My Car Sat in a Field for 10 Years: Towing Hazards, Rust Weight Loss, and My Final Payout
The flatbed driver measured the distance from the gate to the 2004 Ford Explorer at 190 feet, looked at the ground (soft soil, one low section with standing water 40 feet from the car), and told us the recovery would cost $380 before he would accept the tow. That was the first number in a […]
My Junk Car Had a Broken Steering Lock: How Tow Drivers Loaded It and the Extra Fee I Paid
The 2010 Chevrolet Malibu had been sitting in my driveway for three weeks after the ignition switch gave out. The ignition column lock engaged when the switch failed, and nothing I tried would release it. The steering wheel was completely frozen. You could not turn it a single degree in either direction. I had figured […]
We Sold the Same Car With and Without Alloy Wheels: What Scrap Yards vs Private Buyers Actually Pay
The scrap yard saw 74 pounds of aluminum. The private buyer saw a matched set of factory Honda Sport alloys selling for $240 on Facebook Marketplace that same week. We showed the same 2016 Accord Sport with the same factory 17-inch wheels to both buyer types in the same condition, once with the OEM alloys […]