Todd Bialaszewski

Take out personal belongings, remove the license plates, and retrieve any custom accessories worth keeping. You don’t need to remove mechanical parts, drain fluids, or strip the interior. Scrap yards and junk car buyers handle all of that during their processing. Focus on your personal items and required paperwork. Checklist before scrapping: Check glove box […]

Remove personal belongings, valuables, important documents, and custom accessories you want to keep. Don’t remove mechanical parts unless you have the time and skills to sell them separately for profit. Most people maximize value by selling the complete car rather than parting it out. Always remove before selling: Personal items (sunglasses, phone chargers, loose change)

Undeployed airbags are worth $50 to $300 each in the used parts market. A car with intact airbags has more value than one where they’ve deployed in an accident. However, selling airbags privately is heavily regulated, and most people should leave them for the junk car buyer to handle. Airbag values by type: Driver front

Yes. A car battery is worth $5 to $20 at a scrap yard due to its lead content. Auto parts stores also accept old batteries, sometimes offering store credit. While not a huge amount, the battery does add to your junk car’s overall value and shouldn’t be removed before sale unless you have a specific

Alloy wheels are worth $5 to $20 each as scrap aluminum, or $20 to $80 total for a set of four. As resale items, clean alloy wheels in good condition sell for $50 to $150 each, or $200 to $600 per set. The gap between scrap and resale value makes wheels worth selling separately if

A transmission is worth $10 to $75 as scrap metal. As a used part, a working transmission brings $150 to $800 or more depending on type and vehicle compatibility. Automatic transmissions generally have higher resale value than manual transmissions because they’re more common and expensive to replace. Transmission values by condition: Working automatic transmission: $200

A car engine is worth $50 to $400 as pure scrap metal, depending on its size and material composition. However, a running or rebuildable engine is worth $500 to $2,000 or more as a used part. The condition determines whether your engine has scrap value or resale value. Engine values by condition: Running engine (tested

Catalytic converters are worth $50 to $800 depending on the vehicle type and precious metal content. Truck and SUV converters contain more material and bring higher prices. Hybrid vehicle converters, especially from Toyota Prius models, are among the most valuable due to their higher precious metal concentrations. Catalytic converter values by vehicle type: Small cars

Selling your catalytic converter separately can yield more money, but it comes with legal restrictions and practical challenges. Many states require proof of ownership or a dealer license to sell converters. For most people, leaving the converter on the car and selling to a junk car buyer is simpler and still captures much of that

Interior trim, plastic components, worn tires, and standard steel wheels have the least scrap value. These parts contain cheap materials with little recycling value and limited resale demand. Removing them before scrapping your car rarely makes financial sense. Low-value parts not worth removing: Plastic interior trim and panels: Nearly worthless Carpeting and floor mats: No

The most valuable parts to remove and sell separately are the catalytic converter, engine, transmission, GPS or infotainment system, and alloy wheels. These components have strong resale markets and can yield more money sold individually than included with a whole-car sale to a junkyard. Parts worth removing if you have time and skills: Catalytic converter:

The catalytic converter is typically the most valuable part on a junk car. It contains platinum, palladium, and rhodium, which are precious metals worth more per ounce than gold. A single catalytic converter can be worth $100 to $800 depending on the vehicle type and current metal prices. Why catalytic converters are so valuable: Contain

Catalytic converters have the highest scrap value of any car part, often worth $100 to $500 or more due to their precious metal content. Engines, transmissions, and aluminum wheels also command strong prices. These components contain valuable materials or have high demand in the used parts market. Highest-value car parts ranked: Catalytic converter: $100 to