Ask 6 things before you sell: what decides the offer, whether pickup and removal are included, whether the price can change at the curb, whether you're paid cash on the spot, what happens with no title, and how soon they can come. KMK Towing & Recovery has answered those calls in Milwaukee since 2014.
Keith Kwitek buys the cars and schedules the pickups at KMK Towing & Recovery on W Kaul Ave in Milwaukee, and he has taken junk car calls since March 2014. The same worries come up on almost every one: whether you need the title, whether the pickup is free, whether you're paid cash, and whether the price will hold. Those are the right things to worry about.
This guide turns those worries into a short list of questions you can put to any buyer, including KMK. It also covers what actually decides an offer, because you'll compare quotes far better once you know what a buyer is weighing when they give you a number on the phone.
There are no dollar figures in this guide. A junk car offer depends on the exact car, and any page that promises a payout before anyone has asked about your vehicle isn't being straight with you. What this guide can give you is the questions, the reasons behind them, and how to tell a fair quote from a trap.
What decides the offer a junk car buyer makes?
When you call KMK, Keith asks six things: the year, the make, the model, whether you have the title, where the car is, and its condition. That's the whole intake. The year, make and model tell a buyer what the car weighs and which parts still have a market. Title or no title decides what paperwork the sale needs. Where the car is tells KMK how far the truck drives from Kaul Ave and what it needs to reach the car. Condition covers whether it runs, whether it's been crashed, whether it's complete and whether anything major is missing. Answer those six plainly and you'll get a number you can rely on.
Is pickup and removal included in the price?
This is the first question to ask, because it's where a quote can quietly shrink. If a buyer subtracts a towing or removal charge at the curb, the cash you're handed is less than the cash you were promised. At KMK the service is 100% free. Every quote includes free same day pickup and removal of the vehicle, whether it's in your driveway, in a garage or stranded at the roadside. Ask any buyer the question in exactly those words: is pickup and removal included in that number, and will anything be deducted from it? A straight yes is the only acceptable answer. If the reply has an if or a depends in it, treat the quote as lower than it sounds.
Can the price change when the truck shows up?
KMK's rule is simple: the phone price is the price. Keith has seen other buyers quote an extra high price on the phone and then lowball the seller in person. So ask the question directly: will the number you quoted be the number you pay? Then ask what would make it change. A fair buyer gives you a clear answer. A buyer who dodges, or who says they'll see when they get there, is telling you the phone number isn't real. The only way to find out for certain is to ask before the truck is booked, while you still have the option of calling someone else.
Do you pay cash, and when do you pay it?
The word cash can mean different things to different buyers, so pin it down. At KMK you are paid cash on the spot, at the time of pickup, before the car leaves your property. Ask every buyer the same three things: cash or check, paid at pickup or later, and is there any step after the car leaves where the payment could still be held. You want all three answers to be short. The whole point of selling a junk car is to turn a problem on your driveway into money in your hand the same day, and a buyer who can't commit to that on the phone is unlikely to do it in person either.
Do you need the title, and what happens if you don't have it?
Whether you need the title is a question Keith hears on almost every call. The honest answer varies by buyer and by what you can show. KMK can buy a car without a title or key when you show the registration in your name, or proof of insurance on that vehicle in your name. That is KMK's own requirement, and it's the same on every call. Ask any buyer two things: can you buy a car without a title, and what proof will you accept? If you'd like the official rules, the Wisconsin DMV publishes them and a good buyer will point you there rather than guess. KMK's page on selling a car without a title covers how that sale works.
How fast can a buyer actually pick the car up?
Speed matters more than it looks on paper. If your car died on the side of the road and you can't afford a tow, every hour it sits is a risk. If you're moving house and the broken-down car in the garage is the last thing between you and handing over the keys, you need a buyer who can come today, not next week. KMK schedules free same day pickup across Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington, Racine and Kenosha counties, and fast response and fast pickup are the reasons sellers choose KMK, in Keith's words. Ask the buyer when they can come, whether that's a window or a promise, and which number you call if something changes on your end. Then ask who's coming. At KMK it's one of our own trucks from Kaul Ave.
Who are you dealing with, and are they local?
Several of the junk car sites that rank for Milwaukee searches are national companies with city pages, not Milwaukee businesses. Ask where the buyer is based and whether the business that quoted you is the business that picks the car up and pays for it. KMK is at 8517 W Kaul Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53225, and has been at that yard since December 2014. When you call (414) 391-4900 you're talking to the business that buys the car, picks it up and pays for it. You can check any buyer's Google reviews before you call. Look for recent ones that mention cash paid on the spot, a quick pickup and a fair value, because those are the three things that go wrong when a buyer isn't straight.
How do you compare two junk car quotes fairly?
Two offers are only comparable once you've made them answer the same questions. Write down each buyer's reply to these five: is pickup and removal included, can the price change at the curb, cash or check, paid at pickup or later, and can they buy without a title if that applies to you. Then line the numbers up. A higher phone quote that carries a removal fee, a check and a maybe about the price is usually worth less than a lower quote that's cash, free pickup and fixed. Also compare the questions each buyer asked you. A buyer who gave you a number without asking the year, make, model, title, location and condition didn't price your car, they priced the call. That number exists to get a truck to your door, and it's likely to be renegotiated when it arrives.
What should you have ready when you call?
Have the six answers ready: year, make, model, whether you have the title, where the car is and what shape it's in. If you don't have the title, say so up front and have the registration or proof of insurance in your name ready. Be plain about condition, including missing parts, a crash, a flood or a car that's been sitting for years. Before pickup, clear your belongings out of the car. That's it. You don't need to make the car run, clean it, or move it off the property. Call KMK at (414) 391-4900, answer the six questions, and you'll have a cash offer on the same call and the car gone the same day.
Common questions
What are the most important questions to ask a junk car buyer?
Ask whether pickup and removal are included in the quote, whether the price can change when the truck arrives, whether you're paid cash at pickup, what happens if you don't have the title, and how soon they can come. At KMK the answers are included, no, yes, we can often still buy it, and same day.
What decides how much a junk car buyer offers?
The same six things KMK asks on every call: the year, make and model, whether you have the title, where the car is and its condition. There's no set price list. The offer is built from those answers, and at KMK the phone price is the price.
Why do junk car prices change at pickup?
Often because the buyer quoted high on the phone and lowers the number in person. Ask up front whether the phone price is the price you'll be paid. At KMK it is.
Is the tow free if I sell my car to KMK?
Yes. Every quote from KMK Towing & Recovery includes free same day pickup and removal of the vehicle. Nothing is deducted at the curb for coming to get it, whether it's in a garage, on your property or at the roadside.
Do I need the title to sell a junk car in Milwaukee?
Not always. KMK can buy a car without a title or key when you show the registration in your name, or proof of insurance on that vehicle in your name. The Wisconsin DMV publishes the official title rules.
How do I know a junk car buyer is legit?
Check that they have a real local address, read their recent Google reviews, and ask whether the business quoting you is the business that picks up and pays. KMK has been at 8517 W Kaul Ave since December 2014 and holds a 4.8 rating from 506 Google reviews.
What do I need to have ready to sell my junk car?
Just the six answers: year, make, model, title or not, where the car is and its condition. Clear out your belongings before pickup. You don't need to make the car run or move it. Call (414) 391-4900 and you'll have an offer on that call.