Everything you wanted to know about selling.

Submit your VIN (or license plate), a few photos, and basic vehicle info through our online form. A real Car-Tender buyer reviews everything and sends you an offer — usually within 30 minutes during business hours.

We price your car against live wholesale auction data, comparable sales, and current market demand — not a generic algorithm. Because we work directly with a nationwide buyer network, there's no retail markup eating into your offer.

None at all. Offers are 100% free and good for 7 days. Take your time. If it's not right for you, walk away — no fees, no pressure, no follow-up calls.

Tell us. Seriously. If you have a recent offer from CarMax, Carvana, or a dealer, send it over and we'll do our best to beat it. If your car has rare options, recent maintenance, or upgrades, share photos and receipts — they often raise the offer.

We aim to. We aren't a giant national chain with overhead and stock prices to please — we're a dealer group with two retail stores that need inventory. That makes our buying competitive, especially on cars we can sell quickly. The fastest way to find out is to share whatever offer you have and let us see your car.

Seven days from when we send it. If you need more time, just ask — we can usually extend, but the longer you wait, the more market conditions can move (in either direction).

Only if what you described doesn't match what we see. If your description is accurate, the offer holds. If we find undisclosed damage, mechanical issues, or condition problems, we adjust. We always show you the breakdown.

Same day, in most cases. As soon as we verify the car matches your description at pickup or drop-off, you walk away with a check that's cashable immediately.

We pay by live bank check — no bank drafts that take a week to clear. If you'd prefer wire transfer for larger transactions, just ask and we'll arrange it.

We don't carry cash at our facilities for safety reasons, but we issue cashier's checks at pickup that cash immediately at any bank. ACH wire is also available if you prefer.

We pay your lender directly for the payoff amount, then pay you the difference (your equity) by cashier's check or ACH. If you owe more than the car is worth, we'll discuss options.

No. The number we quote is the number you receive. No prep fees, no admin fees, no document fees, no deductions. Free pickup is free pickup.

Yes — pickup is always free in our service areas. We come to your driveway, your office, your storage unit, wherever the car lives. Prefer to drop it off? Visit one of our inspection locations and we'll handle everything in person.

Often, yes. For cars outside our standard pickup zone, we coordinate licensed transport. Reach out and we'll let you know what's possible for your location.

Most pickups happen within 24-48 hours of accepting your offer, often same-day in the Chicago metro. We coordinate directly with you on timing.

We need someone authorized to sign the title and accept payment. That's usually the registered owner, but it can be a designated representative with proper documentation.

We handle non-running vehicles regularly. Pickup gets a tow truck instead of a driver — same process otherwise, just slightly different logistics.

Absolutely. This is one of our specialties. Once you accept our offer, we contact your lender directly, pay off the loan, secure the lien release, and handle the title transfer. All you need to do is share your lender info and cooperate with us during the payoff.

That's called negative equity, and it's more common than you'd think. You'll need to cover the gap between our offer and your loan payoff. We'll walk you through your options — sometimes that means a check from you at closing, sometimes there are other paths. Either way, we explain it all clearly upfront.

Just basic cooperation: your lender's name, your account number, and a signed limited power of attorney that lets us request the lien release on your behalf. We do the rest of the work directly with the lender.

No. A standard payoff via a dealer is the same thing your bank handles every day. It closes the loan as paid in full and shows as positive activity.

Lenders quote payoffs valid for a specific number of days (usually 10). We get a fresh quote on the day of payment and reconcile any difference with you directly.

Sometimes. Lease buyouts depend on the leasing company's policy, the buyout price, and current market value. We'll review your specific situation and tell you whether it works.

For a clean-title car: your title, a valid photo ID, and current registration if you have it. For a financed car: your lender info instead of the title — we'll get the title from the bank. We'll send you a checklist personalized to your situation before pickup.

No problem — it happens all the time. We can guide you through requesting a duplicate from your state DMV, and in some cases we can help expedite the process. Just let us know upfront.

We can usually still buy the car. The process takes longer because you'll need to apply for a duplicate title through your state DMV, but we'll walk you through it. We've done it many times.

Yes, in most states. We remind you at pickup. The plates go back to the DMV or stay with you for your next car, depending on your state.

We file the necessary paperwork to transfer the title and report the sale, but you should also file a Notice of Sale or Release of Liability with your state DMV. Takes about 5 minutes online in most states.

Yes. New, used, classic, exotic, EV, hybrid, daily driver, project car. Any year, any make, any model, any price range. From a $2,000 commuter to a $500,000 collector car — we want to make you an offer.

Yes. Hail damage, dents, mechanical issues, cosmetic wear, 200,000+ miles — we still want to talk. Just be transparent in your photos and description so we can give you an accurate offer the first time.

Yes, in most cases. Salvage offers typically run lower than clean-title offers, but we still buy them. Disclose the title status upfront and we'll work with you.

Yes. Rebuilt, salvage, lemon law buyback, flood — we evaluate every one. The offer reflects the title status, but we don't reject cars just because the title isn't clean.

Yes. Be honest about it upfront — flood history significantly affects the offer and we need to plan for it, but we still buy these cars regularly.

Yes — Lamborghini Urus, Bentley Bentayga, Aston Martin Vantage, Mercedes G-Class, Range Rover, and more are all in our active buy pipeline. We have specific pages with details on each.

Yes. Tesla Model Y, Model 3, Model S, Model X are routine for us. We also buy Rivian, Lucid, Cybertruck, Polestar, and other EVs. Battery health matters more than mileage on EV offers.

Almost always. We're set up to recondition cars, so mechanical issues, body damage, and cosmetic problems don't disqualify the vehicle. They affect the offer but rarely kill it.