The bottom line: SellMax is worth checking out for an old, damaged or junk car, a salvage title, or engine or transmission problems. It buys cars in any shape for cash, even ones that won’t start, and a sale can wrap up in less than 48 hours from your first quote to pickup.
If your car still runs well and is fairly new, its offers will likely disappoint you. We’ve seen quotes of a third to a half of what CarMax or Carvana would offer for the same car in good condition.
Even on old and damaged cars, SellMax often offered less than Peddle and Wheelzy for similar vehicles in our tests.
SellMax buys junk cars and pays on the spot at pickup
- Pays at pickup
- Free towing from any location
- Paperwork takes just 15 minutes
- No need to clean the car ahead
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Offer amount 30% 3/5
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Quote speed 20% 4/5
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Pickup speed 20% 4/5
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Vehicle acceptance 15% 3/5
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Process ease 15% 2/5
Would another buyer pay more than SellMax?Fill in one form and get other buyers’ offers to hold up against SellMax’s.
What We Like
- They tow your car away for free no matter where it is
- You get paid in cash when they come to pick up your car
- They buy cars that won’t start, have blown engines, or have body damage
- The paperwork is simple and takes about 15 minutes to finish
- You don’t need to clean your car before they take it
- You can get a quote online without giving your phone number first
- They buy cars with salvage titles
- No hidden fees or surprise charges when they show up
What You Should Know
- Their offers for newer cars in good shape can be a third to a half of what CarMax or Carvana pays
- Two seller reviews say SellMax stopped responding after a first call
- There isn’t much room to haggle on price, what they offer is usually what you get
- If you’ve lost the title, a sale outside California is decided case by case
- It isn’t BBB accredited, though the BBB grades it A+
- Online quotes often come in lower than what Peddle or Wheelzy offer for the same car
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
How Does SellMax Compare to Alternatives?
We got quotes from SellMax, Peddle, and Wheelzy for the same four vehicles. All cars had high miles and either salvage titles or damage. Here’s what each company offered:
| Car | Miles | Condition | Peddle | Wheelzy | SellMax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Honda Accord EX | 199,827 | Salvage title | $385 | $351 | $365 |
| 2011 Audi Q5 Premium Plus | 193,068 | Salvage title | $580 | N/A | $465 |
| 2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer LS | 257,690 | Does not drive, exterior damage | $355 | $362 | $365 |
| 2008 Subaru Outback 2.5i | 168,000 | Rear damage | $385 | $385 | $365 |
For the 2003 Honda Accord, Peddle offered $385, Wheelzy offered $351, and SellMax came in at $365. Peddle offered the most here.
For the 2011 Audi Q5, Peddle offered $580 and SellMax offered $465. Wheelzy didn’t make an offer at all. Peddle won this one by $115.
For the 2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer that doesn’t run, SellMax offered the most at $365. Wheelzy came in at $362 and Peddle offered $355.
For the 2008 Subaru Outback with rear damage, Peddle and Wheelzy both offered $385. SellMax came in $20 lower at $365.
Overall, Peddle beat SellMax in 3 out of 4 cases. SellMax only won on the car that doesn’t run. If your car still drives, you’ll probably get more money from Peddle.
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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 damaged cars, even ones that can't be driven
- The engine and transmission must still be in
- Free towing, included with every offer
- Picks up within 48 hours, sometimes the same day
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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
- Buys any car in any condition, running or not
- Free towing, with no fees taken off the offer
- You can cancel before pickup at no cost
- Pays by check on the spot 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
- Owned by Copart, the salvage auction company
- Buys almost any vehicle with a motor, running or not
- Free towing, and it handles the title transfer
- Hands you a check at pickup, or mails it
To see what different buyers offer for your car, get quotes from several at once:
Compare instant offers before you accept one
How to Sell a Car to SellMax?
1. Enter Your Car’s Details
Go to SellMax’s website and type in your car’s VIN number or its year, make, and model. You’ll also enter your ZIP code and answer a few questions about the car’s condition.
The form asks if your car runs, what kind of damage it has, and whether you have a clean or salvage title. This part takes about a minute.
Step1
Step2
Step3
Step4
Step5
Step6
Enter VIN
Enter ZIP code
Enter vehicle title
Enter vehicle condition
Receive SellMax quote
Enter contact details if you want to accept an offer
2. Get Your Quote
After you fill out the form, SellMax shows you an offer right away. You can see this before you give them your phone number or email.
Their first offers tend to be on the low side. This is true for most cars, but especially for newer vehicles in decent shape.
Heads up: Don’t be surprised if the quote seems low compared to what you expected. SellMax makes their money by paying less, especially on cars that still have value.
3. Set Up a Pickup Time
If you like the offer, enter your contact info, and SellMax aims to call or text you within an hour. They’ll set up a time to come look at your car wherever it’s parked.
4. Get Paid and Hand Over the Keys
When their buyer shows up, they’ll check the car to make sure it matches what you described. If everything looks right, you sign over the title and get paid.
Payment is in cash. They bring a tow truck to take your car away for free, even if it still runs. The whole thing from start to finish can happen in less than 48 hours.
Tip: Have your title ready and make sure all owners listed on it can be there to sign. If someone else is on the title, SellMax won’t buy the car without their signature.
How Much Can You Get from SellMax?
What SellMax pays depends a lot on what kind of car you’re selling. Here’s a rough idea of what to expect based on your vehicle type:
| Vehicle Type | What You Can Expect |
|---|---|
| Newer Cars (under 5 years old) | About a third to a half of what a retailer would offer |
| Older Cars (5 to 10 years old) | Closer to 40 to 50% of market value |
| Cars That Don’t Run | About 80 to 90% of scrap or salvage value |
This means SellMax isn’t a good pick if you have a newer car that runs fine. You’ll get way more from Carvana, CarMax, or even a private sale.
But if your car won’t start, needs a new engine, or has a salvage title, SellMax can be a fair option. Their offers get more competitive when your car has problems.
Examples of Recent SellMax Offers
2026
2025
2011 Audi Q5 with 200k miles and salvage title: $465
2003 Honda Accord with 200k miles and salvage title: $365
2008 Subaru Outback with 170k miles and rear damage: $365
2014 Nissan Sentra with 96k mileage and salvage title: $615
2004 Buick Regal LS with 200k mileage and clean title: $325
2014 Ford C-Max with 210k mileage and salvage title: $525
SellMax Reviews – What Other Sellers Say?
| Platform | SellMax Rating | Good | Bad |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.3 out of 5 stars (8 total reviews) | Fast pickup, easy paperwork, friendly staff | One seller’s promised call back never came | |
| Trustpilot | 4.1 out of 5 stars (11 total reviews) | Good for junk cars, quick same day service | Very low offers for newer cars in good shape |
| Yelp | 4.2 out of 5 stars | Great for salvage cars, respectful buyers | Hard to get someone on the phone after initial contact |
| BBB | A+, not accredited | No complaints in three years | No reviews posted |
Google ★ 4.3 · 8
Trustpilot ★ 4.1 · 11
Reviews
Reviews
Expand to see reviews from 2025:
Trustpilot
Yelp
Reviews
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Compare instant offers before you accept one
Common Questions About SellMax
How fast can I sell my car to SellMax?
Most sales finish in less than 48 hours. If you call early in the day, they can sometimes pick up your car and pay you the same day.
Will SellMax buy my car without a title?
Sometimes. SellMax buys a car with a lost title if it’s titled in California and you don’t owe money on it. For a car titled in another state, it decides case by case, so a replacement title from your DMV is the safer route.
Will they buy my car if it won’t start?
Yes. SellMax buys cars that won’t start and tows them away for free. Its offer was the highest on the one non-running car in our test, so it’s worth a quote next to other buyers.
Do I need to clean my car first?
No. Just take out your personal stuff before they come. SellMax buys cars as they are, dirty or not.
Can I sell a car with engine or transmission problems?
Yes. This is where SellMax can be a good choice. They buy cars with blown engines, bad transmissions, and other major problems that would scare off most buyers.
Do they charge for towing?
No. Towing is free no matter where your car is or whether it runs. They bring a tow truck at no extra cost.
Can I negotiate the price?
Sometimes. SellMax quotes a no-haggle price, but it says it tries to beat other dealers’ offers, so have a second quote ready.
What paperwork do I need?
You need the car’s title and your ID. If the title has more than one name on it, all those people need to be there to sign or you need power of attorney.
Does SellMax buy leased cars?
No. SellMax says it can pay off a car loan, though in some areas it makes offers only on paid-off cars. They won’t help with lease buyouts or take over your lease payments.
Does SellMax work in my area?
SellMax lists cities it serves in 46 states and Washington, D.C., but none in Oklahoma, West Virginia, Wisconsin or Wyoming. Enter your ZIP code on their site to make sure they have a buyer near you.
Is SellMax legit?
Yes, SellMax is a legit company. They’re not BBB accredited, but they hold an A+ grade there, with no BBB complaints in three years.
Three one-star reviews on Trustpilot are about low offers for newer cars, not scams or fraud, and all three are more than a year old. They do what they say, they just don’t pay top prices.
SellMax Review
SellMax buys junk and damaged cars for cash in under 48 hours. Offer amounts and process ease are what pull the score down, with quotes consistently coming in lower than other buyers and limited room to negotiate. It is not BBB accredited, though BBB rates it A+.
Product Brand: SellMax
3.3
Pros
- Free towing no matter where the car is
- Payment at pickup
- Quote online without giving your phone number first
- Buys cars with salvage titles
Cons
- Offers tend to run lower than other junk car buyers
- Not BBB accredited, though BBB rates it A+
Article Update History
New SellMax quotes compared with Peddle and Wheelzy, with the latest reviews, accreditation, process and coverage checked.
Originally posted and shared with our readers.
Sources
"SellMax Reviews" Accessed Jan. 22, 2026
"SellMax Reviews" Accessed Jan. 22, 2026
"SellMax Reviews" Accessed Jan. 22, 2026
"SellMax Reviews" Accessed Jan. 22, 2026
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