How much is my junk car worth?

What a junk car is worth, by car type

Our estimates for a car that does not start, has a clean title and still has its catalytic converter: a compact or hatchback (about 2,900 lb) $205-$255, a midsize sedan (about 3,300 lb) $225-$280, a midsize SUV (about 4,300 lb) $310-$390, and a light pickup (about 4,800 lb) $380-$475.

The same midsize sedan in running order, with a clean title, comes out at $275-$365, because a buyer can resell it whole or strip it for parts people want. These are preliminary estimates, kept on the low side on purpose: of 16 real Peddle offers on cars sent to Peddle from our site (June-September 2026), 13 came in at or above the top of our range. The exact price is the buyer's offer.

The five things that set the price

Five things set junk car value: the car's weight (more recyclable steel), whether it runs, its title status, whether the catalytic converter is still attached, and local scrap prices and demand. Weight and the converter set a floor. Running condition adds a premium on top, and a missing or salvage title shrinks that premium.

For a junk-car buyer the floor does most of the work: the converter and the car's weight move the price more than whether it runs, because the buyer pays for metal and parts, not for a working car. Where a running car's value really shows is a private sale.

How much is a scrap car worth? The floor

The floor is our estimate of what a recycler would typically pay for the metal and the converter, whatever state the car is in. We count about 70% of a car's weight as recoverable metal, and our estimate of what that fetches for a seller is $165 per ton. The metal alone in a 2,900 lb compact is worth about $165; in a 4,800 lb pickup about $275.

The catalytic converter is counted on top: in our estimate an intact original one adds about $90 on a four-cylinder and about $200 on a V8. That is why a scrap car with its converter is worth noticeably more than the same shell without it.

Scrap floor vs. resale premium

Think of value in two layers. The scrap floor is our estimate of what a recycler would typically pay for the metal plus the converter. The resale premium is the extra a buyer pays because the car (or its parts) can be resold. Junk-car buyers add only a modest premium: our calculator values a car that will not start at the floor and adds about 30% for one that starts, deliberately on the low side.

What each factor is worth in dollars

Take the midsize sedan that does not start: $225-$280 with a clean title and the converter on. Without the converter it drops to $150-$190. A missing title does not change our estimate for a car that will not start, since it is valued on its metal, but fewer buyers will take it; for the same sedan in running order it drops from $275-$365 to $250-$335.

Getting it running again adds less than people expect for a junk sale: $275-$365. Whether a repair is worth doing depends on what it costs against what the car would fetch running - often a private sale, not a junk offer - and our repair-or-junk tool does that sum for you.

How much you can get for it, depending on who buys

A traditional junkyard prices the metal, the converter and the parts it can pull, which on our estimates lands in the ranges above for a car that does not start. Online cash-for-cars buyers and dismantlers also price the car's resale value, so for a car that runs, has a clean title or has in-demand parts they can pay more than a yard. A private sale can beat both for a running car, at the cost of time and haggling.

Whoever buys, compare at least two offers against an estimate you worked out first, and be wary of any buyer who lowers the price only once the tow truck arrives. We earn a commission if you sell through our partner Peddle; it does not change any figure on this page.

Estimate yours in three steps

1) Find the curb weight in the owner's manual, the manufacturer's spec sheet or a VIN lookup. The sticker in the driver's door frame shows the maximum loaded weight, which is higher, so do not use it. 2) Multiply the curb weight by 0.7, divide by 2,000 for tons, and multiply by the scrap price per ton ($165 is our estimate for sellers): that is the metal. 3) Add the converter if it is still on: that is the floor. Then add a premium for resale and parts: our calculator adds nothing for a car that does not start, and about 30% of the floor for one that starts.

The calculator runs this sequence, adjusts the scrap price for your region by ZIP code, and shows every line of the math.

Frequently asked questions