Where your car sits decides the next step
Westmont is close to an even split between owners and renters, and about half of its homes are in buildings with two or more units. So a dead car here may just as easily sit in a shared parking lot as on a private driveway, and the rules differ.
On your own driveway, the main question is time. A junk car or one “not in active use” sitting in public view can be treated as a nuisance under the village code. It also has to stay on pavement, because Westmont bars parking on unpaved ground, including your own yard.
In an apartment or condo lot, the property owner sets most of the rules, but the village rule about junk cars in public view still covers the lot. Ask the manager before the tow, and tell us about any gate, assigned numbers or garage clearance.
The street is the worst place for a dead car in Westmont
Westmont’s overnight ban is strict: no parking over 15 minutes on any street, parkway or public lot between 2:00 and 6:00 a.m., and until 8:00 a.m. on part of Blackhawk Drive. Once 2 inches of snow fall, no car may park on any street until 8 hours after it stops and plowing is finished.
The permit areas don’t solve it either. A car parked 48 hours or more in a designated overnight area counts as storage, which the code prohibits. A car that won’t start is better pushed back onto private pavement until pickup.
Why it won’t run matters less than you think
We buy the car with the blown head gasket, the seized engine and the one that just won’t turn over. You don’t need a diagnosis to sell it. If you’re weighing a repair against selling, our guide to selling a car that doesn’t run compares the options.
Paperwork is the part to sort out before pickup day. Gather the title if you have it, plus any registration, insurance card or old bill of sale, and your ID. If the title is missing, say so on the call: the state’s rules set which documents are acceptable for scrapping a car, and we check yours against them before we book the truck.
Next door to Westmont
We also pick up in Downers Grove to the west and in nearby Willowbrook. More towns are on our coverage map page.
Selling a car in Westmont: common questions
My car died in my apartment complex lot in Westmont. Can you tow it from there?
Yes. Let the property manager know a tow is coming, then give us the building address and your space number. A junk car in public view can count as a nuisance under the village code, even in a private lot.
Can I park my non-running car on the grass next to the driveway?
No. Westmont bars parking on any unpaved surface other than a driveway, and the rule covers private property too. Keep the car on pavement until we pick it up.
Can a dead car stay in a Westmont overnight permit space until it's sold?
Not past two days. The village treats a vehicle left 48 hours or more in a permit area as stored, and storage there is prohibited. Move it, or set up pickup before that point.