
Determining Your Scrap Car Value
Published: 8 October 2023
If your automobile has or is fast approaching the point of being non-functional, the time to consider scrapping it may be just around the corner. However, before you actually pick up the phone or go online to contact a scrap yard like Scrapy, it’s vitally important to know your scrap car’s value.
Determining that value is fairly simple, but requires a little legwork on the part of the vendor. Researching your car’s market value should be performed so you know, more or less, what you can expect as an offer for vehicle. Also, you’ll need to find a reputable scrap yard company who you can trust to do business with.
Scrap Car Value Through Research
Unless you’re a car aficionado or a mechanic, appraising your used or non-functioning vehicle is going to take a little research. First and foremost, you should take note of your car’s make, model, and condition. Finding out the make and model should be as simple as looking at your vehicle, but gauging its condition is a tad more involved.
You should begin by finding records of any major accidents, repairs, or modifications your car has gone through. Next, you will want to take pictures of (as well as dutifully itemize) any defects your car may have. Armed with all this knowledge, you can begin combing through websites like Carfax or Edmunds to get an average estimate for your car. You can also take that information (or the car itself, if it’s running) to several nearby scrap yards or garages to get comparative estimates as well.
Find A Trusted Scrap Yard Company
Determining your scrap car’s value is the first step. The second is getting someone to actually pay you that value. To do this, you need a scrap yard company with a reputation for honesty and efficiency in its operations.
You can begin your search on the internet, looking for scrap yards near you that have good reviews on independent websites like Yelp. Through the course of your research, if you see that a scrap yard has been operating for a long time, is part of a chain and has multiple locations, you can be reasonably assured of its pedigree and reputation. Finally, you can rely on word-of-mouth from trusted members of your family, friends, or colleagues.
Raw Material Round-Up
The main way scrap yards make use of old and non-functioning vehicles is to either:
- strip them for parts, refurbish and resell them, or
- leave them, intact, on the lot so customers can pick the parts they need themselves.
In both scenarios, once the car is clear of usable and functioning parts, scrap yards like Scrapy will sell whatever remains of the car to recycling plants.
Some research into the market value of raw materials like steel, aluminum, rubber and tempered glass comes in handy before you sell your car to a scrap yard. It may be more advantageous and potentially profitable for you to sell your car when the value of these materials is higher rather than lower. In any event, knowing what the going price for them is will definitely help you anticipate your scrap car value.
For more information on determining your scrap car value, or to sell your car today, contact Scrapy!