What Is My Scrap Car Worth? How Offers Are Calculated

The question we hear most is simple: what's it worth? Here's how a scrap car offer is actually built, and what you can do to land at the top of the range.

Weight matters most

Scrap vehicles are priced largely by weight, because most of the value sits in recyclable steel, aluminum and copper. A mid-size sedan might weigh 1,400 kg while a full-size pickup clears 2,500 kg, and that difference shows up directly in the offer. Heavier vehicles like trucks, SUVs and vans typically bring more.

Parts add real value

A late-model vehicle with a good transmission, intact catalytic converter or clean body panels can be worth noticeably more than scrap weight alone. Wheels, batteries and even a working stereo all count. Be upfront about what's on the car. It helps us price it right the first time, and it means the offer doesn't change at pickup.

The catalytic converter question

If a buyer asks whether the converter is still on the car, there's a reason. Converters contain platinum, palladium and rhodium, and they're priced separately from the scrap weight. A vehicle with its converter intact is worth more than one that's been stripped.

Metal prices change

Scrap steel and converter prices move with the market, sometimes month to month. An offer from six weeks ago isn't necessarily today's offer, so it's worth getting a fresh quote when you're ready to sell.

Completeness counts

A complete car prices better than a stripped shell. If parts have been removed or the engine is gone, mention it upfront. We still buy incomplete vehicles, but the number reflects what can actually be recovered.

How to get the best offer

Send clear photos from a few angles, give accurate details, and tell us where the vehicle is parked. If it matches your description when we arrive, the number we quoted is the number you get paid. No renegotiating at the curb.