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The bottom line: You can sell a fire damaged car even if it’s completely burned out. What you are offered comes down to whether it still starts.
A car that won’t start is offered about 48% less than the same car running, and most cars with more than smoke damage don’t start.
Online buyers like Peddle, Wheelzy, and CashForCars buy fire-damaged cars in any condition and tow them free.
If your car still runs with only minor smoke or cosmetic damage, dealers and instant offer services that buy only running cars may offer more than they do.
To get a quote, you’ll need your car’s VIN and basic details. Have your title and ID ready for pickup.
What would buyers pay for your fire-damaged car?Fill in one form, answering “Yes” to flood or fire, and see which buyers make an offer for the car as it is.
Key Takeaways
- A car that won’t start is offered about half of what the same car running brings, and a burned-out shell is offered against its weight in scrap. Smoke and burned seats alone cost far less.
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and other junk buyers suit moderate to severe damage, but if the car still runs with only cosmetic damage, a dealer or instant offer service may offer more.
- If insurance declared your car a total loss and you kept it, the car carries a salvage title. Junk buyers take those; dealers usually don’t.
- Repairing fire damage rarely makes financial sense. Wiring, plastics, and metal components are all affected, and a proper repair is a long estimate from any shop that rarely comes back in the offer.
- Always describe the fire damage accurately when getting a quote. The offer can be adjusted at pickup if the car’s condition doesn’t match what you reported.
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Offer amount 30% 5/5
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Quote speed 20% 5/5
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Pickup speed 20% 4/5
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Vehicle acceptance 15% 5/5
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Process ease 15% 5/5
- Free towing
- Fast payment
- Buys non running cars
- Pays by check at pickup
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Offer amount 30% 5/5
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Quote speed 20% 5/5
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Pickup speed 20% 5/5
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Vehicle acceptance 15% 4/5
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Process ease 15% 4/5
- Buys cars without keys
- Buys cars missing parts, engine and transmission in
- Pays cash or check at pickup
- Quote often needs a phone call
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Offer amount 30% 4.5/5
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Quote speed 20% 5/5
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Pickup speed 20% 4/5
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Vehicle acceptance 15% 4/5
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Process ease 15% 2/5
- Free towing from nearly 200 locations
- Buys any vehicle with a motor, running or not
- Backed by Copart auction yards
- Pays a check right at pickup
Automated assistant: general info, not legal advice
Answers come from our state paperwork data and published guides. Confirm anything binding with your state DMV.
Compare Instant Offers
Fire Damage Levels
If your car caught fire, you need to understand what level of damage you’re dealing with before you decide how to sell.
Minor Fire Damage
Minor fire damage means the fire was quickly contained and didn’t spread throughout the car. You might see:
- Smoke damage and soot on the interior
- Burns to seats or carpeting
- Melted dashboard components
- Some electrical damage
With minor damage, many parts are still salvageable. The engine might be untouched, and the frame is usually fine. On a buyer’s form this is interior damage, and a car with interior damage is offered about 9% less than the same car with its interior intact.
Moderate Fire Damage
Moderate damage typically involves engine compartment fires. The fire spread beyond one area but didn’t destroy the entire vehicle.
Common issues include damaged wiring throughout the car, compromised engine components, and melted plastics in multiple areas. The structural integrity might still be okay, but the car won’t run.
Matched on age and mileage, a car that won’t start is offered about 48% less than the same car running, across cars of every age quoted by several buyers. Buyers want these cars for the parts that survived the fire.
What the condition of a car does to its best offer 1,484 cars of every age quoted by up to four buyers, compared inside matched mileage and age groupsShow the numbers
Condition Change in best offer Offers Catalytic converter missing -76% 369 Does not start -48% 869 Sitting at a mechanic -43% 295 Starts but does not drive -31% 653 Dashboard warning light on -29% 1,360 Body damage -21% 818 Broken glass, mirror or light -18% 818 Accident history -15% 1,360 Loan outstanding -11% 617 Interior damage -9% 707 
Severe Fire Damage
Severe damage means your car is basically a shell. The fire burned through most of the vehicle, leaving little that’s usable.
What’s left:
- A burned-out frame
- Maybe some intact metal components
- Scrap metal value only
A burned-out shell is offered for its weight in scrap metal. In the last 90 days a quarter of offers on cars 20 years and older came in at or below $275, and that is the floor a shell is offered against.
What Is a Fire Damaged Car Offered?
What a fire damaged car is offered depends on four things, and the extent of the damage is the biggest of them.
| Factor | What buyers look at |
|---|---|
| Extent of damage | A car with smoke damage to the interior is offered far more than one that’s completely burned out. |
| Make, model, and year | A 2018 Honda Civic with fire damage is offered more than a 2005 Ford Focus with the same damage. Popular models have more valuable parts. |
| Location of damage | Engine fires that don’t spread to the rest of the car are better than those that do. If the frame is intact, that’s a plus. |
| Salvageable parts | Buyers evaluate which parts they can resell. Catalytic converters, alloy wheels, and transmission components add value even to severely damaged cars. |
What Buyers Want at Each Level
Over the last twelve months, half of all offers on cars 10 years and older fell between $355 and $1,105, in our own quote data. Where a burned car lands in that band depends on how much of it survived:
| Damage level | What buyers want |
|---|---|
| Severe (completely burned) | Scrap metal weight |
| Moderate (engine or major systems) | Salvageable parts |
| Minor (smoke or contained fire) | Parts and a possible rebuild |
Your location matters too. Scrap metal prices vary by region, which affects offers for severely damaged cars. Cars in areas with higher scrap prices typically get better offers; the middle offer on cars 10 years and older is $295 apart between the best state and the worst.
Your Options for Selling a Fire Damaged Car
You’ve got a few ways to sell a fire damaged car. Most people go with online junk car buyers because they’re the easiest option.
Junk Car Buyers (Best Option for Most People)
Online junk car buyers specialize in vehicles that regular people don’t want. They make the process simple:
- You fill out a form or call with your car’s details
- They give you a quote
- They schedule free pickup
- You get paid when they pick up the car
No repairs needed, no worrying about towing costs, and no dealing with strangers who might flake out.
These companies price the parts value, not just the metal weight. If you’re looking to sell a car with mechanical problems, fire damage buyers use the same process.
Private Sale (Rarely Worth It)
Selling privately after fire damage is tough. Most buyers want working cars, and you can’t lie about the fire damage when one asks.
That answer makes most deals hard to close. Even if you find a buyer, you’ll likely get similar money to what an online buyer would offer, but after spending weeks listing the car and answering questions.
Skip this unless your car has only minor cosmetic fire damage and still runs.
Dealers and Instant Offer Services (Minor Damage Only)
If your car still runs and the fire only caused cosmetic damage (smoke smell, minor interior burns, no structural or mechanical impact), you may qualify for higher offers from dealers or instant offer services.
These buyers expect cars in reasonable condition. They’ll typically pass on anything with a salvage title, major mechanical damage, or burned engine components. But a clean-title car with smoke damage that drives normally could qualify.
Get quotes from both junk buyers and instant offer services and compare. The gap is real: across cars 10 years and older that two or more buyers quoted on the same day, the best offer beat the worst by $346 in the middle case, and by double or more in 45% of cases. Our car selling options guide breaks down which services work best for each situation.
How far apart the best and worst offer are on the same car 944 cars 10 years and older, each quoted by two or more buyers on the same dayShow the numbers
Best offer against worst Share of cars Offers Within 10% 8.9% 84 10% to 25% apart 10.7% 101 25% to 50% apart 15.9% 150 50% to 100% apart 20.0% 189 Double to triple 18.0% 170 More than triple 26.5% 250
Documents You’ll Need
Essential Paperwork
You need your car title. If you filed an insurance claim for the fire damage, bring those documents too. They help establish what happened and can sometimes speed up the sale.
If Your Title Burned in the Fire
Lost your title in the fire? You’ll need to get a replacement from your state DMV.
The process varies by state, but you’ll generally fill out a duplicate title form, show your ID, and pay a fee, which is as low as $2 by mail in Texas and tops $100 in Oregon. 22 states let you apply online; the rest want you in person or by mail.
Processing runs from the same day in person in some states to two months or more by mail in others. Fourteen states offer an expedited option for an extra fee.
Salvage Title Considerations
If your insurance company declared your car a total loss, it might have a salvage title. This is a branded title that shows the car was severely damaged.
You can still sell a car with a salvage title. Junk car buyers deal with them all the time. Just be upfront about it when getting quotes.
Companies That Buy Fire Damaged Cars
Not all car buyers accept fire damaged vehicles. Here are the ones that do, and what you need to know about each.
CashForCars
CashForCars is owned by Copart and buys cars in any condition
- Free towing from nearly 200 locations
- Buys any vehicle with a motor, running or not
- Backed by Copart auction yards
- Pays a check right at pickup
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Offer amount 30% 4.5/5
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Quote speed 20% 5/5
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Pickup speed 20% 4/5
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Vehicle acceptance 15% 4/5
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Process ease 15% 2/5
CashForCars buys cars with fire and smoke damage. They’re owned by Copart, the large auto auction company, which gives them strong demand for damaged vehicles.
They give you a quote over the phone or online and include free towing, though they can change the offer until you’re paid. Most pickups happen within 1 to 2 days of accepting the offer.
Payment is by check when they pick up your car. They operate nationwide and have experience with fire damaged cars, and they say model year, damage and current market value set the offer.
Peddle
Peddle buys junk, salvage, and non-running cars
- Free towing
- Fast payment
- Buys non running cars
- Pays by check at pickup
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Offer amount 30% 5/5
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Quote speed 20% 5/5
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Pickup speed 20% 4/5
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Vehicle acceptance 15% 5/5
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Process ease 15% 5/5
Peddle is one of the best online car buyers and they buy fire damaged cars. They’re known for accepting vehicles that other companies won’t touch.
Get a quote online in 2 minutes, accept it if you like the number, and they’ll schedule pickup. You have up to seven days to accept, so compare it with other offers for your fire-damaged car first.
Most sales complete within 48 hours. You sign the title over at pickup, and they pay you then. Payment is typically by check or cash, depending on the tow company.
Wheelzy
Wheelzy buys cars in any condition, running or not
- Buys cars without keys
- Buys cars missing parts, engine and transmission in
- Pays cash or check at pickup
- Quote often needs a phone call
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Offer amount 30% 5/5
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Quote speed 20% 5/5
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Pickup speed 20% 5/5
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Vehicle acceptance 15% 4/5
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Process ease 15% 4/5
Wheelzy specializes in junk cars and explicitly accepts vehicles with fire damage. Their website mentions fire and flood damaged cars across multiple service areas.
They offer quotes within 30 minutes and pick up cars for free anywhere in the country. Payment is cash or check when they pick up your vehicle, depending on the tow company.
Wheelzy is a strong option for cars that are truly at the end of their life. If your car is severely burned, they’ll still make an offer.
Step-by-Step: How to Sell Your Fire Damaged Car
Step 1: Assess the Damage
Take honest stock of what you’re dealing with. Walk around your car and note:
- How much of the car burned
- Which parts are completely destroyed
- What might still be salvageable
- Whether it runs at all
Step 2: Gather Your Documents
Find your title. If you don’t have it, start the replacement process now so it doesn’t delay your sale.
Grab any insurance paperwork related to the fire. Having everything ready speeds up the process when the buyer comes to pick up your car.
Step 3: Get Multiple Quotes
Don’t take the first offer you get. A car that won’t start came back with an offer from only one buyer 11% of the time, against 4% for a car that drives, so contact at least three different buyers.
Cars that got only one offer 1,009 cars 10 years and older, each put to up to four buyersShow the numbers
Condition Share with one offer Offers Starts and drives 4% 701 Body damage 6% 132 All cars 6% 1,009 Does not start 11% 194 Sitting at a mechanic 12% 69 Loan outstanding 16% 37 Catalytic converter missing 18% 39
Use the comparison tool below to get quotes from multiple buyers at once. This saves you time and helps you find the best offer.
Compare Instant Offers
Compare Instant Offers
When requesting quotes, be completely honest about the damage. If you leave out details, the buyer may adjust the price when they see the car.
Step 4: Choose Your Buyer
Compare your offers and pick the best one. Price matters, but also consider pickup speed and any conditions on the quote.
Step 5: Schedule Pickup
Once you accept an offer, schedule your pickup time. The car goes on a flatbed, so it doesn’t need to run, roll, or even have wheels.
Make sure someone will be home to meet the tow truck. You’ll need to sign the title over and hand over any keys (if you still have them).
Clear out all your personal belongings before pickup. Check the trunk, under the seats, and the glove box. Once they tow your car away, you’re not getting that stuff back.
Step 6: Complete the Sale
When the tow truck arrives, they’ll inspect the car to make sure it matches what you described. If everything checks out, they’ll give you the payment.
You’ll sign the title over to the buyer. Remove your license plates: they stay with the seller in 46 states, stay on the car in Alaska, California, Hawaii and Minnesota, and in Oregon stay on unless you remove them. Get a bill of sale showing you sold the car.
After the sale, cancel your insurance and notify your DMV that you sold the vehicle. This protects you from liability if the car is involved in any incidents after the sale.
Should You Repair Before Selling?
Most of the time, no. Repairing fire damage is expensive and rarely worth it if you’re planning to sell.
When Repair Makes Sense
Repair only makes sense if:
- The damage is truly minor (just smoke or small burns to interior)
- The estimate is well under half of what the repaired car would be offered
- The car is newer and offered a lot more repaired
- You have plenty of time to deal with the repair and sale
Even then, you need to do the math. If the repair costs more than the offer would rise, you’re losing money.
When to Sell As-Is
For moderate to severe fire damage, always sell as-is. Fire damage repairs are expensive because fire affects more than what you can see.
Wiring throughout the car gets damaged. Plastics melt and release chemicals that contaminate the interior. Metal components weaken from heat exposure.
A proper fire damage repair involves replacing wiring harnesses, checking every system for heat damage, and often replacing the entire interior. That is a long estimate from any shop, and for a car that’s already been damaged, the money won’t come back in the offer.
The buyers who specialize in fire damaged cars know how to handle junk cars and have the expertise to salvage what’s valuable. Let them deal with it and save yourself the hassle and expense.
Insurance Considerations
If your insurance company is involved, there are some extra steps. The full process, including buying the car back from the insurer, is in our guide to selling a totaled car.
If Insurance Declared It a Total Loss
When an insurance company totals your car, they pay you the pre-fire value minus your deductible. They typically take possession of the car.
But if you want to keep the car and sell it yourself, you can usually negotiate to keep it. The insurance payout will be reduced by the salvage value (what they would have gotten for the car).
You can then sell the car to any buyer who accepts salvage titles. All three companies listed here do.
FAQ
Can I sell a fire damaged car without a title?
It depends on your state and the buyer. Peddle can work with sellers who don’t have titles in many states.
A car whose title is missing is offered about 40% less than the same car with the title in hand, so if you lost yours in the fire, a replacement is usually worth the wait. Our guide on selling a car without a title covers your state’s options.
Can I sell a fire damaged car if I still owe money on it?
Most junk car buyers want a clear title, and some can pay the lender directly out of the offer, so ask each buyer before you accept. Contact your lender before starting the sale process.
Our guide on how to sell a financed car covers your options in full.
What if my car burned in a wildfire?
The selling process is the same whether your car burned in a wildfire, a collision, or a mechanical fire. Buyers care about the extent of the damage, not what caused it.
If you lost your title and other documents in a wildfire, ask your state DMV about an expedited replacement title; the option and its fee vary by state. Your insurance company might also have special procedures for processing wildfire claims.
If you’re selling during a stressful time after a disaster, use established car buying services rather than private buyers to avoid being scammed.
Article Update History
Offer and condition figures now come from Sell Car Advisor quote data, and title and plate rules from the state paperwork checklist in MyGarage.
New quotes added, and buyer policies checked.
Originally posted and shared with our readers.
Sources
"Total number of reported highway vehicle fires in the U.S. from 1980 to 2021" Accessed Mar. 18, 2026.
"Outside and Vehicle Fire Causes" Accessed Mar. 18, 2026.
What the condition of a car does to its best offer, Junk Car Value Statistics
"1,484 cars of every age quoted by up to four buyers, compared inside matched mileage and age groups" Accessed Oct. 2, 2026
How far apart the best and worst offer are on the same car, Junk Car Value Statistics
"944 cars 10 years and older, each quoted by two or more buyers on the same day" Accessed Oct. 2, 2026
Cars that got only one offer, Junk Car Value Statistics
"1,009 cars 10 years and older, each put to up to four buyers" Accessed Oct. 2, 2026
Junk Car Value Statistics, Sell Car Advisor
"On this page: 6 figures from 17,628 instant cash offers, and 7 figures from same-day quotes by several buyers" Accessed Oct. 2, 2026
