Selling a car that won't run
Will you buy my car if it won't start?
Yes. S & H Cash for Junk Cars Corp. buys cars that won't start or won't move, from Markham and nearby south suburbs. You don't need to fix or jump it first. Towing is free, and you're paid at pickup in cash, Zelle or Cash App.
A car that won’t start is still a car. The engine, the transmission (even a bad one), the wheels, the catalytic converter and the metal all have value. What it doesn’t have is a way to get anywhere on its own, which is where free towing matters.
Common reasons people sell a non-running car
- The repair costs more than the car. A failed transmission on an older sedan is the classic case.
- It sat too long. A winter or two of not moving can mean a dead battery, flat-spotted tires, a gummy fuel system and mice in the wiring.
- A seized or overheated engine. Once an engine has locked up, most owners stop putting money in.
- Emissions. Illinois won’t renew plates for many cars that fail the required emissions test, so one that can’t pass ends up parked.
- A notice from the village. Several south suburbs treat a vehicle unable to move under its own power as a nuisance if it sits in public view. Our guide to inoperable car notices has the details by town.
What the driver needs to know before coming
| Tell us | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Does it roll? | Locked wheels or a car stuck in park changes how it’s loaded |
| Are the tires flat? | Flat tires on soft ground need a plan |
| Keys or no keys? | No keys can mean the steering is locked |
| Where exactly is it parked? | Garage, back yard, alley, lot or street |
Should you try to fix it first?
Probably not, unless it’s a five-minute fix. A new battery can make sense if you’re sure the battery is the only problem. Beyond that, a diagnostic fee and parts rarely raise the offer by as much as they cost, because the car is still priced as a used, high-mileage vehicle. Our guide on getting the most cash for a junk car goes deeper.
Don’t drive it to a buyer
Even if it starts now and then, a car with expired registration shouldn’t be on the road. Illinois law (625 ILCS 5/3-701) requires a current registration sticker to operate a vehicle on a highway, and a car that dies on 159th Street becomes its own problem. We tow non-running cars from Oak Forest, Homewood and every town on our service area list, so it never needs to move under its own power.
If it’s simply done, see free junk car removal. If it’s a pickup, van or SUV, the trucks, vans and SUVs page covers what’s different.
Questions about this
- Should I get it running before I sell it?
- Only if the fix is cheap and you're sure it's the problem. Paying for a diagnosis and repairs on a car you plan to sell rarely comes back to you in the offer.
- The car has no keys. Is that a problem?
- No. Tell us on the call so the driver comes ready for a car with no key to unlock the steering or shift to neutral.
- Can I drive a car with expired plates to you?
- Don't. We come to the car. Illinois law also requires current registration to drive on the road, so one parked on expired stickers should be towed.
We also buy
- Free junk car removal from Markham and nearby townsTowing at no cost from a driveway, alley, apartment lot or repair shop, with payment when the truck arrives.
- Selling a scrap car in Markham and the south suburbsCars past repair, stripped shells and long-parked wrecks, priced on weight, parts and completeness.
- Cash for junk motorcyclesCrashed, stored-for-years and non-running bikes, picked up from garages, sheds and yards.
Guides that help
- Blown engine or failed transmission: fix it or sell it?The questions to ask before paying for a big repair, your right to a written estimate, and what a dead-engine car is still worth.
- Selling a junk car with no keysWhy the title matters more than the keys, what to tell us before pickup, and spare fobs.
- Got a notice about an inoperable car? What south suburban codes sayThe state definition, then a town-by-town table for Markham and nine nearby suburbs, with the code section for each.