FAQs
Ready to junk your car in Indiana? From how the process works to junking with a lien, get your most common questions answered.
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Fair Quote, Free Pickup, Fast Cash, Gone Today.
- Damaged Cars
- Mechanical Issues
- Broken Vehicles
- Non-starters
- Free Collection
- Fast & Easy Process
Scrap Car Prices In Indiana
Unlock the true value of your junk car with Wheelsaway’s scrap car prices guide. From expert tips on getting the best price to the environmental impact of junking your car, we’re here to help you get the best return.
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How much can you make?
Even if it’s no longer running, your beat-up ride still holds value. When it’s junked, its worth will be determined largely by the weight of its scrap metals, and factors like its age, make, and model. Cars still containing their valuable components, like catalytic converters and engines, will be worth more than those without.
Most scrap cars sell for between $100-$500 – not bad for an old clunker gathering dust on your driveway!
Our expert team is specially trained to help you extract the most value from your car, even if it’s no longer running.
We’ll walk you through the most common factors impacting your scrap cars value, understanding current scrap metal prices, and more.
How Do You Calculate Scrap Car Prices?
Want a quick, rough estimate of your cars scrap rate?
Estimate using scrap metal rates & car weight
Find current scrap metal rates per ton, and multiply by your car’s weight (in tons).
For example, current metal prices might be around $150–$250 per ton. A typical car weighing about 4,000 lbs (2 tons) could then be worth roughly $300–$500 just for its scrap metal.
Call local scrapyards and recyclers
Get quotes directly from local scrapyards and recyclers for a more accurate figure. They’ll adjust your valuation accordingly depending on the condition of your car.
Use an online scrap car value calculator
Many online car buyers, like Wheels Away, provide instant quotes when you enter your car’s details. This saves you the time and hassle of contacting multiple buyers yourself.
The Price of Scrap Metal
Scrap metal prices fluctuate often – sometimes daily – depending on demand and economic conditions. Knowing the rough values of some of the most common metals will help you know what to expect from your valuation.
The table below displays some of the most common scrap metals and their locations. You’ll notice that catalytic converters contain some of the most valuable metals: platinum, palladium, and rhodium. This is why you’ll often get more cash for your scrap car if it has one.
Note: values are subject to change.
| Metal | Value (per pound, unless otherwise stated) | Common Car Locations |
|---|---|---|
| Platinum, Palladium, Rhodium | High (per ounce) | Catalytic converters |
| Copper | $3.00–$4.22 | Wiring, alternators, starters, radiators |
| Brass | $2.00–$2.30 | Radiators, fittings |
| Gold | $14.00 | Electronic components |
| Silver | $4.00 | Electronic components |
| Aluminum (Scrap prices vary by type – sheet, cast, extrusion, copper unit, wire). |
$0.67–$1.81 | Wheels, engine blocks, body panels |
| Stainless Steel | $0.30–$1.35 | Exhaust systems, trim |
| Lead | $0.80–$0.95 | Car batteries |
| Steel (per metric ton) | $620-$900 | Frame, body panels |
Steel is the most common metal found in cars and is found in multiple large components, such as the frame and body panels. This is why heavier, larger vehicles tend to fetch more cash.
How to Get the Most Value Out of Your Scrap Car?
Ready to get rid of your scrap car? You’ll have two options – junking or salvaging. What pays more, and how can you get the highest return?
Does Salvaging or Junking Get You More Money?
How do you know whether to salvage or junk, how do they work, and which gets you more cash?
Salvaging
Salvaging almost always gets you a higher payout. The U.S salvage industry is big business, generating billions annually. You’ll be able to salvage your car if it still has some life left in it (e.g. it was written off by insurance, has minor crash damage). If it’s main components are still intact, the vehicle can often be repaired, rebuilt, and resold, which means you’ll get more money for selling it.
Junking
If a car is at the end of its life and cannot be repaired, it’ll be junked. Cars in this condition have damaged and often missing components. Your payout is determined by the weight of its metals, so smaller vehicles, or those with missing parts, are likely to get you less cash. Vehicles that weigh more or have rarer metals can fetch you more. Where possible, brokers like Wheels Away always aim to get you a better-than-junk price.
Environmental Impact of Junking A Car
75-85% of your vehicle is recyclable. When you junk your car, these materials can be put back into circulation, which reduces the emissions tied to mining, refining, and transporting new ones. Junking is always better than leaving a vehicle abandoned, where it can become a toxic liability to the environment.
Environmental regulations outlined by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) help scrap yards prevent oil leakages and ensure that other hazardous materials are handled, stored, and recycled appropriately.
Recyclers are always appropriately licensed and trained to handle end-of-life vehicles safely and reduce environmental impact.
1. Safeguards the Environment
Vehicles contain oils, fluids, and chemicals that can contaminate land and waterways if mishandled. Licensed recyclers remove and dispose of these materials responsibly, helping protect local ecosystems.
2. Extends the Life of Valuable Materials
Producing new metals is energy-intensive. Recycling allows usable metals and components from your car to be recovered and reused, cutting waste and reducing the need for new raw materials.
3. Supports the Future of Sustainable Vehicles
Proper vehicle recycling plays a key role in addressing modern challenges, including the safe handling of hybrid and electric vehicle batteries.
Should I Sell It in Parts?
Parting out and selling privately can increase your payout, but only if it’s done correctly.
Removing individual components safely and without causing damage requires a lot of skill and know-how. One wrong move could damage an otherwise perfect component and knock its value significantly.
You’ll also have to source private buyers for your components and negotiate a fair deal. It can take time to find the right person, so if you’re looking for a quick payout, this isn’t the way to go.
It’s often worth working with a brokerage like Wheels Away to get a specialist valuation for your vehicle as-is, and access multiple offers from local buyers. This gives you the best chance of getting a fair price for your vehicle, and our expertly trained team can help you extract the most value from those parts that are otherwise still running.
Turn Your Junk Car Into Cash Today
Wheels Away makes selling your junk car in Indiana quick, simple, and stress-free. Get an instant offer, and we’ll handle collection and payment.
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