If you want to sell a junk car in Palmdale, start with the vehicle’s actual condition and where it is parked. A car that no longer runs, has serious mechanical trouble, was wrecked, is missing major parts, carries a salvage title, or costs more to repair than it is worth may still be considered for purchase. Family Car Buyers says it evaluates junk, non-functional, damaged, and salvage-title vehicles.
Palmdale adds a practical reason not to leave the decision indefinitely: the City lists storing a vehicle on a street for more than 72 hours as a towing reason and separately identifies certain immobilized street vehicles as towable. To move forward, request an offer or call (888) 761-5964.
Describe the Car as It Sits
You do not need to repair or clean up a junk car just to learn whether it can be purchased. The Family Car Buyers junk-car service page says vehicles can be accepted in their current condition without repairing or sprucing them up first.
Have the year, make, model, approximate mileage, title status, and exact location ready. Explain whether it starts, moves under its own power, rolls, and steers. Note missing wheels, an absent engine or transmission, major collision damage, fire damage, or another condition that changes what remains usable.
Specifics are more useful than labels. “Engine removed, four wheels installed, rolls but does not steer” gives an evaluator more information than “doesn’t run.” Family Car Buyers says year, make, model, mileage, and overall condition are among the factors used in a quote. Its FAQ also says vehicles missing parts, including an engine, may still be considered. If collision damage is the main issue, the wrecked-car guide provides more detail.
Palmdale Has Two Different Rules for Vehicles That Sit
For vehicles on a street, Palmdale’s towing guidance lists storage for more than 72 hours as a reason a vehicle can be towed. The City separately lists immobilized street vehicles, with examples such as a vehicle without tires, an engine, or a windshield.
A different rule applies off the street. Palmdale Municipal Code Chapter 8.20 addresses abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicles on private property or public property that is not a highway. The chapter defines “highway” to include a street. It generally prohibits leaving a covered vehicle on that property for more than five days unless an exemption applies, including qualifying enclosed or screened storage.
Those are separate rules, not two versions of the same deadline. If your vehicle is immobile, check whether it can legally remain where it is while you arrange a sale.
Pickup access matters too. Before collection is scheduled, mention a locked gate, parking structure, repair shop, narrow driveway, flat tires, locked steering, missing wheels, or absent keys. The company currently advertises pickup without charge after an accepted offer, but confirm the pickup details for the specific vehicle and location.
California Paperwork Still Applies to a Car You Call “Junk”
“Junk car” is everyday language; California DMV also uses “junk vehicle” as a formal status. DMV defines a junk vehicle as one dismantled because it was wrecked, abandoned, or inoperable, and requires an owner who intends to junk or dismantle a vehicle to apply to record it as Junk before dismantling. Calling your car junk does not mean DMV has already recorded it that way.
For an ordinary transfer, start with the ownership document you have. California DMV title-transfer guidance uses REG 227 for qualifying lost, stolen, or damaged-title situations. If the vehicle has a legal owner or lienholder, the legal owner’s releasing signature on REG 227 must be notarized.
After a sale or transfer, the seller must submit a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability to DMV within five calendar days. Keep a copy or confirmation. Filing the NRL reports the transfer; it does not itself complete the change of ownership.
Smog requirements depend on the transaction. California DMV’s smog guidance says a seller generally must provide a valid smog certification unless an exemption applies. DMV specifically exempts a vehicle transferred for wrecking or dismantling. A vehicle does not receive that exemption merely because it will not start or because the owner calls it junk.
What to Confirm Before the Vehicle Leaves
Once you submit the vehicle details, the company evaluates the information and provides an offer. If you accept it, pickup can be scheduled. Before handoff, confirm the pickup arrangement, ownership documents, and payment method.
“Cash for junk cars” describes the service category; it should not be read as a promise of physical currency. The current Family Car Buyers Palmdale page says payments are typically made by check or wire transfer.
Remove personal belongings before pickup. If you use a removable toll transponder or have anything else you plan to keep, take it out before the handoff.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sell a junk car in Palmdale if it does not run?
Yes. The company states that it considers non-functional vehicles. Tell the evaluator whether the car rolls and steers and what is known about the failure.
What if the car is missing an engine or other major parts?
You can still request an evaluation. Family Car Buyers says it considers vehicles with missing components, including an engine. Disclose what is missing before the offer is finalized.
Do I need the keys?
Not necessarily. The company’s current FAQ says keys generally are not required for a junk or scrap car. Tell the evaluator in advance if no keys are available.
Can I sell if I cannot find the California title?
A missing title does not automatically mean the transaction can proceed without replacement paperwork. California DMV uses REG 227 for qualifying lost, stolen, or damaged-title situations, and lienholder requirements may also apply.
How long can the car sit on a Palmdale street?
Palmdale lists storing a vehicle on a street for more than 72 hours as a towing reason. An immobilized street vehicle can present a separate towing issue.
Does Palmdale’s five-day vehicle rule apply to streets too?
No. Chapter 8.20 excludes highways, and the chapter defines a highway as including a street. Its five-day provision applies to covered property outside that street/highway context and is subject to stated exemptions.
Do I still need to file the California release of liability?
Yes. Submit the NRL to California DMV within five calendar days after the sale or transfer and keep the confirmation.
Does a non-running junk car automatically avoid smog requirements?
No. The wrecking-or-dismantling exemption is specific to that type of transfer. Non-running condition alone is not a blanket smog exemption.
If you are ready to sell a junk car in Palmdale, request an offer or call (888) 761-5964.
