Sell a non-running car in Hemet, CA. Dead engine, still worth a call.

Yes. A car does not have to run to be sold for junk; buyers price it by weight and by the parts that still have value. Say what is wrong on the call, and the offer is figured around that instead of around a running car.

Cars usually stop being worth fixing for one of a few reasons: an engine or transmission failure that costs more than the car, a failed smog check with expensive repairs, or a car that sat so long that everything from the battery to the fuel system needs work. Each one still leaves a heavy body of steel and parts someone will buy, such as alternators, starters, doors, glass, seats and wheels.

If the repair quote is more than the car would be worth afterward, selling it as is usually makes more sense. Compare the shop's estimate with what the same car sells for in running shape, then with the offer you get on the phone.

A replacement engine plus labor on an older sedan often runs into the thousands, and the same car running may not sell for much more than that. Write down the shop's quote and what they found. A diagnosis like a cracked block or a spun bearing helps the buyer price the car, because it tells them which parts are still good.

A seized engine lowers the value of the engine itself, but the rest of the car is priced the same way. Say whether the engine turns over with the starter or by hand at the crank bolt, because that tells the buyer if the motor can be rebuilt or only scrapped.

An engine that turns but will not start can have a simple cause, like a dead fuel pump, and some buyers pay more for that. An engine that will not turn at all is usually priced as scrap metal. The transmission, body panels and interior are judged on their own.

Yes, and plenty of junk cars are sold because they failed smog. Tell the buyer about the failed test and what the station found. If the car still runs, compare the offer with California's CAP retirement payment before you decide which way to go.

Smog failures on older cars often come down to a catalytic converter, an oxygen sensor or a check engine light that keeps coming back, and those repairs can cost more than the car is worth. CAP pays eligible owners to retire a registered car that can be driven to a state-approved dismantler; the amounts and rules are posted at bar.ca.gov. A car that does not run usually does not qualify, so a cash sale is the simpler path.

A car that has sat for years can still be sold, even with flat tires, a dead battery and old gas in the tank. Describe what you can see: rust, missing parts, rodent damage, and whether the car is on pavement or dirt.

In the Hemet heat, rubber and plastic age fast. Tires crack, belts and hoses dry out, and the interior fades. Mice often nest in the engine bay of a car parked near open fields and chew the wiring. None of that stops a sale, though it changes which parts can be resold, so an honest description keeps the phone offer close to the final one.

Keys help but are not always required, since the car leaves on a truck either way. Without keys the steering may be locked and the car stuck in park, so it has to be dragged or lifted onto the flatbed. Mention it on the call.

Newer cars with a locked transmission and steering can take extra equipment to load. Some buyers lower the offer a little for missing keys, because a key and fob cost money to replace if the car is resold. Check junk drawers and old jackets before the pickup; spare keys turn up more often than people expect.

A non-running car is priced on its weight in steel, the catalytic converter and the parts that can be resold, minus the cost of pickup. The offer is quoted per call from the year, make and condition, and a heavy pickup or van usually brings more than a small sedan.

Scrap prices follow the steel market, so offers change from month to month. A complete car with its original converter, wheels and engine brings the most, and one with parts already pulled brings the least. The quote you get on the phone is the one that counts.

Yes. A car with a failed or slipping transmission sells the same way as one with a bad engine, priced on weight and the parts that still work. Say whether it still moves in any gear, since a car that can drive onto the truck is easier to load.

Replacing the transmission on an older front-wheel-drive car often costs more than the car is worth, which is why a slipping transmission is one of the most common reasons to sell. If the engine is healthy, it still has value to a buyer, so mention that too.