If you have an old car that no longer runs, you have a few options to get rid of it. Some options are easier than others, and some may or may not result in a little extra cash. For example, if you donate a car, you won’t get cash back, but you’ll generally get a tax deduction. Let’s take a look at some options for getting rid of your old car and the pros and cons.

Sell Your Car

Even if your car doesn’t run, you can still sell it. You can sell your car from the comfort of your home by posting an ad on the internet. You might consider this option for a non-running car if you have a make and model that’s popular and worth it to someone as either a parts vehicle or a project. Some vehicles have a larger market than others, and you might want to research it before taking the plunge.

Pros: Easy and generally the more lucrative option if you have a popular vehicle.

Cons: You can run into scammers on the internet.

Donate Your Car

When you donate a car to charity, you don’t typically get any monetary compensation, but you can use the market value of your car as a tax deduction. This is a good option if you don’t really need cash for your car and you want to potentially help someone else in need. You can donate a car to charity whether it’s running or not.

Pros: Easy to do and it feels nice to help out the community.

Cons: You won’t get cash, but you may get a tax deduction.

Part Out Your Car

This is similar to selling your car online as you’ll likely have to advertise it online. There are two ways to do this. You can either advertise “pick a part” where the buyer comes to your location and removes the part they want, or you can take the car apart yourself and sell the individual parts.

Pros: You’ll probably get more money if you sell the car part by part versus simply selling it “as is.”

Cons: This is a pretty labor-intensive way to sell your car, and you’ll have to spend time researching how much each part is worth, and/or tearing the car apart yourself.

Junk or Scrap Your Car

Probably the easiest way to get rid of your old car is to junk or scrap it. Junkyards will generally pay you cash on the spot for your old car. In some cases, you won’t even need to have the title on hand or a key to get cash for a junk car. A junk or scrap yard usually will come to tow your car away too.

Pros: Easy, upfront way to get rid of your car and get some cash.

Cons: If your car isn’t running, you’ll only get scrap money for it, and it will be less than if you part it out yourself.

The bottom line is that getting rid of your old car depends on how much it’s worth, whether it’s running or not, and if you need cash for it. If you choose to donate a car, it’s important to make sure that your chosen charity is legitimate by asking about its tax-exempt status.