Scrap Car Value Calculator

How Is Car Scrap Value Calculated?

What factors affect the price of a scrap car?

Aside from the weight of your car, there is a wide range of other variables that are taken into account when we find you a quote. These include:

• Vehicle make and model – Some higher value or rarer vehicles will naturally fetch more money than others.
• Condition of vehicle – Your car may be being sold for scrap, but if you have any reusable parts, particularly large mechanical pieces such as an engine or gearbox that could be salvaged, it can boost the price you are offered
• Average mileage – A car that has fewer miles under its belt is likely to bring in a quote larger than one that’s been around the block a few times, simply because its parts are less likely to be worn and unsalvageable.

Watch our video overview on the variables that determine the value of your scrap car

Current Scrap Metal Value

Scrap Car Pricing Data Provided By LetsRecycle

How does the scrap car calculator work?

The scrap metal market value is the strongest factoring involved in calculating the value of a scrap car. It’s not quite the one and only thing to consider, though, and other factors will affect the overall price you receive:

• The weight. The weight of the vehicle is key – the heavier the vehicle the greater the value when scrapping.
• Collections costs – All our collections are 100% free, but other companies will charge you to have your vehicle picked up, or even request that you bring the vehicle to them! This means you’re already eating into your earning before the car is even gone!
• The salvage value – Some cars can be salvaged or will have desirable parts – it’s not all about crushing and recycling! If your car has failed an MOT, or been in an accident, but is otherwise in good condition, make sure you talk to us. It’s possible there is more value to your scrap car than your think.

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How to get the best price for a scrap car

While there may be no simple rule to get a better price for your scrap car, there are a number of things you can do to get the best possible quote for your beaten up set of wheels.

Use an up-to-date comparison engine

The easiest way to guarantee you’re getting the very best price is to make sure that you’re using a comparison service with up-to-date market values to calculate your quote. At Scrap Car Comparison, we keep a close eye on the ever-fluctuating scrap metal market to make sure that any quote we give you is the most competitive available to you at that precise moment. All scrap quotes with us are guaranteed for 24 hours, so you can be safe in the knowledge that what you’re quoted is what you’ll get.

Seasonal peaks in scrap cost

The value of a scrap car changes throughout the year, moving in line with the overall cost of scrap metal globally. Looking at the tracker above, you can clearly see there are seasonal trends, with higher prices seeming to be offered over the winter months. While this does not guarantee you’ll get a higher price at that time of year, there is a chance your quotes may be a little larger if you scrap between November and February.

Speak directly to an advisor for the best deals

Trawling through local scrap yards, breakers and buyers can leave you feeling overwhelmed, and that’s where our team of friendly experts come in. With our fingers firmly on the pulse of the scrap car industry and our extensive network of specialist buyers, our advisors are perfectly placed to ensure that you only get the very best price for you in the fastest possible way.

Competition between scrap dealers

In some cases, you may find you’re caught in the middle of a bidding war for your car as two (or more) competing scrap dealers try to buy your car from you. This is something you could use to your advantage, and you could find your quote growing slightly as they vie for your car. If you’re able to, try to make sure your car looks as appealing to a scrap merchant as possible – i.e. don’t remove any valuable parts before you seek a quote.

Scrapping in another location

You might think that finding the nearest scrap yard will be your best bet, especially if you need to factor in transportation costs, but you may find that casting your net slightly wider will yield better results. With Scrap Car Comparison, we do this for you. We’ll compare all of the best prices for you in not only your local area, but the areas around you as well. Better yet, with our quick and free collection service, you don’t need to worry about any additional costs or fees. Our network spans 99% of all UK postcodes, so you’re never too far away from getting the most out of your car.

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FAQs

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Use a Tried and Tester Scrapping Service

We are the UK’s favourite car and van scrapping, salvaging and recycling comparison engine. We arrange the purchase and collection of over 10,000 vehicles every month and we’ve paid out over £18m for cars and vans, having taken over 38k tonnes of scrap off the road.

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A Guide To Understanding The Worth Of Your Scrap Or Salvage Vehicle

Working out the value of a scrap or damaged vehicle can be a confusing and frustrating time. Knowing when to sell, how much your car is worth, or even how to go about selling a damaged vehicle can all add unnecessary stress. Unnecessary, because we’ve devised a straightforward comparison website which helps you to understand the process of both selling a damaged vehicle, and how to get the best price when you choose to do so.

When the above quote form is completed, your vehicle’s details will be run through our network of government accredited scrap yards and ATFs across the UK, to find the most competitive price for your vehicle from trusted and reputable buyers.

It’s important to remember, when looking into getting your vehicle valued, that cars are priced on an individual basis and there are various factors which can affect the quote a vehicle receives. When assessing a vehicle’s worth, it’s important to ask yourself, “What would somebody be willing to pay for it?” This question is important because there are often certain car models which are more popular or sought after. However, as with all things, the industry changes rapidly so it’s important that when you’re trying to obtain the best price for your vehicle, you look in the right places.

On this page we’ll help you to understand how to get the most for your unwanted vehicle, by explaining how to identify what category of sale your car or van will fall under and the different factors which can affect a vehicle’s worth.

The Different Sale Categories

It can be easy to assume that vehicles are solely priced on their make and model but, whilst this is somewhat true, scrap and salvage pricing strategies work slightly differently. Each vehicle is priced on a vehicle-by-vehicle basis and the valuation which will determine a price will be based on the make, model, age and condition of the vehicle. Buyers take all these aspects into consideration when making their offers. Because the reasons for wanting to buy your vehicle vary, understanding the different categories can help you to understand why each quote differs.

The different sale categories are split into three: Scrap, Salvage and Retail.

What Is My Car or Van Worth To Salvage Buyers?

Salvage vehicles are cars or vans which have been damaged or broken, but could be repaired with the right parts. Damage on salvage vehicles can vary from electrical to mechanical to structural, but the cars which fall into this category are typically under ten years old. Salvage vehicles tend to receive higher valuations than scrap because the vehicles are often more desirable. Things to consider when the vehicle is valued include:

The Post-Repair Value

This will depend on the specific vehicle and an array of other considerations, such as the vehicle’s mileage, condition, service history, optional extras and whether there are any other known faults. These markers are carefully deliberated by a salvage buyer because when they purchase damaged vehicles, they do so with the intention of returning either them, or their parts, to the road once fixed. Because of this, salvage buyers need to consider your vehicle’s current worth against what the value may be once fixed, to ensure that they have the opportunity to achieve a reasonable profit for the time and resources they have invested in fixing the vehicle.

The Cost Of Repairing The Vehicle

Many salvage buyers have the space and expertise necessary to perform repairs in a cost-effective manner. Trade connections and years of experience in the industry mean that salvage buyers are often able to bring the cost involved in repairing the vehicle down. This makes it significantly cheaper, and safer, for a specialist to fix your vehicle than it would be for you to do so yourself.

How Much Is My Car or Van Worth To Scrap Buyers?

Vehicle scrappage is the category given to vehicles which have reached the end of their life. The cars in this category are often considered old and unfit to drive, or they’re not worth the cost it would require to fix them. As a result of this, scrap vehicles are often stripped for parts before being recycled for their metal. If you are selling your car for scrap, the main factors which will affect the price given are:

• The Vehicle’s Weight: The largest contributing factor to the value of a scrap vehicle, is the amount of metal it has. Therefore, heavier vehicles usually mean more metal, which consequently holds a higher value.
• Any Valuable Parts: Newer vehicles often have parts that are viewed as high value to some scrap buyers. These parts can include engines, gearboxes, body panels or alloy wheels in addition to other parts and would be resold as used parts.
• Catalytic Converters: A catalytic converter is the part of the exhaust system which filters the vehicle’s emissions. These units are made from precious metals such as silver and platinum. These materials can be refined and reused to make jewellery, industrial components, and other high value items.

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