Frequently asked questions
Everything people ask us before they hand over the keys
19 questions answered properly, grouped by the part of the process they belong to. If yours is not here, the contact form gets a reply within one business day.
Quotes
5 questionsFill in the form on the Sell Your Car page with your year, make, model, mileage, condition and ZIP code. That is everything a buyer needs to price the car. There is nothing to upload, no account to create, and you will not be asked for a Social Security number or any financial detail at the quote stage.
You will have a firm figure within one business day, and most requests submitted before mid-afternoon are answered the same day. Requests that arrive over the weekend are priced on Monday morning. If your car is unusual, modified or a non-runner, a buyer may call you first to check a detail before pricing it.
Seven days from the day we send it. Used car values move week to week, so beyond that window we re-check the figure rather than honour a stale one. If your quote lapses, reply to the same email and we will refresh it, usually within a couple of hours.
No to both. The quote is free and there is no obligation attached to it. You can accept it, ignore it, or use it as a benchmark against another offer. We do not charge a fee at any point in the process, and we do not run a credit check, so nothing about a quote touches your credit file.
Only if the car does not match the description you gave us. Undisclosed accident damage, a warning light you did not mention, missing keys or a salvage title that was recorded as clean will all change what the car is worth. If that happens the driver will not pressure you: you get a revised figure in writing, and you are free to decline it and keep the car at no cost.
Free pickup
4 questionsAnywhere in the contiguous United States. That includes rural addresses and apartment complexes. We do not currently collect from Alaska, Hawaii or outside the US. Pickup is free everywhere we operate, and the cost of collection is never deducted from your payment.
Most collections are booked within two to three business days of you accepting the quote. In dense metro areas next-day slots are often available. You choose the date and a two-hour arrival window, and you can pick a workplace address rather than your home if that is easier.
Someone named on the title needs to be present to sign the transfer and hand over the keys. If that cannot be you, you can nominate another adult in advance and complete a limited power of attorney, which we will send you ahead of the appointment. We cannot collect a car with nobody there to release it.
That is fine and it does not change the fact that pickup is free. Tell us on the form that it is a non-runner and we will send a flatbed rather than a driver. What we do need to know is whether the car rolls and steers, and whether the truck can physically reach it, so mention it if the car is boxed into a garage or parked on a steep or unpaved approach.
Payment
3 questionsPayment is released on the day of collection, once the title is signed and the driver has confirmed the car matches your description. You choose bank transfer or a certified check when you accept the quote. Transfers typically clear within one business day depending on your bank; a certified check is handed to you at the door.
No. Our drivers do not carry cash, for their safety and yours, and a paper trail protects you if a question about the sale comes up later. Bank transfer and certified check are the two options, and both are traceable back to us.
We buy cars with outstanding finance regularly. Tell us the lender and the approximate payoff amount on the form. We settle the balance with the lender directly and pay you whatever is left over. If the payoff is higher than our offer, we will tell you the shortfall in writing before you commit to anything, and you can walk away.
Condition and paperwork
3 questionsYes to all three. Dents, hail damage, a failed transmission, two hundred thousand miles, a rebuilt or salvage title: none of it disqualifies your car, it just changes the number. What matters far more than the condition itself is that you describe it accurately, because an honest description is what lets us hold the quote steady on collection day.
The vehicle title in your name, a valid photo ID matching the name on that title, all sets of keys, and your lender details if there is finance outstanding. Registration documents and service history are welcome but not required. If your title is lost, damaged or held by a lienholder, say so on the form and we will tell you exactly what your state needs before we book the collection.
Do not spend money on repairs. A mechanical fix almost never returns more than it costs at this stage, and we price the car as described. Please do empty it out, though: check the glovebox, the trunk, under the seats and any roof box, and remove your toll transponder and garage remote. Take the license plates off unless your state requires them to stay with the car.
Cancelling and safety
4 questionsYes, at any point before you sign the title, and there is no cancellation fee. A quick call or email is all it takes. If you cancel on the day, we would appreciate as much notice as you can give so the driver can be redirected, but even a same-morning cancellation costs you nothing.
The day before collection you get an email naming your driver and giving the vehicle they will arrive in. Our drivers carry photo ID and will show it without being asked. Nobody from CarZoom will ever ask you for a payment, a deposit, a bank password or a one-time passcode. If someone does, that is not us, and we would like to hear about it on our contact line.
We use your details to price your car, arrange collection and complete the title transfer, and for nothing else. We do not sell your information to lead brokers or marketing lists, which is the usual fate of a quote request submitted elsewhere. If you would like your record removed after the sale is finished, ask us and we will delete it.
We do. We file the transfer and notify your state, and you get written confirmation once the car is off your name. We recommend you also submit your own release of liability with your state DMV on the day of collection, as belt and braces, and we will remind you to do it in the confirmation email.

Still not sure whether we will take your car?
Ask us before you spend time on the form. We buy cars that do not start, cars with two hundred thousand miles on them, cars with finance still owing and cars with a rebuilt title. Almost nothing is a straight no, and if yours is, we will tell you quickly rather than string it out.
Question answered? Get your figure.
The form takes about three minutes and a real buyer prices your car by hand. Free pickup, payment on the day, and nothing owed if you decide against it.