Is junk car removal really free?

Yes. The tow is part of the deal and nothing is taken off the offer for it. The number we agree on the phone is what we plan to pay when the truck arrives, as long as the car matches what you told us.

Who needs to be there on pickup day?

Someone who can sign for the car and hand over the paperwork needs to be there. If the car sits at a shop or in a building lot, tell us who controls access so the driver can get to it.

Will flat tires or missing wheels stop the tow?

Usually, yes. Say so on the call. Flat tires, a locked steering wheel or missing wheels change which equipment the driver brings, so we plan for it before the truck leaves.

How soon can you pick up?

Same-day pickup is often possible, but it depends on the day. We tell you on the call when a truck can get there, and we call if that changes.

Free junk car removal on the West Side

How does free junk car removal work in Chicago?

Cash For Junk Cars Westside Chicago LLC removes junk cars across Chicago's West Side and the near west suburbs at no charge. You get an offer by phone, we send a tow truck to the street, alley, garage or lot where the car sits, and you're paid at pickup in cash, by Zelle or by Cash App.

A tow operator chains a white pickup truck onto a tilted flatbed at the curb.

A car that hasn’t moved in months costs you something every week. A ticket on the windshield, a neighbor asking when it’s going, a garage you can’t use. Removal is the easy part of fixing that, and on the West Side it’s free.

What happens from the call to the tow

You call or send the form. Year, make, model, whether you have the title, and where the car is parked.
We make an offer. One number, said plainly. Ask anything about it before you say yes.
We book the pickup. You pick a time that works. Same day is often possible.
The driver checks the car and the papers. If it matches what you described, you sign it over.
You’re paid and the car leaves. Cash, Zelle or Cash App, at pickup, before the truck pulls away.

That’s the whole job. No yard visit, no dropping the car off anywhere, no waiting for a check in the mail.

Where we pull cars from

We’re based at 2727 W Chicago Ave, just east of California Avenue, so most West Side addresses are a short drive away.

Street parking. The most common pickup. If the car is under a ticket or sitting in a sweeping zone, mention it so we try to get there first.
Alleys and alley garages. Two-flats and workers’ cottages across Humboldt Park, West Town and the Garfield Parks often back onto an alley with a detached garage. A car that won’t start inside one usually needs to be pulled out with a winch or rolled on dollies. Our guide to getting a dead car out of an alley garage covers what helps.
Apartment and condo lots. Fine with us. If the lot belongs to the building, let management know a tow truck is coming so nobody calls in a complaint.
Repair shops. If the shop says the repair isn’t worth it, we can collect from there. You arrange the release with the shop.
Driveways in the suburbs. Oak Park, Berwyn, Cicero and the other near west suburbs have their own rules about junk cars on private property, which the neighborhood pages explain town by town.

What to do before the truck comes

Take out everything that’s yours. Glove box, trunk, under the seats. Garage openers and toll transponders get missed most.
Find the title. If you can’t, tell us what you do have. Which papers count for a scrap sale is set by Illinois law, so we check yours on the phone before a truck is booked. Our page on selling a car without a title explains more.
Keep your license plates. In Illinois the plates belong to the owner, not the car, so take them off before the driver leaves.
If you live in Chicago, keep your city sticker paperwork handy. What happens to the sticker after the sale is in our city sticker guide.

Tight spots are normal here

Narrow alleys, low garage doors, a car parked nose-in against a wall, a lot with one way in. Tell us about any of it on the call so the right truck comes the first time. A car with no keys, locked wheels or no tires is still a pickup; it just changes how it gets loaded.

Bigger vehicle? See junk trucks, vans and SUVs. More scrap than car? See scrap cars.

Questions people ask

Is junk car removal really free?: Yes. The tow is part of the deal and nothing is taken off the offer for it. The number we agree on the phone is what we plan to pay when the truck arrives, as long as the car matches what you told us.
Who needs to be there on pickup day?: Someone who can sign for the car and hand over the paperwork needs to be there. If the car sits at a shop or in a building lot, tell us who controls access so the driver can get to it.
Will flat tires or missing wheels stop the tow?: Usually, yes. Say so on the call. Flat tires, a locked steering wheel or missing wheels change which equipment the driver brings, so we plan for it before the truck leaves.
How soon can you pick up?: Same-day pickup is often possible, but it depends on the day. We tell you on the call when a truck can get there, and we call if that changes.