Yes. Junk car buyers purchase vehicles with no engine. The car still has value in its transmission, catalytic converter, body panels, interior parts, and scrap metal. Missing the engine reduces offers significantly, but plenty of value remains in a complete car minus the motor.
Value remaining in a car without an engine:
- Transmission: $100 to $500+ if working
- Catalytic converter: $100 to $400+
- Body panels: $50 to $200+ each
- Interior parts: $50 to $300 total
- Wheels and tires: $100 to $400
- Scrap metal: $100 to $200
Why engines get removed:
- Owner sold engine separately
- Engine was swapped into another vehicle
- Mechanic kept engine for core value
- Previous buyer only wanted the engine
Expect offers 30% to 50% lower than a complete vehicle. The engine is often the most valuable single component. Without it, buyers calculate value from remaining parts and metal.
Be upfront about the missing engine when requesting quotes. Surprising a buyer at pickup leads to rejected sales or significantly reduced offers. Accurate descriptions prevent wasted time.
If you removed the engine to sell separately, that’s fine. Many people part out valuable components before selling the remainder. Just factor the missing engine into your expectations for the rest of the car.
Similar situations apply to cars missing transmissions or other major components.
