How scrap car prices are worked out

The short version

A scrap car is valued mainly as a source of recyclable metal. Scrap metal is bought and sold by the tonne, so the starting point for any scrap price is how much the car weighs and what the market is paying per tonne right now.

From there, the price is adjusted for the details of the car: whether it is complete, whether the catalytic converter is still fitted, whether there are keys and a V5C, and where it is. That is the whole picture.

Weight: the biggest factor

Weight is where most of a scrap car's value comes from. Steel, aluminium and other metals make up the bulk of a car, and the heavier the car, the more of them there are.

That is why a large estate, people carrier, 4x4 or van tends to be worth more as scrap than a small hatchback. It is not about how nice the car is. It is about how much metal it carries.

The scrap metal market

The price paid per tonne for scrap metal is not fixed. It moves with supply and demand in the wider metals market, and it can rise or fall over weeks and months.

This means the same car can be worth a little more or a little less depending on when it is scrapped. It also explains why a price a friend got some time ago may not match what you are offered today. Our instant price reflects current conditions, not an old figure.

Make and model

Make and model matter mainly because they tell us the car's weight and construction. Two cars of a similar size can be built quite differently, with different amounts of metal. When we look up your registration, we can see these details, which is how the online price can be specific to your car.

Completeness

A complete car has its engine, gearbox, wheels, panels and catalytic converter. Each of those adds weight or value. When parts are missing, there is less to recycle, so the price drops.

This is the second most common reason for a lower figure, after a car simply being light. If parts have been removed, tell George when he calls to book, and he will talk it through before collection.

The catalytic converter

The catalytic converter deserves its own mention. It contains precious metals that are valuable to recyclers. A car with its converter fitted is worth noticeably more as scrap than the same car without one.

Converters are sometimes stolen from parked cars. If yours has been taken, tell us when you get your price.

Keys and V5C

Keys make a car easier to move and handle during loading, especially if the steering lock needs releasing. The V5C logbook keeps the paperwork simple. Neither is essential, but both help. You can still sell a car without the V5C if you have photo ID and proof of ownership and address. Our guide on scrapping a car without a logbook explains how.

Location

Where the car is affects the cost of collecting it, so the postcode is part of how the price is worked out. Collection is always free to you. We cover Corby, Kettering and the towns and villages around them, and further afield by arrangement.

What doesn't affect the price much

Some things matter less than people expect:

• Whether the car runs. A non-runner weighs the same as a car that starts. See our non-runner cost guide.
• Cosmetic damage. Dents and scratches don't change the metal content.
• Mileage. A high mileage car is valued on its weight like any other.
• MOT status. An expired MOT or a failure rarely changes a scrap figure. See our MOT failure cost guide.

The price factors at a glance

Old cars versus newer cars

Age matters only as far as it affects weight and completeness. An older car is not automatically worth less as scrap than a newer one of the same size. A complete twenty-year-old estate can easily be worth more as scrap than a small, newer hatchback, because the estate simply carries more metal.

Vans and 4x4s

The same logic applies to vans, 4x4s and pickups, but they are usually heavier than cars, so weight plays an even bigger role. Size, body type and payload rating all hint at how much metal a van carries. Our scrap van cost guide goes into this in detail.

How our instant price uses these factors

When you enter your registration, we look up the vehicle's details, including its make, model and size. Your postcode tells us where it is. Together, those let us show a price for your actual car rather than a rough band. Anything about keys, the V5C or missing parts is talked through when George calls to book, before collection.

Why the price can change on the day

The online price stands as long as the car is complete and as described. If something is different when we arrive, such as the catalytic converter having been removed, we explain why before we load. You can say no.

Why we pay by bank transfer

The Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 makes it illegal to pay cash for scrap metal, including scrap cars. We pay instantly by bank transfer when we collect. Any buyer still offering cash for cars is breaking the law.

Find out what your car is worth

The cost guides for scrap cars, damaged cars and scrap vans apply these factors to each type of vehicle. Or get your instant price now and see a figure for your own car. Our scrap car collection page explains the service in full.

Last updated 14 October 2026 by We Buy Scrap Cars Corby.

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?

Questions people ask