Non-Running Cars in Ocala, FL

Why cars stop running in Ocala

Cars stop running for a handful of reasons, and in Marion County the same ones come up again and again. A dead battery is the most common — Florida heat wears batteries out faster than cooler climates, and a car that sits for a few months in the summer comes back with a battery that will not hold a charge. A seized engine is the next — an engine that ran without oil, or that sat for years and rusted inside, will not turn over. And a failed transmission, a failed starter, or a broken timing belt each leave a car that will not start, in a driveway, with an owner who has to decide what to do with it.

The other Ocala story is the car that sat. A car parked when the owner bought a new one, a car left behind when a snowbird went north for the summer, a car that was parked under a tree and forgotten — each one comes back with flat tires, a dead battery, dry-rotted hoses, and an engine that may or may not turn over. A car that has sat for a year is a non-running car, even if nothing is broken, because the battery is dead and the tires are flat and the fuel has gone stale.

A non-running car is still a car with a title, and the title still matters. The provider needs to know whether the title is clear, whether there is a lien, and whether the car is ten or more years old — because the derelict-vehicle path may apply for an older car sold for scrap. The mechanical problem is the reason the car is being sold. The paperwork is what decides how the sale is done.

What to describe on the call

Describe what the car does when you try to start it: nothing at all, a click, a slow crank, or a crank with no start. Each one points to a different problem, and the provider needs to know which one it is. Say how long the car has sat, and whether it was running when it was parked. Say whether the wheels turn, and whether the steering is locked — a car that cannot roll needs different handling than a car that can.

Say where the car sits, and what is around it. A car in a driveway is the simplest case. A car in a yard, a car behind a barn, a car in a field after rain — each one needs different handling, and the provider needs to know before the pickup is arranged. Clear a path to the car, and move anything that blocks access.

Do not try to jump-start a car that has sat for years, and do not try to push a car that cannot roll. A car that has sat can have a seized engine, a locked brake, or a flat tire that has rotted through, and forcing it can cause more damage. Tell the provider the car does not run, and let the provider handle it.

A car that sat for two years

What happens after pickup

After pickup, a non-running car goes to a scrap facility, where fluids are drained, reusable parts are removed, and the rest is recycled as scrap metal. The title is cancelled so the car cannot be put back on the road. The license plate comes off before pickup — in Florida the plate stays with you, not with the car.

One point for non-running cars: the keys are not required, but they help. If you have the keys, have them ready. If the keys are missing, tell the provider on the call, and say whether the steering is locked and the car can roll. A car with no keys and a locked steering wheel needs different handling than a car with keys and a steering wheel that turns.