Is a Junk Car Worth More if it’s Heavier?

The profit you receive for your junk vehicle will depend on all sorts of factors, one of which being the current market value for the metals your junk car contains. Accordingly, the more metal in a car, the more it’s worth once it’s deemed a total loss. Although the market values fluctuate regularly, sometimes even daily, making it hard to predetermine how much a junk car is worth, you can count on the fact that the more metal in a junk car, the more value it has. This is especially true for junk cars that contain all its parts.  

Continue reading to learn how metal quantity can influence the money you make from selling a junk car.

Indianapolis Junk Car Buyers
Indianapolis Junk Car Buyers 317-450-3721

Valuable Metal in a Junk Car

Metals like copper, aluminum, and iron are present in junk cars. They are also high in demand, and less available in today’s mining economy, making their values higher than before. Precious metals are also high in economic value. The two most abundant precious metals found in a vehicle are gold and platinum. However, there are a few others in trace quantities.

A vehicle that still retains a catalytic converter is more valuable than one that does not because catalytic converters are primarily compounded of platinum. It also contains traces of other precious metals and valuable alloys, such as palladium, rhodium, cerium, manganese, and nickel. As for gold, you can find it in any vehicle that contains a computer or circuit board.

How Much Can You Get

Professional junk car buying companies do not use a concrete formula to appraise junk vehicles. Instead, junk car appraisers will use specific factors as well as the current metal prices to determine how much a car is worth and how much they can pay someone for it. One of the most influential factors is the amount of metal in a vehicle.

Typically, vehicles that are larger and weigh more have more metal, thus making them worth more money at a salvage yard. However, the process of determining how much a junk car is worth can be complicated since values vary depending on several other factors, such as the make and model of a vehicle, a vehicle’s location, a vehicle’s condition, and the current market prices for metal.

How to Learn More About Selling Junk Cars

Call 317-450-3721 to speak with our friendly Indianapolis junk car buyers about selling your totaled car, today! We are the reputable and reliable junk car removal company you are searching for! We have been in business for over 25 years and will give you best return for your junk vehicle or motorized commodity. We accept anything with a motor, regardless of age or condition. Just call 317-450-3721 to get started!

How to Assess the Value of Your Junk Car

If you have a junk car that you wish to sell, your first inquiry likely has to do with money. You want to know how much your car is worth, and what to expect in terms of payment. Continue reading to learn what you need to know about this topic, including where to get started on your sale.

Sell Us Your Junk Vehicle Today! 317-450-3721

Sell Us Your Junk Vehicle Today! 317-450-3721

You Can’t Know For Sure

It is nearly impossible to determine the actual worth of a junk vehicle without an in-person, professional evaluation using industry technologies to measure and weigh it, such as electronic platform scales and XRF analyzers. However, you can get an idea of what to expect by running a rudimentary assessment yourself, before contact a junk car buyer.

There are four primary factors to concentrate on when making your own self-evaluation of your junk car. Take note, this will not be an accurate estimation, but rather, a starting point for negotiations. These factors include the vehicle’s valuable parts, recyclable parts, estimated auction value, and the total amount of pure scrap metal.

Valuable PartsCatalytic converters, engines, radiator, alternators, timing belts, starter motors, computers, stereos, electronic devices, airbag, battery, AC, fenders, bumpers, windows, doors, tailgates, tires, rims, chassis, and any functional automotive parts.

Valuable RecyclablesAnything within the vehicle that can be dismantled, reprocessed, and repurposed. This may include components like the ones mentioned for valuable parts. Almost everything in a vehicle can be recycled, especially if made of metal.

Auction ValueHow much will your junk car likely sell for at auction? Well, if it still operates, or only requires a few repairs, it could sell for more than the scrap value. In contrast, if it does not run and contains several defective parts and systems, it will sell for scrap value or less.

Pure Scrap ValueThis is the amount of metal in your junk car that can be sold as scrap. Cars mostly contain steel, so you can look up the current market prices for steel, and then multiply that number by the total weight of your vehicle. This will give you a starting point for negotiations.

Skip the Hassle and Get the Best Price for Your Junk Car

Sell a Junk Vehicle 317-450-3721

Sell a Junk Vehicle 317-450-3721

Call 317-450-3721 to sell a junk car in Indianapolis, Indiana for cash on the spot. We will buy your junk vehicle regardless of its condition, and pay you the fairest return in town! For more than 75 years, our company has been a trusted source for junk car selling, so you can trust us too! Call 317-450-3721 to request a free estimate for Indianapolis cash for cars, today.