How a Gary junk car pickup runs, start to finish
A junk car pickup with Junk Cars Gary runs in five stages: you send the car's details, we call with an offer, you get the car ready, the truck collects it, and you're paid at pickup. Towing is free. Here's what happens at each stage and what you'll be asked.
The five stages
Log the car's specs
The quote form asks for the year, make, model and whether you have the title, then your name, phone and where the car is. That's all it takes to start. The pickup address can be a street address, a cross street, or just the neighborhood and ZIP code for now.
Take our call
We call you back with an offer and questions about access: where the car sits, whether it rolls in neutral, whether it steers, which tires are flat, and what's in the way. This is the part that decides the pickup, so the more exact you are, the smoother the day goes. If same-day pickup works, we'll say so here. The offer carries no expiry date, so there's no pressure to decide on the spot.
Get the car ready
Take out everything you want to keep: papers, remotes, toll tags, the spare key. Clear a path if the car is in a garage or backyard. Have the paperwork ready: the title if you have it, or the BMV certificate of authority if that's the route we agreed on the call. One of those papers rides with every car, old or new.
Point the driver to the car
The truck comes to the car, and how it's loaded depends on the answers you gave on the call: whether it rolls, steers and has air in the tires. You don't pay anything for the tow: towing is free, and no towing charge comes out of the offer.
Get paid, keep your plate
You're paid at pickup by Cash App, Zelle, another digital transfer or cash. Indiana's BMV says the seller should remove the license plate at the time of the sale, so take it off before the truck pulls away.
Prep before the truck pulls up
Two field guides cover the prep in more detail. If the car is stuck inside, read how to get a dead car out of a garage or backyard. If you're wondering what kind of truck will show up, read flatbed or wheel-lift: what truck picks up a junk car.
Questions about the pickup
How long does the call take?
A few minutes. Most of it is describing where the car is and how it sits.
Does someone have to meet the driver?
Plan to be, or have someone there. You're paid at pickup, and the driver needs to see the car and collect the keys and paperwork.
What if the car won't roll at all?
That's fine. Tell us on the call so the pickup is planned for a car that won't roll. Flatbed or wheel-lift explains the difference.