehicle. In addition to the actual cash value and costs to repair, they’ll also look at the pre-accident condition of the car. If the vehicle is less than five years old and is still under warranty, it’s unlikely they will consider the vehicle to be totaled. However, a 15-year-old car with a troubled repair history might not be as good of an investment for the insurance company.

3. Recent Repairs

Both you and your insurance company may think twice about hauling your car away if you’ve had work done recently. If you’ve had the engine, transmission, or other major components replaced, it could be valuable enough to warrant repairing the rest of the vehicle after an accident.

4. Your Basic Needs

Finally, you may decide to keep the car regardless of the cost of repairing it. In that case, the fair market value of the car will be deducted from your insurance settlement. The vehicle and the salvage title will be returned to you and the difference will be refunded. Since the car has been determined to be totaled in this situation, you will be required to complete all necessary repairs before it can be legally registered again.

Whether your vehicle has been in an accident or you want to get rid of an old car quickly, contact Rudy's Towing & Auto Salvage. Located in Philadelphia, PA, this auto salvage yard buys totaled and junk cars and gives the owners a fair price for their vehicles. For an evaluation of your junk car, contact them via their website or by calling (267) 235-9421.