The bottom line: Over the last twelve months, the typical offer on junk cars 10 years and older was $515, and half of all offers fell between $355 and $1,105. Where yours lands depends on the body type, whether it runs, the title, the model and the state.
Whether it runs, and whether the catalytic converter is still on, matter most. A car that won’t start is offered about 46% less than the same car running, and one with its catalytic converter gone about 57% less than the same car with it.
Buyers also disagree on the same car. On the same day, the best and worst offers were typically $314 apart, and in 39% of cars the best offer was at least double the worst.
Online buyers like Peddle and Wheelzy often offer more than your local junkyard, because they resell working parts before scrapping the rest. Compare offers from several of them before you commit.
What would buyers pay for your junk car?Fill in one form and see real offers for your car, not an average.
Key Takeaways
- Typical offer: just over $500 on a car 10 years and older in the last twelve months, with half of all offers inside a band that runs from a few hundred dollars to just over a thousand.
- Body type: pickups top the body types and minivans sit at the bottom, a few hundred dollars apart at the middle.
- Not running: a car that won’t start is offered about half of what the same car is offered running.
- Title and converter: a missing catalytic converter takes about 57% off the best offer, and a missing title lowers it too.
- Month: April is the high month for offers and September the low, over a hundred dollars apart at the middle.
- State: the best state runs a few hundred dollars above the worst at the typical offer.
- Compare: put the car to
and
and at least one more buyer on the same day, then take the highest offer.
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Offer amount 30% 5/5
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Quote speed 20% 5/5
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Pickup speed 20% 4/5
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Vehicle acceptance 15% 5/5
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Process ease 15% 5/5
- Buys any car in any condition, running or not
- Free towing, with no fees taken off the offer
- You can cancel before pickup at no cost
- Pays by check on the spot at pickup
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Offer amount 30% 5/5
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Quote speed 20% 5/5
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Pickup speed 20% 5/5
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Vehicle acceptance 15% 4/5
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Process ease 15% 4/5
- Buys damaged cars, even ones that can't be driven
- The engine and transmission must still be in
- Free towing, included with every offer
- Picks up within 48 hours, sometimes the same day
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Offer amount 30% 4.5/5
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Quote speed 20% 5/5
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Pickup speed 20% 4/5
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Vehicle acceptance 15% 4/5
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Process ease 15% 2/5
- Owned by Copart, the salvage auction company
- Buys almost any vehicle with a motor, running or not
- Free towing, and it handles the title transfer
- Hands you a check at pickup, or mails it
Automated assistant: general info, not legal advice
Answers come from our state paperwork data and published guides. Confirm anything binding with your state DMV.
Compare Instant Offers
Junk Car Offers by Vehicle Type
Body type is the first thing every buyer’s form asks. On cars 10 years and older, a pickup truck is offered a middle $855 and a minivan or van $495, across every buyer in our data; SUVs and full-size sedans sit in between. The models with the highest typical offers are in our list of the most valuable junk cars.
Typical junk car offer by body type 10,170 offers, cars 10 years and olderShow the numbers
Body type Typical offer Offers Pickup truck $855 1,035 SUV / crossover $665 3,437 Car (sedan, coupe, hatch) $505 5,115 Minivan / van $495 583 
Can You Get $500 for Your Junk Car?
Whether yours clears $500 depends on its age, model, body type and title and on whether it runs, because the typical offer on a car 10 years and older sits at $515, in our own offer data for the last twelve months. Age moves it most predictably: buyers offer far more for a car just past 10 than for one past 20.
| Age of the car | Typical offer |
|---|---|
| 10 to 12 years | $1,235 |
| 13 to 14 years | $720 |
| 15 to 17 years | $555 |
| 18 to 19 years | $465 |
| 20 to 24 years | $410 |
| 25 to 29 years | $360 |
| 30 years or more | $340 |
The model can tip it either way. Across cars 10 years and older, buyers typically offer $835 for a Toyota Corolla and $630 for a Camry, against $425 for a Nissan Altima and $418 for a Sentra.
If yours sits near the line, three things you control decide it: leave the catalytic converter on, have the title in hand, and put the car to more than one buyer on the same day, because offers on the same car can sit far apart.
What Is a Junk Car Worth in Scrap?
Junkyards start from scrap metal: the heavier the car, the more the yard can sell on by the ton. We don’t type a price per ton here because it changes week to week and no buyer will quote you one.
What we can measure is where the floor sits. Over the last 90 days, a quarter of offers on cars 20 years and older came in at or below $275, which is about what the metal alone brings. Everything above that is parts, demand and the buyer’s own needs that week.
Online buyers typically offer more than a yard because they resell working parts before scrapping the rest, which is why a car that runs is offered so much more than the same car that doesn’t. The section on what affects the offer has the figure.
Junk Car Value Calculator
How this works: the starting figure is the typical best offer for cars of your car’s age and mileage in our own offer data, and each condition applies the change we measured for it inside groups matched on age and mileage. The effects were measured one at a time, so stacking several is an approximation. Cars are offered by online buyers; these are offers, not sale prices, and a single buyer can come in well below or above this figure. How every figure is calculated.
What Affects How Much You Get for Junking a Car?
Body type is the first thing a buyer’s form asks, and it moves the offer more than any weight figure: pickups sit at the top of the body types and minivans at the bottom, as the chart in the first section shows. Heavier cars carry more metal, but the offer follows what the parts and the whole car can be sold on for, not the scale.
Whether the car runs is one of the two biggest condition factors; only a missing catalytic converter costs more. Across cars quoted by several buyers on the same day, a car that won’t start is offered about 46% less than the same car running, and one that starts but can’t be driven about 29% less, compared inside groups of the same age and mileage. Online buyers offer more for running vehicles because they can resell working parts before scrapping the metal.
If your car won’t start or doesn’t run, you can still get a good offer. Just be upfront about it when you request quotes.
What the condition of a car does to its best offer 1,564 cars of every age quoted by up to three buyers, compared inside matched mileage and age groupsShow the numbers
Condition Change in best offer Offers Catalytic converter missing -57% 389 Does not start -46% 916 Starts but does not drive -29% 686 Sitting at a mechanic -23% 485 Dashboard warning light on -18% 1,434 Broken glass, mirror or light -14% 867 Body damage -13% 867 Loan outstanding -5% 645 Interior damage -3% 867 Accident history 1% 1,434
High-value parts move the offer, and the catalytic converter most of all: buyers offer about 57% less for a car with its converter gone than for the same car with it, the largest single effect in our data. A working engine, a working transmission and alloy wheels add to the offer too; which models’ parts are in demand is in the most-valuable list.
Title status affects your offer. Cars with a clean or salvage title typically get better offers than cars with no title at all. Buyers still make offers on a no-title car, but fewer of them will take one, and many want the title in your name at pickup.
If you’ve lost your title, a duplicate from your DMV costs whatever your state charges, and our list of DMV fees by state gives each one. Check your state’s rule before you pay for one: nine states exempt older cars from titling, each at its own cut-off.
Location plays a real role in how much you get, because each buyer’s tow network is thicker in some states than others. The typical offer on cars 10 years and older is highest in Montana, at $695, and lowest in Oklahoma, a gap of about $295 across the states with enough offers to count. Our guide to junk car buyers near you covers how the local pickup works.
Typical junk car offer by state 12,196 offers across 44 statesShow the numbers
State Typical offer Offers MT $695 55 TX $690 901 CO $680 312 NJ $670 395 NY $640 528 LA $610 126 FL $605 763 CA $605 1,816 PA $605 505 MD $600 267 DE $600 41 AZ $593 280 MA $573 312 VA $565 383 NV $563 108 KS $543 76 CT $530 177 GA $525 441 MS $525 54 RI $525 49 NE $515 61 ME $510 63 IL $500 440 UT $495 140 OH $490 454 SC $490 170 MI $488 338 ID $488 54 WI $485 190 MO $485 235 NC $480 431 TN $480 268 NH $475 55 NM $475 61 AR $473 60 KY $470 122 MN $460 237 IA $455 88 IN $455 211 OR $443 206 WA $435 405 AL $413 130 WV $405 69 OK $400 119
Time of year matters less than the factors above, but it shows. Pooling every year of offers, April is the high month and September the low, $145 apart at the typical offer on cars 10 years and older. If you can wait for spring, wait; if you can’t, the swing is small next to comparing buyers.
The month you ask changes the offer 12,312 offers, cars 10 years and older, all five years pooledShow the numbers
Month Typical offer Offers Jan $590 1,066 Feb $610 853 Mar $613 1,052 Apr $625 942 May $610 892 Jun $550 997 Jul $540 1,193 Aug $525 1,384 Sep $480 1,184 Oct $530 985 Nov $575 907 Dec $565 857
Who Buys Junk Cars?
Online Junk Car Buyers
Companies like Peddle, Wheelzy, CarBrain, and CashForCars buy junk cars nationwide through their network of local partners. You get an instant online quote, they pick up your car for free, and you get paid at pickup.
Online buyers typically offer more than local junkyards because they resell usable parts before scrapping the metal. Pickup usually comes within a day or two of scheduling, through a local tow partner. This is the best option for most sellers.
Local Junkyards and Scrap Yards
Local junkyards offer based almost entirely on scrap metal weight. They’re fast and often handle same-day pickup. But they almost always offer less than online buyers because they’re not set up to resell parts.
Local yards are a good backup if you need same-day service or if online buyers won’t service your area. Always get at least one online quote first to know what your car is actually offered.
Selling Parts Privately
Parting out your car yourself can bring in the most in total, but it takes weeks or months. You’ll need space, tools, and the ability to handle multiple buyers. It makes sense if your car has high-demand parts and you have time to wait.
For most people, the extra time and work isn’t worth the added money compared to a quick online sale.
Before You Junk Your Car
Get at least 3 quotes. Across the cars quoted by more than one buyer on the same day, the best and worst offer were typically $314 apart, and in 39% of cars the best was at least double the worst, in our data. It costs you nothing to ask.
How far apart the best and worst offer are on the same car 998 cars 10 years and older, each quoted by two or more buyers on the same dayShow the numbers
Best offer against worst Share of cars Offers Within 10% 9.5% 95 10% to 25% apart 11.7% 117 25% to 50% apart 17.5% 175 50% to 100% apart 21.8% 218 Double to triple 18.8% 188 More than triple 20.5% 205
Don’t remove the catalytic converter. Buyers factor in the converter value when making offers. Sell it with the car for the best combined value.
Get a duplicate title if you’ve lost yours. Contact your DMV. The fee is a state matter (the title section has the range) and it is usually far less than the offer you lose without one.
Be honest about the condition. Tell buyers upfront if the car won’t start or has major damage, so the quote holds at pickup. Get every offer in writing before you schedule anything.
Watch out for hidden fees. Some buyers advertise high quotes and then add towing fees, title transfer fees, or processing charges. Ask every buyer if the quote is the final amount you’ll receive at pickup.
Ask in spring if you can wait. In our data April is the high month and September the low; the time-of-year section has the figures, and the swing is small next to comparing buyers.
Remove personal items and your plates first. This avoids delays at pickup. In 46 states the plates stay with you when the car goes; what you do with them next is a state rule, and our license plate guide covers it.
Where to Sell Your Junk Car?
| Option | Typical offer level | Speed | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online junk buyers (Peddle, Wheelzy) | Highest | Peddle typically 24 to 48 hours once booked; Wheelzy offers same day | Most sellers |
| Local junkyard / scrap yard | Lower | Same day | Need cash fast, rural areas |
| Private part-out sale | Highest potential | Weeks to months | High-demand makes, have time and tools |
| Charity donation | Tax deduction only | 1 to 2 weeks | Tax benefit over cash |
For most people with a junk car to sell, online buyers are the best starting point. They offer free towing, fast payment, and typically the highest offers. Use a local junkyard as a backup if online buyers can’t service your zip code or you need same-day cash.
Compare instant offers before you accept one
Tax Implications and Post-Sale Checklist
If you sell your junk car for less than you originally paid (which is almost always the case), you don’t owe any capital gains tax. You may be able to deduct a loss if the car was used for business, but for personal vehicles there’s no tax consequence.
If you’d rather donate the car than sell it, our guide to selling versus donating a car compares the two.
Before and after the sale, here’s what to do:
- Remove all personal belongings from the car
- Take off your license plates before pickup, except in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Minnesota and Oregon, where they stay with the car
- Sign the title over to the buyer at pickup (don’t sign it before)
- Deal with your plates: in 46 states they stay with you, and the state says whether to transfer, return or destroy them
- Cancel or transfer your auto insurance after the sale
- File the release of liability where your state has one: 35 states do, and the deadline is a state rule
Compare instant offers before you accept one
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a junkyard buy my car if it’s been in an accident?
Yes. Junkyards and online buyers purchase cars with accident damage all the time, and the history on its own barely moves the offer: in our data an accident on the record made almost no difference to the best offer, a change of +1% against the same car without one, once age and mileage are matched.
Body damage that still shows costs more than the history does, so describe both on the form.
Does a loan on the car lower a junk offer?
Somewhat, in our data: buyers offered about 5% less for a car with a loan still on it than for the same car owned outright, once age and mileage are matched.
What changes is the paperwork. Peddle, Wheelzy and CashForCars buy only once the loan is paid off, so have the payoff figure ready.
What paperwork do I need to junk my car?
At minimum you need your vehicle title and a valid photo ID.
Without a title, the buyer will tell you what your state accepts in its place; the no-title guide covers the rules state by state.
Article Update History
Now covers which junk cars buyers offer most for by age and model, from Sell Car Advisor quote data, and title exemptions from the state paperwork checklist in MyGarage.
Price ranges checked against current scrap metal rates and live quotes from national junk car buyers.
Originally posted and shared with our readers.
Sources
Typical junk car offer by body type, Junk Car Value Statistics
"10,170 offers, cars 10 years and older" Accessed Oct. 16, 2026
What the condition of a car does to its best offer, Junk Car Value Statistics
"1,564 cars of every age quoted by up to three buyers, compared inside matched mileage and age groups" Accessed Oct. 16, 2026
Typical junk car offer by state, Junk Car Value Statistics
"12,196 offers across 44 states" Accessed Oct. 16, 2026
The month you ask changes the offer, Junk Car Value Statistics
"12,312 offers, cars 10 years and older, all five years pooled" Accessed Oct. 16, 2026
How far apart the best and worst offer are on the same car, Junk Car Value Statistics
"998 cars 10 years and older, each quoted by two or more buyers on the same day" Accessed Oct. 16, 2026
Junk Car Value Statistics, Sell Car Advisor
"On this page: 27 figures from 17,628 instant cash offers, and 31 figures from same-day quotes by several buyers" Accessed Oct. 19, 2026
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