The short answer
Yes, with us. The tow costs you nothing, and we don’t subtract a towing charge from the price. If we agree on a number on the phone and the car matches what you described, that number is what you’re paid at the car, by cash, Zelle or Cash App. Our offers don’t expire, either; if you need a few days to find the title, the price holds.
That’s what “free junk car removal” should mean with any buyer. It doesn’t always.
How a “free” tow can still cost you
The towing itself costs a buyer real money: a truck, fuel and a driver’s time. A buyer that advertises a free tow covers it out of what they expect to earn on the car. That’s fine. The problem is when the cost reappears later:
- A lower number at the curb. The phone quote was high; the driver arrives and offers less, citing “towing” or “distance.”
- A “flatbed fee.” The car needs to be carried, and suddenly that’s extra. Our flatbed versus wheel-lift guide explains when a flatbed is needed; it’s common for junk cars and shouldn’t be a surprise charge.
- A “no-title fee.” A charge for handling paperwork the buyer already knew about.
- A charge for a wasted trip. Fair only if you weren’t there or the car wasn’t what you said.
Questions to ask any buyer
Before you agree to a pickup, ask these on the phone:
- Is the tow free, and is any towing cost taken out of the offer?
- Is the price you’re quoting the amount I’ll be paid at pickup?
- What would make the price change when the driver sees the car?
- How will I be paid, and when?
- Does the price change if the car needs a flatbed?
Clear answers to all five are a good sign. Vague ones aren’t.
When an offer can move
A fair offer can change, but only for a real reason: the car isn’t what was described. The things that matter are big ones, like a missing engine or transmission, a missing catalytic converter, or a different model. Describing the car honestly on the call is the best protection against a changed number, and it’s why we ask detailed questions. Our walk-through of pickup day explains the check the driver does.
Free removal is different from city towing
A junk car that sits too long can get towed by the town instead, and that is not free. In Chicago, the city’s winter parking ban lists a minimum $150 towing fee, a $60 ticket and $25 a day in storage for cars towed off designated arterials, and the city impounds abandoned vehicles at Auto Pound 2 in South Deering. Dolton bills owners for the cost of removing a junked car. Selling first turns that bill into a payment.
Distance doesn’t change the deal
Our lot is in Riverdale. The farthest towns on our list, like Merrionette Park at about 6 road miles and South Deering at about 9, get the same free tow as a car around the corner.
Compared with taking it to a yard
A yard pays for a car that’s brought in, and the cost of getting it there is yours. Our explainer on junkyards versus removal services compares the two. If you already have a way to move the car, a yard can work. If you don’t, a free tow is worth a lot. See scrap car removal for the cars that are only worth their metal.