Every year, 12-15 million cars, trucks, and other vehicles reach the end of their usefulness. Have you finally decided it’s time to scrap your car? There’s no fixing it and you don’t want to pay to have it towed, so you decide to have it scrapped in exchange for some cold hard cash.
But, the question teeming on your mind, “How much would I get to scrap my car?”, remains. In this guide, we aim to answer that question for you by outlining some basic prices and factors that influence scrap car prices.
Junking a Car vs Selling a Car
There are huge advantages to junking your car instead of selling it. For one, you’ll get a lot more money for it. A junk car with salvageable pieces can be worth thousands at a scrapyard that offers cash for cars. But if you sell it yourself, you’ll likely only get a few hundred dollars for it at best.
However, if the car is still driveable and in decent condition, it’s possible you can make more by selling it. The downside to selling is that it takes a lot of time, patience, and even money if you plan on taking out classified ads for it. At the end of the day, choosing between junking and selling comes down to 2 questions:
- Is my car a junk car or a used car?
- How much effort and money am I willing to put toward selling it?
If your car is a junker or you don’t have the time to sell it, you’re better off taking it to a scrap yard. Which brings us to the next section where we answer that pervasive question, “Just how much would I get to scrap my car?”
How Much Would I Get To Scrap My Car?
The price of junking a car ranges depending on a few factors. However, in general, you can expect to receive around $200-$500 for scrapping your car. Factors that may make that price fluctuate include:
Your Car’s Age
Newer cars tend to be more valuable than older cars when it comes to scrapping. That’s because those parts are typically in better condition than older parts. Also, they are in higher demand from scrapyard customers.
The Rarity of Your Car’s Parts
If your car happens to have a rare part, it may get you more money at the scrapyard. Older cars with hard-to-find parts are like winning the lottery for a scrapper. They know collectors will pay them well for that part so they will also give you a great deal.
Size of Your Vehicle
The bigger your vehicle, the more scrap parts it has. So, you may get a little more scrapping a truck than you would a sedan. This is even more true when you can drive the vehicle to the scrapyard and don’t require towing services.
Scrap Metal Prices
Scrap metal prices influence the cost of car salvage a lot. If you want to be strategic about scrapping your car, try monitoring the price of scrap metals for a while. Watch for trends and sell during peaks to maximize your scrap car’s value.
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