There usually comes a time when you will want a new vehicle. Changing circumstances in life whether it’s for practicality or you just want to treat yourself, sometimes dictate that it’s time to trade up or consider some other things to do with your old car.
While it’s easy to get attached to your vehicle, especially your first one, there are many things you can do besides leaving it on the lawn or rusting in the garage, whether you intend to fix it up or not.
Some practical uses of your old car could be:
- Sell
- Pass on
- Strip
- Upcycle
- Use
Selling is usually what people first think of while passing it on to a relative can be a great experience that will be appreciated. Upcycling old products is an imaginative skill while simply stripping the car for parts might be a better option. But if there is still life left in the old gal then it can simply be used for something other than daily life.
CASH-IN THE OLD GAL
This might sound blatantly obvious but selling your old car might just be the best option. Depending on the age and condition of the vehicle, chances are you won’t get much, but reputable dealers like Bayside CDJR offer fair prices on all vehicles. Also, some vehicles could be worth more than you initially think, especially if they have since become cult classics.
Cult classic cars aren’t the same as classic collectible cars and might not be worth vast amounts of money, but the right buyer might offer more than the standard guy in the street or a dealership. Cars such as the Ford Escort Cosworth RS, Nissan 300 ZX, and the BMW 850i have become legendary either for their unique designs, performance, or limited status, even though they are production vehicles over 30 years old.
The best thing to do though would be to first get your car valued by a professional unless you know it isn’t really worth much. But if you have doubts or believe it might be worth more than most other vehicles then consult an expert. Getting a tune-up before trying to sell never hurts either and make sure that you have all the necessary documents for handover.
MAKE SOMEONE’S DAY
One of the more common things to do with an old car is to simply pass it on to someone, usually a relative or a child who has just passed their driving test. Even if you can afford to buy a new car for your kids, it might be best to hold off while they are still learning as 43% of new drivers manage to get involved in some sort of vehicular incident.
Unless you are dealing with a very ungrateful person, anyone who is currently carless would be delighted to be offered a free car, pretty much no matter what it is. But there is a little more than just giving away your car. The vehicle needs to be officially transferred and this requires that some paperwork be filed with the necessary governing body.
A little warning though, if you are planning to give your car to someone that you don’t completely trust, say an acquaintance, then make sure all paperwork is done properly as damages, parking tickets, and cost of repairs can come back to you should you fail to completely transfer the vehicle officially.
SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND
Rather than getting rid of your car, you could strip it down for parts and materials, which can be quite lucrative if done properly. People are always getting into accidents and need spare car parts such as lights, gearboxes, and fenders to name a few.
Stripping a car takes a lot longer than taking it to the local junkyard but pays off far better. A junkyard will usually only pay you for what the metal is worth, but there is much more than that inside the vehicle. If your vehicle is a particularly limited one then you can charge a premium for parts on sites such as eBay.
A couple of years ago a container with rare car parts was found after an elderly collector passed aways and they were valued at over $1 million. Admittedly, they were for luxury brands but the point is that parts can be worth quite a bit of cash.
MAKE USE OF
The art and skill of upcycling is not for everyone and requires a keen eye and thinking outside the box, but it’s an excellent method of making use of something you might otherwise get rid of. Given the number of individual parts that a car contains, there is likely to be a vast amount of things that can be upcycled.
Some talented people all over the world have made such things as bar stools from truck springs, tailgate benches, and exhaust pipe lamps. Although you might not want to keep the things that you make from upcycling your old car, there is a huge market for selling upcycled products.
Sustainability and recycling awareness means that more and more people are looking to upcycled products as opposed to buying new ones and the upcycling industry is currently estimated to worth around $160 billion per year.
MAKE SOME ON THE SIDE
Who says that your old car even has to be sold, stripped, or given away? You might be replacing it with a newer model for your everyday tasks and family life but if it still runs you might be able to get more use out of it. Every day, people are starting new businesses and you could too.
With the Covid-19 pandemic currently in full swing, the online retail industry is going through a boomtime with a 40% increase in demand since this time last year. This has directly impacted the courier business that services the retail sector to get its deliveries out on time.
If your old vehicle has any reasonable space you could convert it into a delivery vehicle of some kind, perhaps a minivan into, well, a van. On the other hand, if your old car is comfortable you could think about working for Uber or a similar company to make some extra money during the lockdown. Just remember to be safe out there.
