After the crash, before the decision
A wreck leaves you with two questions: is it worth fixing, and if not, how do you get it out of the way. We answer the second one. If the repair estimate is more than the car is worth to you, or the insurer has settled and left you the car, we’ll make an offer on it as it sits and tow it for free.
A wrecked car often can’t be steered or rolled the way a normal dead car can. A crushed front end can jam the wheels, a bent axle can lock one corner, and loose panels have to be dealt with before the car can travel. That’s why we ask detailed questions about the damage on the call.
What to describe
| Damage | Why we ask |
|---|---|
| Which end was hit (front, rear, side) | Decides which end the truck lifts |
| Whether all four wheels turn | A jammed wheel changes how the car is loaded |
| Airbags deployed | Part of an honest description; no effect on the tow |
| Glass broken | Loose glass has to be dealt with before the car goes on the road |
| Fluids leaking | Tell us so the driver can plan for it |
| Car’s current location | Home, street, body shop, impound release or lot |
Our explainer on flatbed and wheel-lift towing goes into why the damaged end matters.
Where wrecked cars usually wait
At home. After a crash, many people get the car home on a tow and then leave it in the driveway. Local rules then start counting: Blue Island classes a car too damaged to drive as abandoned if it’s on a lot and looks abandoned, and in Chicago a hazardous dilapidated vehicle in public view can be classed as abandoned even on private property. See Blue Island and South Deering for the local versions.
At a body shop. Common after an estimate comes back too high. Pay the shop what you owe, tell them a tow is coming, and we’ll collect it during their hours. Our apartment and repair-shop pickup page has more on shop pickups.
On the street. The most urgent case. A wrecked car at the curb can be ticketed or towed by the town, so call as soon as you’ve decided.
Insurance and title
If you’re still dealing with an insurer, finish that first. Once the claim is settled, the car either belongs to you (you kept it) or to the insurer (they paid and took it). We can only buy it from whoever owns it.
If you own it and have the title, the sale is simple: you sign it over at pickup. If the title is missing, tell us what you have, such as registration or a bill of sale. Illinois sets which papers can replace a title on a scrap sale, and we’ll tell you on the call whether yours qualify.
Prep before loading
Take out your belongings, including anything in the trunk, and the toll transponder from the windshield. Remove the license plates; in Illinois the plates stay with you, not the car. Our checklist for before the tow truck arrives covers each step.
Payment
You’re paid at the car, by cash, Zelle or Cash App, after the driver confirms the car matches your description. Wrecked cars that are also burned, flooded or stripped are covered on our scrap car removal page, and cars that simply stopped running are on non-running car removal.