Water and fire are different problems
Both end with a car nobody wants to drive, but they reach the offer differently. A flooded car can look fine from the curb and be ruined underneath; a burned car looks terrible and may still have parts worth something. Either way, describe it as it is when we call back about your request, and don’t spend money cleaning it up first. Our guide to what sets a junk car’s value explains why.
Flooded cars: what to tell us
North Side flooding is usually a basement-level garage or a low alley after a heavy storm, not a river. For a car that sat in water, we’ll ask:
- How high the water got. Floor carpet, seat cushions, dashboard or over the hood.
- Fresh water or sewage backup. It changes how the interior is handled.
- How long it sat. A day in water and a week in water are different cars.
- Whether you tried to start it. If you haven’t, don’t.
Lakefront neighborhoods like Edgewater and Rogers Park are full of apartment and condo buildings with their own garages. If the car sits in one, clear the pickup with the building before booking.
Burned cars: what to tell us
For a fire, the questions are about what’s left and who still needs the car:
- Where the fire was. Engine bay, interior, or the whole car.
- Whether the tires and wheels survived. Burned tires mean it won’t roll.
- Whether anyone still needs it. If the fire department, police or your insurer is still investigating, wait until they release it to you.
- Your paperwork. Keys often don’t survive a fire. The title matters more; see selling a car without the title if it was lost too.
Insurance first, then the sale
If you have comprehensive coverage, call the insurer before you sell. They may want to inspect the car, and if they pay a total loss they usually take the title. Sell to us only when the car and its title are yours to sell. If the insurer declines, or you never had that coverage, we’re a straightforward way to clear the car out.
Some owners weigh donating a damaged car instead; junking versus donating a car in Illinois compares the two honestly. If the car was crashed rather than burned or flooded, selling an accident-damaged car has the details. We pick up as far north as Wilmette.