Junk car questions from Northwest Indiana sellers
Short answers about selling a junk car to Cash for Junk Cars NWI: what we buy, the free tow, payment at pickup, the towns we cover and the Indiana paperwork.
Selling
- What kinds of cars do you buy?
- Any vehicle in any condition: cars, trucks, vans and SUVs that are wrecked, burned, flooded, stripped or just won't run, plus the ones a repair estimate priced out.
- How do I get an offer?
- Fill in the two-step form with the year, make, model and title status, then your name, phone and the pickup address. We call you back with an offer.
- How much is my junk car worth?
- It depends on the car: year, make, model, condition, and whether there's a title. We don't publish a price list; the offer comes on the call, for your car as it is.
- Do I have to accept the offer?
- No. Asking costs nothing, you can turn the offer down, and the offer doesn't expire if you want time to think.
- Can you take more than one car?
- Yes. One pickup can clear several cars, so list them all when we call.
Pickup, payment and area
- Is towing free?
- Yes. We tow the car away at no cost to you, and the offer isn't reduced to cover it.
- When and how do I get paid?
- At pickup, as the car is loaded. Choose an app transfer (Zelle, Cash App or another digital payment) or cash.
- What are your hours?
- Seven days a week, 06:00 to 21:00 Central Time. Send the form whenever it suits you; our calls go out inside that window.
- Can you collect from an apartment lot, an HOA community or a repair shop?
- Yes, all three. Just make sure we're allowed in: the lot manager, HOA or shop should know the car is being collected.
- How fast can you pick up?
- Same-day pickup is often possible. It depends on the time of day and where the car is, so send the form early if you're in a hurry.
- Which towns do you cover?
- In Indiana: Hammond, East Chicago, Whiting, Munster, Highland, Griffith, Gary, Merrillville, Hobart, Lake Station and New Chicago, which is the North, Calumet, Ross and Hobart townships of Lake County. See the map.
- Do you cover Porter County, LaPorte County or south Lake County?
- No. Our Indiana area stops at the four townships above. Valparaiso, Portage, Chesterton, Michigan City, La Porte, Crown Point, Schererville, Dyer, St. John, Cedar Lake and Lowell are outside it.
Titles and paperwork
- Can I sell a car without a title?
- Usually, yes. In Indiana a junk car changes hands on one of two papers. One is the title; if yours is lost, the BMV issues a duplicate for $15. The other is a BMV certificate of authority, which costs $4 and is applied for with proof the car belongs to you, your current registration for example. If the car is less than 15 model years old, Indiana law requires one of the two. Let us know which papers you do have, whether that's a bill of sale, a registration or an insurance card, and on the call we'll work out which route suits your car. How to junk a car in Indiana explains the rest.
- Who signs the title?
- Every owner named on it, in the seller section. The Indiana BMV also asks the seller to fill in the odometer reading, date of sale, price and buyer's details. Signing over an Indiana title goes line by line.
- What do I do with the license plate?
- Take it off before the car leaves. Indiana doesn't need it back; you can move it to another car you own. More on plates.
- Do I need a bill of sale?
- With a signed title, it's a receipt, and worth keeping. Without a title, it's one of the papers to tell us about; Indiana still needs the title or a BMV certificate of authority for the sale. What to put on one.
Didn't find your question?
Send the car details and ask us on the call.