In Burbank, "cash for cars" means a cash offer: a set price to buy your car outright, no trade-in needed. A same-day cash offer means you're paid the day you sign, often by check or bank transfer rather than bills. If a lender holds the title, the buyer pays off the loan and you get the remaining equity.
IMX Auto Group in Burbank makes this kind of offer and pays by check. Its FAQ says, "You will leave with payment in hand the same day you sell us your car. We pay by check where payment is guaranteed to be available. Our check can be deposited or cashed." Nobody at IMX hands you a stack of bills. In this article, "cash" refers to the type of offer, the way the car business uses the word.
What does "cash for cars" actually mean in California?
"Cash for cars" is a sales phrase for a buyer who purchases your car outright, for money, without asking you to buy or lease another vehicle. Because it's marketing language, what it includes depends on who is using it.
The clearest contrast is with a trade-in. A trade-in gives you credit toward a car you buy from the same dealer, and that credit becomes one line in a larger deal. A cash offer pays you for your car, and nothing else has to happen. IMX Auto Group's sell-your-car page says, "our offer will be the same whether you're buying from us or not."
Every cash offer, whoever makes it, comes down to a handful of details you should be able to get in writing:
- The price, and whether it's a firm offer or an estimate range
- The form of payment, such as a check, a bank transfer or bills
- When you get paid: at signing, at pickup or after a check clears
- What happens to any loan or lease balance on the car
The phrase also covers several kinds of businesses. Search for places that buy cars in Burbank and you'll find licensed dealers and buying centers, junk-car yards and online instant-offer companies using similar words. A private buyer may make the same kind of offer in person. Each one values your car its own way, and payment methods differ too.
How do licensed buyers differ from junk-car buyers?
A licensed dealer buyer is generally buying your car to resell it as a running vehicle, so the offer reflects its value on the road. A junk-car buyer is generally buying it for parts or scrap and prices it by what the car is worth taken apart.
That difference matters most for a car that runs well. If your car is drivable with normal wear, a scrap-based price leaves its resale value out of the number. A junk-car yard is a better fit for a car that doesn't run, or one that would cost more to repair than it's worth.
California licenses both kinds of buyers. The California DMV states that "you need a vehicle dealer license to sell new or used vehicles" on its vehicle dealer license page. The DMV requires a separate dismantler license for businesses that buy nonrepairable vehicles to take them apart or that deal in used parts, and licensed dismantlers can't advertise without showing their license or permit number (both as of October 2026). Before you sell, you can look a business up with the DMV's Occupational License Lookup, which covers vehicle dealers and dismantlers and searches by business name, city or ZIP code.
A search for car buyers near me will show you who buys used cars in Burbank: some mix of four types, which differ on the points that shape a cash offer.
| Buyer type | What the offer is based on | What to confirm before you agree |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed dealer buyer | The car's resale value as a running vehicle, set by an appraisal | The payment form, when you're paid, and whether they pay your lender directly |
| Junk-car yard (licensed dismantler) | Parts and scrap value rather than resale as a working car | Their DMV license number, who handles the title paperwork, and whether towing is included |
| Online buyer | An estimate range from the details you enter, finalized after photos or an inspection | How much the final number can change, and when payment is released |
| Private party | Whatever you and the buyer negotiate | That the payment is real before you sign the title over |
A private sale may bring a higher price, but it puts the paperwork and the payment risk on you. For a fuller look at those trade-offs, read private party vs professional buyer.
How fast do you get paid, and in what form?
Payment speed and form depend on the buyer, so ask about both before you drive anywhere. At IMX Auto Group, the answer is a check, in your hands the same day you sell.
IMX lays out its process in three steps: get a free online estimate, stop by for a quick 15-minute vehicle inspection, then "sign the paperwork and walk out with a check."
Other buyers work differently. Depending on the company, an online buyer may pay at pickup, after its own inspection or by electronic transfer.
Private sales carry the most payment risk. The Federal Trade Commission says fake checks can look like business checks, personal checks or cashier's checks. It also notes that "by law, banks have to make deposited funds available quickly," while "fake checks can take weeks to be discovered and untangled" (FTC guidance on fake check scams, as of October 2026). In an alert for people selling cars online, the FTC tells sellers not to accept a check for more than the selling price.
California gives the seller a deadline to report the sale, no matter who the buyer is. You must notify the DMV within 5 calendar days of the sale with a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability, under California Vehicle Code section 5900 (as of October 2026). Once the DMV has that notice, liability for parking, traffic and civil matters after the sale date becomes the buyer's responsibility.
What happens if you still owe money on the car?
You can still get a same-day offer on a car with a loan or lease balance. The buyer confirms the payoff with your lender, the lender is paid out of the purchase price, and your check is the equity that's left.
IMX's FAQ says IMX "can obtain or work with the lender on the payoff and compare it with the purchase offer." For leased cars, IMX says it will "appraise the car then contact the leasing company for a payoff quote and process any equity you might have." Its Toyota and Lexus lease page sums up the result: "Sign, and leave with a check for your equity the same day."
That changes what the same-day check from the last section means. On a financed or leased car, the price you agree on is the gross number, and your check is that number minus the payoff, so it can look much smaller than the offer. The IMX article on why the equity check can be smaller than the offer walks through that math.
If you owe more than the car is worth, you have negative equity. The lender generally has to be paid in full before it releases the title, so the gap has to be covered for the sale to close. The guide to selling a car with a loan balance covers the options in California.
Payoff amounts change as interest accrues, so a recent payoff quote is more useful than an old monthly statement. Bring one if you have it. If you don't, IMX can get the payoff figure from your lender.
How do you compare two offers fairly?
Compare offers on equal terms: a validated number for the same car, the same payoff, the same payment timing and the same deadline. An online estimate and an in-person offer are different kinds of numbers.
Online estimates are a starting point. IMX's FAQ says so: "For most vehicles, offer ranges can be provided online. To receive a validated offer, please visit us in person for a quick 15 minute inspection." Any buyer who hasn't seen the car is pricing it from the details you typed in, and that number can move once someone drives it and pulls its history.
In-person offers move with what the buyer finds. IMX lists what it considers: how the car runs on a test drive, the interior and exterior, the vehicle history report with its accident and service records, and the car's features and option packages. Two buyers who check different things can reach different numbers for the same car.
Before you choose between two offers, ask each buyer the same questions:
- Is this a validated offer or an estimate range?
- Did someone inspect the car in person?
- Does the number account for my loan or lease payoff, and what will my check be?
- Are any fees taken out of the price?
- How will I be paid, and when?
- How long is the offer good for?
- Do I have to buy or lease a car to get this price?
IMX offers are good for 5 calendar days, which leaves room to compare without rushing. If another buyer has already made you an offer, you can upload an offer you already have on IMX's site.
What should you bring to get paid the same day?
Bring proof of identity and ownership, every key, and the details the buyer needs to pay off any lender. If a titleholder or a document is missing, the sale may not close that day.
IMX lists these items on its sell-your-car page and homepage:
- A valid state-issued photo ID for every titleholder
- Every titleholder on the car, in person
- Current registration
- All keys and key fobs
- The title, if you own the car outright
- Your loan or lease account information
- A payoff quote, if you already have one
- Service records, if you have them
A restricted lease buyout may require additional lender-specific documentation, according to IMX. If a business owns the car, IMX asks you to see a Business Office associate about the requirements.
You don't need an appointment to get an offer, but an appointment helps IMX get you in and out faster. Many straightforward inspections are quick. A complex lease buyout can take longer because of lender procedures.
IMX Auto Group is at 811 N Victory Blvd., Burbank. It's open Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 7 PM and Saturday from 9 AM to 6 PM, and Sundays are by appointment only.
Frequently asked questions
Does IMX Auto Group pay cash for cars?
IMX Auto Group pays by check rather than bills, and you leave with the check the same day you sell your car. The check can be deposited or cashed. In the car business, a cash offer means a firm offer to buy your car outright, which IMX makes after an in-person inspection.
Do I need an appointment to sell my car in Burbank?
You don't need an appointment to get an offer from IMX Auto Group, though booking one helps IMX get you in and out faster. IMX is at 811 N Victory Blvd. in Burbank and is open Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 7 PM and Saturday from 9 AM to 6 PM. Sunday visits are by appointment only.
How long is an IMX Auto Group offer good for?
An IMX Auto Group offer is good for 5 calendar days. For most vehicles, IMX can give you an offer range online, and the validated offer comes after a quick 15-minute in-person inspection at its Burbank location. That 5-day window gives you time to compare the offer with others before you decide.
Do I have to buy a car from IMX to sell my car?
No. You can sell your car to IMX Auto Group without buying a car from IMX, and IMX states that its offer will be the same whether you're buying from it or not. That makes an IMX offer a straight sale price you can compare with a trade-in value or with another buyer's offer.
Is a check from a car buyer as safe as cash?
It depends on who writes the check. The Federal Trade Commission warns that fake checks can look like cashier's checks and can take weeks to be discovered, a risk it has flagged for people selling cars online. IMX Auto Group states that payment on its check is guaranteed to be available and that the check can be deposited or cashed.
How we can help
IMX Auto Group has been operating since 1988. You can get a free online estimate, then visit us at 811 N Victory Blvd. in Burbank for a 15-minute in-person inspection that turns the range into a validated offer. A lease buyout can take longer because of lender procedures. We test drive your car, look over the interior and exterior, review its history report and note its features. If you accept, we work with your lender or leasing company on any payoff, and you leave with a check the same day. We buy used cars and leases, including leases from restricted brands that many other dealers cannot purchase, and our offer is the same whether or not you buy a car from us. We work with sellers from Burbank, Glendale, Van Nuys and across Los Angeles. Call (818) 303-0800 or contact IMX Auto Group for a same-day offer.
