About Car Emptor
Our name comes from caveat emptor, "let the buyer beware." We turned it around. When you sell to us, the buyer takes on the risk, the towing and the paperwork, and you get a clear price.
- Paid at pickup
- Free towing
- Offer good for 7 days
- No fees, ever
What we do
Car Emptor buys cars, trucks, SUVs and vans from private owners in all 50 states and DC. We focus on the cars dealers usually pass on: high-mileage commuters, cars that failed inspection, accident and flood damage, and junkers that have sat for years. We buy clean, running cars too.
How we price a car
Running cars are priced on what they'll bring at wholesale auction. Cars that don't run are priced on their reusable parts and their weight in metal, plus whatever value the model still has. That's why we ask about condition: the more accurate the answers, the firmer the offer. Read more in how junk car values work.
Who picks up your car
Pickups are handled by licensed towing partners local to you. The driver checks the car against your description and pays you, then you sign the title over and the car is loaded. Cars we can resell go back on the road. The rest are dismantled for parts, and what's left is recycled, with fluids, batteries and tires handled by licensed recyclers.
Where we buy
Everywhere in the lower 48 states, plus Alaska, Hawaii and Washington, DC. To cover that much ground, we work with a network of licensed vehicle buyers, auctions and towing companies, and your offer and pickup may be handled through them. Every pickup follows the same rules: free towing, payment before the car is loaded, and the price you accepted as long as the car matches your description.
Our state and city pages list the title rules and the motor vehicle office for each state, so you know what paperwork to have ready before the truck arrives.
What we won't do
- Charge you for towing, title processing or paperwork.
- Ask you to sign the title before you're paid.
- Lower the price at pickup for something you already told us about.
- Buy a car from anyone who isn't its owner or legally allowed to sell it. Every VIN is checked before purchase.
- Sell your contact details to data brokers or advertisers.
How we write our guides
Our selling guides are written and reviewed by the Car Emptor team. Legal and numeric claims are checked against primary sources: state motor vehicle agency pages, federal regulations on eCFR, IRS publications, the NMVTIS vehicle history system and public price data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Each page lists its sources and the date it was last updated. State and city rules show the date they were checked, and when a rule can't be confirmed from an official page, we point you to the agency rather than guess.
How we handle your information
We use your details to price your car, arrange pickup and complete the sale. We share them only with the buyers, towing partners and service providers needed to do that. We don't sell your information for advertising. See our privacy policy.
Talk to us
Call (855) 497-1176 (Mon to Fri 8am to 8pm, Sat 9am to 5pm ET), email [email protected], or use our contact form.
Why Car Emptor
Car buyers get a bad name from quotes that drop when the tow truck shows up. Our terms put these three promises in writing.
The offer holds
If the car matches what you told us, the price you accepted is the price you get. No haggling in the driveway.
You're paid first
The driver pays you before the car is loaded. Don't sign the title until the money is in your hand.
Anywhere, no fees
Towing, title processing and paperwork cost you nothing, downtown or down a gravel road.
Find out what your car is worth today
A cash offer, free towing anywhere in the US, and payment at pickup. The offer is good for 7 days.