After an accident · Orange County
Sell your car after an accident — as-is, towed free
An accident leaves you with a damaged car, a pile of phone calls and a decision: fix it or sell it. If you'd rather be done with it, we buy cars after accidents in Santa Ana and all of Orange County — before or after repairs, drivable or not — and pay you the same day.
Why our offer after an accident is usually better than a salvage auction
Most cars that come out of an accident end up at a salvage auction or a junk buyer. Those buyers price the car low because they don't know what it will cost to fix — and they protect themselves by guessing high on the damage.
We own NewGen Auto Repair, a full collision, paint and mechanical shop right next door to our lot. We write repair estimates every day, so we can look at your photos and price the real damage instead of the worst case. A bent bumper, a crushed fender or a deployed airbag is a repair job for us, not a reason to treat the car as scrap.
And because we price it from your photos and description up front, the offer doesn't drop at pickup as long as the car matches what you showed us.
Insurance totaled the car? You have choices
When an insurance company declares a car a total loss, the usual path is that they pay you and take the car. In many cases owners can also ask to keep the car (often called owner-retained salvage) and receive a smaller settlement. Every policy and insurer is different, so ask your insurer how it works on your claim before you decide.
If you keep the car, you can sell it to us. If you're not sure which way to go, send us the insurance estimate and photos: a firm cash offer from us gives you a real number to compare with what the insurer is offering for the car.
What helps us make a firm offer fast
- Photos of all four sides, close-ups of the damage, the dashboard with the car on (if it starts) and the odometer.
- Whether the airbags went off and whether the car still drives.
- The body shop or insurance estimate, if you have one.
- Where the car is now — home, a body shop or a tow yard — so we can plan pickup before storage fees grow.
- Whether there is still a loan on it. We handle the payoff with your lender and the DMV paperwork.
How it works
- Tell us about the carFill out the 1-minute form or call. A few photos and an honest description keep the price firm.
- Get a real offer in 30 minutesMark, the owner, reviews it and texts you a firm cash offer during business hours.
- Get paid the same dayBring it to our Santa Ana shop or we tow it free anywhere in Orange County. Cash, cashier's check or Zelle.
What to have ready
- California title (pink slip) — every owner listed with "AND" signs. Lost it? We can help with a duplicate (DMV form REG 227).
- Photo ID of the owner(s).
- Loan or lease account info, if you still owe money.
- Keys and remotes you have.
Questions sellers ask
Can I sell my car before the insurance claim is settled?
You can get an offer from us anytime, but it's usually best to finish the claim, or at least know whether you're keeping the car, before you sell. Ask your insurer how a sale would affect your claim.
The car is at a tow yard. Can you pick it up there?
Yes. Towing is free anywhere in Orange County, including from tow and storage yards. Tell us where it is so we can schedule pickup quickly — yard fees usually grow every day.
I still owe money on the car. Can I sell it after an accident?
Yes. We get the payoff from your lender, pay them directly, and if our offer is higher than the payoff you get the difference the same day.
Will you buy it if it still drives fine?
Yes. Cosmetic damage, a crunched bumper or a broken light — we buy those too. If the car drives, you can also bring it to our Santa Ana lot, open Monday through Sunday, 8 AM to 9 PM.
Ready to see what your car is worth?
It takes about a minute. No obligation, no spam — we only use your number to send the offer.