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Junk car removal is free from the big online buyers, and they usually pay you for the car on top of the tow. Peddle, CarBrain, Wheelzy and Junk Car Medics each say towing costs the seller nothing. CarBrain says the average junk car brings $250 to $750, though it does not date that figure.
Trouble, when it comes, starts at the curb, where a driver can decide the car is worth less than the quote. Here is who tows for free, how pickup works, and how to protect your number.
Quick answer
$0to tow most junk cars
Peddle, CarBrain, Wheelzy and Junk Car Medics all say towing is free, and the buyer pays you for the car. Costs show up when the car is already in a tow yard, storage fees build before pickup, or the buyer does not tow at all.
Free online quotes. Free towing. Compare two offers before you say yes.
Best overall Towing: free Peddle
Instant online offer for junk, damaged, and running cars in all 50 states.
- Best for
- Most junk cars, including ones without a title
- Payment
- Usually a check at pickup
- No title?
- Sometimes OK. Tell them up front
- Coverage
- All 50 states
- Offer shows on screen in a few minutes
- No fees. Towing and title transfer included
- Cancel any time, even after you accept
Watch for: Offer can drop at pickup if the car does not match what you entered.
Get my Peddle offer
Best for wrecked cars Towing: free CarBrain
Buys wrecked, flooded, and mechanically dead cars as-is, often for more than scrap.
- Best for
- Accident damage, blown engines, newer cars that died
- Payment
- Check at pickup
- No title?
- Needed in most states
- Coverage
- 48 states (not AK or HI)
- Quote in about 90 seconds for many cars
- Offer held for up to 7 days
- Pickup usually 24 to 48 hours after you accept
Watch for: Needs the title in your name in most cases. Missing parts lower the price.
Get my CarBrain offerWe earn a commission if you sell through some links on this page. It never changes what we recommend. How we make money.
Who does free junk car removal, and why they pay you
Most removal of junk cars comes from two kinds of companies: online buyers that send a local tow partner, and local yards that pay by weight.
Online buyers with local tow partners
Peddle says towing is free with no additional fees, and a partner carrier does the pickup. CarBrain’s provider terms describe a marketplace where providers make offers, then arrange inspection, closing and towing within 48 hours or as agreed. Wheelzy and Junk Car Medics both list free towing on every offer. Junk Car Medics adds that the person at your door is a local carrier, not its staff.
Local yards and scrap dealers
A yard pays by weight. iScrap’s crowd-sourced price for a complete car was $177.58 per ton in September 2026, with yard reports from $150 to $250 between June and mid-September. Towing varies. iScrap mentions free towing only where available, and Pick Your Part says it arranges towing without calling it free. Ask every yard before you book.
Why removal is free and you still get paid
The buyer sells the car on. Peddle says its cars go to used parts, scrap through recyclers, or reconditioned resale, and CarBrain’s provider terms say towing is built into the buyer’s offer price. So the tow comes out of the price you are quoted, not out of your pocket. A 3,000 lb sedan is 1.5 tons, about $266 gross in scrap at iScrap’s rate (our arithmetic, not a quote). The scrap car prices page has the weight math.
How junk car removal works, step by step
Peddle and CarBrain both publish their process, so those are the two we can describe.
Step 1: Get a free quote
Enter the year, make, model and condition. Peddle asks whether the car starts and drives, what is missing or damaged, and the title status. No account is needed to see the offer, and Peddle says you get up to seven days to accept. CarBrain advertises an offer in under 90 seconds, though some cars get the offer by call or email instead.
Step 2: Accept and book the tow
Removal pages love the words same-day, but Peddle’s help center says it cannot guarantee same-day pickup. A carrier contacts you within one business day, and pickup is typically 24 to 48 hours after scheduling. CarBrain says 24 to 48 hours on average after you accept. Wheelzy advertises same-day service, and Junk Car Medics says same-day or next-day pickup is possible in some areas. Trustpilot reviews of Peddle and CarBrain mention late drivers and no-shows, so pick a window you can wait through.
Step 3: Hand over the keys and paperwork
The carrier gives the car a quick once-over to confirm it matches your answers. You hand over the signed title and keys, plus a bill of sale where your state requires one. Peddle lists 16 such states, including New York, Ohio and Washington. Peddle also says the accepted amount holds unless the car was misrepresented or a major component is missing.
Step 4: Get paid, cash or check
Junk car removal for cash is possible, but the form of payment varies. Peddle’s default is a company check at pickup, and cash depends on the carrier. Wheelzy says check or cash, and CarBrain says check at pickup or by mail. If you are not home, Peddle says a mailed check takes 7 to 10 business days and an ACH deposit takes 1 to 3.
What to do before the tow truck shows up
The driver will not do these jobs for you.
Plates, personal items and phone data
Peddle’s checklist says to remove the plates if your state requires it, so ask the buyer and check your DMV. Empty the glove box, trunk and door pockets, clear paired-phone and navigation data, and have every key ready.
Release of liability and insurance
The car can stay tied to your name until the paperwork is filed. California requires you to notify DMV within 5 calendar days of a sale, online or with form REG 138. Once DMV processes it, DMV says liability for later parking violations, traffic violations and civil litigation moves to the buyer. Other states use different forms and deadlines, so search your DMV site for release of liability.
Peddle’s checklist puts insurance cancellation after the sale. Keep coverage until the driver has the car, then cancel it for this vehicle.
Photos and the number in writing
Photograph all four sides, the odometer and the dash. Save the offer page with the final amount. Trustpilot reviews of both companies, and BBB complaints about CarBrain, describe offers cut at pickup. Those are allegations, not findings, but photos and a saved offer are what you show if a driver says the car is not what you described.
Do not pull the catalytic converter first
A June 2026 BBB complaint says a $470 CarBrain offer for a 2004 Passat dropped to $250 at pickup because the catalytic converter was missing. CarBrain’s reply said the submitted information did not accurately reflect the car. iScrap says missing parts push a car into a lower yard rate. Answer the condition questions honestly, converter included.
Selling the part separately is its own decision. Read catalytic converter scrap prices first.
Junk car removal without a title
Junk car removal without a title depends on the buyer and the state. No buyer promises it everywhere.
What the big buyers say
Peddle says it accepts cars without a title, though missing paperwork can change the offer amount. CarBrain’s FAQ says it needs a title in your name, while another CarBrain page allows exceptions in some states. Wheelzy says it may buy without one depending on where the car is. Junk Car Medics says it is possible in many states, wants you to be the titled owner, and tells you to call first.
State carve-outs and duplicate titles
Where state law allows a no-title sale, the exception is built for licensed yards, not tow drivers.
| State | Car must be | Value cap | Who can buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 12+ model years old | $850 | Licensed parts dealer or scrap metal processor |
| New York | 8+ model years old | $1,250 | Registered dismantler, itinerant vehicle collector or certified scrap processor |
Caps change, so confirm with your DMV and use the no-title guide for more. Otherwise get a duplicate: Texas charges $2 by mail or $5.45 in person, New York charges $20, and California says mailed titles usually take 15 to 30 days. The fees are small. The mail is slow.
A lien has to be cleared first. Peddle says liens must be resolved with the lienholder before the sale, and Junk Car Medics requires the loan paid off.
Local junk car removal vs online buyers
Here is how the main options compare, from each company’s own pages as of September 2026.
| Option | Tow | Paid | Title | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peddle | Free | Check at pickup | Signed title; no-title cases possible | 50 states |
| CarBrain | Free | Check at pickup or by mail | Title in your name | 48 states |
| Wheelzy | Free | Check or cash at pickup | Call if missing | 50 states and DC |
| Junk Car Medics | Free | Cash or check at pickup | Title and ID; call if missing | Nationwide via local carriers |
| Pick Your Part | Arranged, “free” not stated | On the spot | Usually proof of ownership | 17 states |
| Local scrap yard | Ask | Varies | Usually required | Local |
When a local yard wins
Call a yard when you can drop the car off yourself, want a weight-based quote to compare, or live where online buyers skip you. CarBrain’s service list leaves out Alaska and Hawaii. Ask whether the tow costs anything, whether you need the title, and whether the price can change once the car is weighed.
When an online buyer wins
Online buyers give you a number in minutes, so they are the quickest way to see what the car is worth. As of September 2026, Peddle shows a 4.7 Trustpilot score from more than 210,000 reviews and a BBB A+ rating. CarBrain shows 4.8 from 7,789 reviews and a BBB A rating. Both companies invite reviews and pay for a Trustpilot subscription, so read our Peddle review and CarBrain review for the complaints.
When junk car removal costs money
Free towing is common, but no rule makes it universal.
Fees and buyers that do not cover the tow
Peddle does not cover impound, storage or tow-yard fees, notary fees, or third-party check-cashing fees. CarBrain says storage fees and repairs before the sale are yours, and one 2025 BBB complaint alleges $30 a day in tow-yard storage while a pickup slipped four days. WeBuyAnyCar USA says it does not pay for towing and is not a junk car removal service. Carvana charges extra for pickup in some places, and CarMax says home pickup may carry a fee.
What to ask before you agree to a fee
Get one flat number in writing that covers the tow, any admin charge and any deduction. Ask whether the price changes at pickup and what happens if you say no. Peddle says you can cancel at any time with no fees, so ask every other buyer whether it matches that.
Your next step: two quotes, one pickup window
Get two offers today, one online and one from a local yard. Take the higher one that includes the tow, then book a window you can wait through. If the paperwork is the sticking point, read how to junk a car. To compare more buyers, see cash for junk cars or sell my junk car.
Free online quotes. Free towing. Compare two offers before you say yes.
Best overall Towing: free Peddle
Instant online offer for junk, damaged, and running cars in all 50 states.
- Best for
- Most junk cars, including ones without a title
- Payment
- Usually a check at pickup
- No title?
- Sometimes OK. Tell them up front
- Coverage
- All 50 states
- Offer shows on screen in a few minutes
- No fees. Towing and title transfer included
- Cancel any time, even after you accept
Watch for: Offer can drop at pickup if the car does not match what you entered.
Get my Peddle offer Best for wrecked cars Towing: free CarBrain
Buys wrecked, flooded, and mechanically dead cars as-is, often for more than scrap.
- Best for
- Accident damage, blown engines, newer cars that died
- Payment
- Check at pickup
- No title?
- Needed in most states
- Coverage
- 48 states (not AK or HI)
- Quote in about 90 seconds for many cars
- Offer held for up to 7 days
- Pickup usually 24 to 48 hours after you accept
Watch for: Needs the title in your name in most cases. Missing parts lower the price.
Get my CarBrain offerWe earn a commission if you sell through some links on this page. It never changes what we recommend. How we make money.
FAQ
How much does it pay to junk a car?
CarBrain says the average junk car brings $250 to $750. Scrap value alone runs roughly $190 to $300 for a 2,500 to 3,000 lb car at yard rates of $150 to $200 per ton (September 2026, our math). Parts demand, location, the catalytic converter and the title move the number, and a quote can change at pickup if the car does not match your description.
What is the best way to get rid of a junk car?
Get one online offer and one local yard quote on the same day, then take the higher number that includes free towing. Have the title, keys and photos ready before you book. If a hauler wants to charge you to take a complete car, compare it against a free-tow offer from Peddle or CarBrain first. Without a title, call the buyer before booking a tow.
Who gives you the most money for junk cars?
No buyer wins every time. Offers depend on your car, ZIP code, condition and title, so compare Peddle, CarBrain and a local yard. For scale, Peddle's Texas page shows sample payouts of $305 to $370, and CarBrain's damaged-car page lists recent purchases from $1,000 to $8,000. Those are individual examples, not promises, and Peddle's page does not say its cars were junk-condition.
Who gives the best price for scrapping a car?
For pure scrap, the best price comes from the yard with the highest per-ton rate and a cheap or free tow. iScrap's crowd-sourced average for a complete car was $177.58 per ton in September 2026, with recent yard reports from $150 to $250. Call two or three yards, confirm the rate is for a complete car, and ask about towing. See scrap car prices.
Can I get junk car removal without a title?
Sometimes. Peddle says it buys cars without a title, though missing paperwork can change the offer amount. CarBrain's FAQ says it needs a title in your name, while another CarBrain page allows exceptions in some states. Georgia and New York have narrow rules for old, low-value cars sold to licensed yards. Call first, and read our no-title guide.
Sources we checked
- Peddle help center: Do you charge any fees?
- Peddle: cash for junk cars (free towing, pickup steps, bill of sale states)
- CarBrain FAQ: towing, payment, title, timing
- Wheelzy FAQ: free towing, payment, title
- iScrap: complete car scrap price per ton
- California DMV: Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability
- Georgia Code 40-3-36: transfer of a vehicle without a title
- New York DMV: Form MV-35 for junk vehicles
Written and fact-checked by the Junk Car Worth team. Prices and buyer policies checked September 2026. How we estimate value.
