How much do scrap yards pay for cars?
The answer depends on a variety of factors, including the car in question, its age and condition, your own geographic location, and other economic factors. But typically, junk yards that buy cars tend to pay close to scrap metal prices.
At the moment, scrap metal prices near me are hovering near their long-term lows—which is close to $165 per ton of scrap metal. So if an average car weighs about 2,600 lbs (or 1.31 tons) You’re looking at a little over $210 in scrap metal pricing.
That is, unless the dealer involved chooses to measure by the metric ton (or “long ton”), in which case your car would be worth less than $200.
And you might not even receive that much …
It's simple and it takes less than 90 seconds ... enter your zip code below to get started and find out how much your totaled vehicle is worth!
Something Else You Should Know About Scrap Yard Car Prices
Because those scrap car prices don’t even factor in the cost of transporting your car to the junkyard in the first place. That’s right; many car salvage yards near me will actually require your vehicle to be self-transported before they even offer you a quote.
Instead of receiving a little less than $200, you might be able to hope for a little more than $100—but not by much. Factor the time and effort involved in haggling over a few bucks at a shady junkyard and it’s just not worth it.
So how can you get more than scrap metal prices for your old car? And is there any way to do it without wasting a whole weekend driving all over town, or forking over a fortune in towing fees?
Well, there are a few solutions—and we’ll start with the most popular …
Solution #1: Shop Around
This is the most obvious solution, so it’s often the first one people turn to—just shop around, call or visit the local junkyards to see who will pay the most for your vehicle.
If you’re in a big city (or a small county, for that matter) you could have a dozen or more local scrap yards who are willing to take your old car, pickup truck, van or SUV off your hands.
But you shouldn’t expect offers to vary by much. After all, each of the junkyards in your immediate area are only in competition with each other. So they might be inclined to beat the “other guy” by a few bucks, but not by much more. In some cases, they’ll even be owned by the same company.
Some might make you an offer over the phone … only to change their minds when you’ve already paid to tow your vehicle there. Others might offer bogus incentives just to get you in the door, only to make an even lower offer and pressure you into selling on the spot.
At the end of the day, local junkyards just aren’t sophisticated enough to appraise most junk cars. Even if your car has premium leather interior, a working sunroof, or a catalytic converter that could boost the car’s price by over a hundred dollars, they’re unlikely to budge.
Solution #2: List it For Sale Online
Instead, why not turn to Craigslist or even eBay to sell your old clunker?
While it’s true that a private buyer might fork over more cash for your junk car, it could also take weeks (or even months) to find a good deal. All while meeting with complete strangers and “tire kickers” who may not even be ready to make a serious offer.
You might even need to make costly repairs just to ensure the car is safe enough to sell. Otherwise, in some states, you might be risking a lawsuit—or worse—by dealing with the wrong buyer.
Did You Know?
Solution #3: Sell Your Car to CarJunkYardsNearMe
If you want to get the best possible fair market price for your car without the hassle of a private sale or dealing with local junkers, you could always just use the online pricing tool here at CarJunkYardsNearMe.
We plug you into a network of approved junk car buyers to find the one who will pay the most for your car, and we get you a guaranteed, no-obligation offer in 90 seconds or less. No towing your car all over town, no waiting months for the right buyer.
In fact, we’ll even come to you with FREE towing and removal within 24-48 hours of accepting your offer. With CarJunkYardsNearMe, you can get a great price for your old car, truck, van or SUV without ever having to leave the comfort of home!
Just click HERE to get started with your free quote today!
How It Works
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Enter vehicle detailsBy filling out our form with accurate information, we can give you an instant offer on some vehicles or contact you with a guaranteed offer shortly after you click “Submit for Offer.” |
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Accept your OfferHappy with the offer? Provide proof of ownership, and we will schedule the pick-up of your car and deliver the payment at the same time. |
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Get paid!We will hand you a check during the car pick up. |
