Quick answer
Your scrap car's value depends mainly on its weight and the current scrap metal price, plus completeness, the catalytic converter, keys, V5C and location. We Buy Scrap Cars Corby gives an instant online price, collects for free and pays by bank transfer. Call 07598 314366.
- Price
- Instant online
- Collection
- Free
- Payment
- Bank transfer on collection
- Paperwork
- Certificate of Destruction
On this page
- Why we don't publish a price list
- How much is my scrap car worth, and what decides it?
- What affects the price of a scrap car
- The weight question
- Why a complete car is worth more
- Does it matter where the car is?
- How the instant price works
- Will the price change on the day?
- How you get paid
- Related cost guides
Why we don't publish a price list
People often ask us for a simple chart of what each car is worth. We don't give one, because no honest scrap car buyer can. Two cars of the same make and age can be worth quite different amounts once you look at their weight, what is still fitted and where they are parked.
What we do instead is give you a real figure for your own car. You enter the registration and postcode on our instant price page, we look the vehicle up, and you see a price on screen that is based on that car, not an average.
How much is my scrap car worth, and what decides it?
The short answer is that a scrap car is valued mainly as metal. Scrap is bought and sold by the tonne, so a heavier car usually carries a higher value than a lighter one. On top of that, the figure moves with the scrap metal market, which goes up and down over the weeks and months.
After weight and the market, the details of the car matter. Is the engine still in? Is the gearbox there? Has the catalytic converter been taken off? Are there keys? Do you have the V5C logbook? Each of those nudges the price one way or the other. If you want the full background, our guide on how scrap car prices work goes through it in detail.
What affects the price of a scrap car
| Factor | Effect on price |
|---|---|
| Vehicle weight | The biggest single factor. Heavier cars hold more metal and are usually worth more |
| Scrap metal market | Prices per tonne rise and fall, so the same car can be worth a little more or less at different times |
| Make and model | Some models carry more useful metal or are heavier for their size |
| Completeness | A car with its engine, gearbox, wheels and panels is worth more than a stripped shell |
| Catalytic converter | Contains valuable metals. A missing converter lowers the price noticeably |
| Keys | Having keys makes the car easier to move and handle, which helps |
| V5C logbook | Makes the paperwork simple. Without it you need proof of ID and ownership |
| Location | Where the car is affects the cost of collecting it, which feeds into the offer |
The weight question
Weight is where most of the value comes from. A small city car and a large estate or 4x4 can sit side by side on a driveway and be worth very different amounts, purely because one carries far more steel, aluminium and other metals than the other.
When we look up your registration, we can see the vehicle's details, including its make, model and size. That is how the instant price is able to reflect the real car rather than a rough guess.
Why a complete car is worth more
A complete car has all the parts that give it value as scrap. Engines and gearboxes are heavy, and the catalytic converter contains precious metals. If any of those have been removed, there is simply less to recycle.
So if you have already taken parts off, or someone else has, tell us when you fill in the price form. That way the figure you see matches what we will find when we arrive. If the car is exactly as described, the price stands.
Does it matter where the car is?
Yes, to a degree. We give free collection, so you never pay us to take the car away. But the postcode you enter is part of how the price is worked out, because travel is a real cost for us. We cover Corby, Kettering and the towns and villages around them, and we go further afield by arrangement.
Awkward spots are rarely a problem. Our collections are carried out with our own recovery trucks from Rapid Recovery Corby, so cars in tight spaces, low garages or with flat tyres can usually be moved without fuss.
How the instant price works
Getting a figure takes a couple of minutes:
- Enter your registration and postcode on the get a price page.
- See your price on screen straight away, worked out from the vehicle's weight and where it is. No contact details needed.
- Accept it if you are happy, and add your name, phone number and email.
- George calls you to agree a collection time and talk through anything missing from the car.
You are under no obligation at any point before you accept.
Will the price change on the day?
The price stands as long as the car is complete and as described. If something is different when we arrive, for example the catalytic converter has gone or the engine has been removed, we explain the difference before we load anything. You are free to say no at that point.
That is the fairest way to do it. You know the figure in advance, and you only hear about a change if the car itself is different.
How you get paid
We pay instantly by bank transfer when we collect. We never pay in notes, because the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 makes it illegal to pay cash for scrap metal, including scrap cars. Any buyer still offering cash for cars is breaking the law, so treat that as a warning sign.
You will need photo ID (a driving licence or passport) and proof of address, as we are required to check the seller's name and address. Have the V5C ready if you have it.
Related cost guides
Different types of vehicle raise different questions about value. These guides go into each one:
- How much is my MOT failure worth?
- How much is my non-runner worth?
- How much is my damaged car worth?
- How much is my scrap van worth?
For the service itself, see our scrap car collection page. When you are ready, get your instant price and see what your car is worth today.
Last updated 14 October 2026 by We Buy Scrap Cars Corby.
Scrap Car Collection by area
- Corby
- Kettering
- Weldon
- Priors Hall Park
- Great Oakley
- Stanion
- Brigstock
- Gretton
- Cottingham
- Middleton
- Rockingham
- Geddington
- Rothwell
- Desborough
- Deenethorpe
- Wilbarston
- Stoke Albany
- East Carlton
- Rushton
- Great Easton
- Caldecott
- Harringworth
- Bulwick
- Grafton Underwood
- Lowick
- Barton Seagrave
Other price guides: MOT Failures · Non-Runners · Damaged Cars and Write-Offs · Scrap Van Collection
Helpful guides
- How to scrap a car legally
- Certificate of Destruction explained
- Scrapping a car with no logbook
- Should I scrap or repair my car?
- How scrap car prices work
Questions people ask
How much is my scrap car worth?
It depends mainly on the car's weight and the current scrap metal price, plus completeness, the catalytic converter, keys and logbook. Enter your registration and postcode online for an instant price.
Do you charge for collecting a scrap car?
No. Collection is free. The price you accept is the amount you are paid by bank transfer when we collect.
Why is my scrap car worth less than I expected?
Usually because it is a lighter vehicle, the scrap market is lower at the moment, or parts such as the catalytic converter or engine are missing.
Can the price go down when you arrive?
Only if the car is different from what you told us, such as a missing catalytic converter. We explain why before loading, and you can say no.
Do you pay cash for scrap cars?
No. We pay by bank transfer, because paying cash for scrap metal, including scrap cars, has been illegal since the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013.
Does having no logbook lower the price?
Having the V5C keeps things simple, but you can still sell a car without it if you have photo ID and proof of ownership and address.