Most Valuable Parts on a Car to Scrap.
Blog/ Most Valuable Parts on a Car to Scrap.
AuthorSarah RobinsonCategory Junk Cars
Have you got an old or battered car that’s of no use to you anymore and on its way to the junkyard to be shredded?
You’ll need to hold on just a little bit. Your junk car might not be as useless you think it is.
Remember the old saying “One man’s trash is another man’s valuable possession?”
It works for cars too, there will always be someone or people who are looking to get car parts for so many reasons known to them.
Sounds like what you like to hear? That’s great.
In this article, we’ll let you know the most valuable parts on a car to scrap and who knows, you might be surprised by what you find.
Ready? Let’s dive right in…
The GPS System Is A Part That Will Yield High Scrap Value.
Indeed many drivers prefer to make use of their smartphones as their GPS these days. That doesn’t mean a built-in GPS will be worthless.
A built-in GPS affords a driver the advantages of a dedicated, hands-free, mounted and voice-operated GPS unit.
If you’re someone who loves driving out of town, you’d agree that a built-in GPS works better as it frees your phone up for other functions and helps to keep your eyes fixed on the road.
With this said, you can tell that selling your GPS won’t be a bad idea after all. Removing it from your car is pretty easy and will make you a few hundred bucks richer at least.
Who to sell to: You can sell to electronic shops, car dealers, parts collectors, manufacturers and so on.
Scrapping Your Catalytic Converters.
As long as your car was made after 1975, it has a catalytic converter. You might know it’s valuable but have no idea why it’s so.
The answer is quite simple…inside the catalytic converter are precious metals namely; rhodium, platinum and palladium.
These metals/elements are responsible for the filtering and lowering of the toxic fumes that a car emits.
Now you can see why catalytic converters have got a lot of resale value on them. They’re so much in demand that many people have woken up to theirs being stolen.
You can earn at about $100+ on your used catalytic converter.
Who to sell to: parts recyclers, individual buyers, scrap yards, scrap catalytic converter buyers and so on.
Your Car Battery.
Selling your car battery is quite simple but might cause dangers to the environment. First, you won’t make so much scrapping it to a scrap yard, might not be over $20.
Besides the low pay, scrap yards don’t have so much use for car batteries and might just leave it somewhere to tot away into the earth.
A better option? Have it recycled. You can easily do this yourself by the use of Epsom salt and distilled water. This can add more years to the battery life and be more appealing to a private buyer and probably leave you with higher pay-out than a scrapyard.
Who to sell to: Individual buyers, scrap yards and so on.
Scrapping your Car Engine.
Disconnecting your car engine from your car won’t be as easy as you think unless you’ve got a little technical know-how and the required tools.
If you decide to hire a mechanic to get it out, you might bear some costs which may or may not be inviting to you.
You also have the option of having the buyer take it out themselves. If having a stranger go through your car doesn’t bother you then this might be a better option for you.
Depending on the mileage, a car engine can cost above $500. Also, be sure that the car engine isn’t blown otherwise it’ll just need to be recycled as no one will want it.
Who to sell to: Parts recyclers, private buyers, junkyards and so on.
Sell Your Car Stereo.
No one wants to drive a car that doesn’t have a stereo in it. Once you’re ready to send your junk car to the scrapyard, take out the stereo and find a buyer for it.
Scrapping it alongside your car is just like throwing money away. It’s even a plus if you had replaced it with a newer stereo. This is sure to add a few hundred bucks to your wallet.
If you didn’t change out the stereo, it’ll still be worth something even if it’s not going to be as profitable as a new one.
Who to sell to: parts collectors, parts recyclers, private buyers and so on.
Selling Your Exhaust Systems For Scrap.
If you check the current average cost of replacing a complete exhaust system [with the catalytic converter], you’ll find the range falling around $600 - $1,000.
An exhaust system helps to reduce the number of fumes released into the atmosphere and to also help control noises from the engine. These functions make it much sought-after on the market.
If you’re lucky enough to still have yours in good condition then having the whole system removed and sold can be quite profitable as they’re always in high demand.
Who to sell to: parts collectors, individual buyers, repair shops and so on.
Airbags.
Depending on the type, unused airbags in your junk car can be a source of value for your wallet.
So, if your car got into an accident but the airbags didn’t deploy, they’re still usable even if your car is no more usable.
You can get to sell your unused airbags for as high as $200. This is because there are a lot of buyers willing to pay that amount than over a thousand for a full install of new ones.
They’ll surely jump at the chance to get the unused airbags at a cheaper rate from you.
Who to sell to: private/individual buyers, parts recyclers, parts collectors and so on.
Doors, Windows, Mirrors and Electrical Parts.
You can sell each of these parts and earn some extra money. The windows, doors, mirrors and other electrical components are of great value.
This is true as many accidents occur all the time, whether major or minor. This makes the need for even the smallest component very high.
When a car gets into an accident and has all or some of these parts banged up but can still work perfectly, replacing these parts will be what every driver will opt for.
So, finding a buyer with your car type or model won’t be so hard and could fetch you some few hundred bucks.
If all you’ve got a four-door car and they’re still in good condition then selling them separately will be more profitable.
Who to sell to: private buyers, mechanics, repair shops, parts recyclers, parts collectors and so on.
Windshield Wipers.
These might not fetch you so much money but can fetch you more than the battery of your car. Depending on your car model, you can make up to $65 per arm.
Who to sell to: parts recyclers, parts collectors, individual buyers and so on.
Scrapping Your Car Bumper.
A car’s bumper is responsible for protecting the front and back of any cay from low-impact collisions. Today, most car bumpers are made from plastic, aluminum, steel and fiberglass.
It’s quite common to see a car with a bumper from another car especially when the bumper has a different color.
This is because most drivers will rather pay for a used bumper that won’t cost them more than a few hundred bucks than incurring high charges from car dealerships.
No one will stay without a bumper after it has been destroyed in an accident.
Who to sell to: parts recyclers, parts collectors, private buyers, repair shops and so on.
Selling The Rims and Tires Off Of Your Car.
If you’ve ever been in a situation where you needed to get a used tire, you’d agree that even the tires of a small car can be expensive.
If your tires are in good condition then turning them into cash won’t be difficult. You could get some decent pay-outs from them.
Another thing to note is that the bigger the tires, the greater the amount you’ll get off their resale.
In the case of rims, you can rest assured that you’ll make hundreds of dollars per piece.
If your rims happen to be of aluminum, chrome or alloy materials then you’ve got a hot commodity on your hands.
It’s quite likely to end up with close to $1,000 in your pocket.
Who to sell to: parts recyclers, street racers, car enthusiasts, parts collectors, repair shops, junk car buyers and so on.
Motor oil and Oil Filters.
You must have heard the old saying, “Engine oil doesn’t wear out, it only gets dirty.”
Well, this might not be a popular saying but you understand what we mean.
Even if your old oil filters and engine oil don’t land you big money, you can have them rebuilt, cleaned and recycled.
This will be enough to let you make some extra cash off them.
Who to sell to: authorized recyclers and car garages. They can have the oil recycled and used in other cars.
Air Conditioning/Cooling System.
There’s nothing more annoying than getting stuck in a car with a broken air conditioning system in summer.
So, if yours is still in good condition and you can manage to have it removed without causing any damage to it, you can smile away with a few bucks.
As long as your compressor and air conditioning unit work fine, you’ll find a buyer for it sooner or later.
It’ll be in much more demand if it’s currently summer or you happen to live in a very hot area.
Who to sell to: parts recyclers, parts collectors, private buyers and so on.
Car Seats.
Depending on the conditions of your car seats, you should be able to make a profit of about $80 or more off it.
If they still look good then you can be sure of having a buyer interested in them.
Who to sell to: Repair shops, mechanics, parts recyclers, parts collectors and so on.
Fenders.
Fenders are of great importance to any car. They’ve been designed to keep the wheel wells and the undersides of cars protected from impacts.
For this reason, fenders are made out of durable metals that are built to withstand the purposes it’s meant to serve.
Just like the bumpers, they can easily get damaged and would need to be replaced.
If your car fenders are still in good condition, you’ll always find people that are willing to buy them off you for a few hundred bucks.
Who to sell to: private buyers, parts collectors, repair shops and so on.
Your Car Parts Are Valuable But Your Time Is Too.
Of course, stripping your car into parts to sell for cash separately will give you a lot of cash.
However, you’ll need to have the needed tools to disconnect the parts, be skilled enough to handle the removals safely and be ready to invest a lot of time and effort.
Once you’re done doing all these, you’ll need to find the best buyer [offering a fair price] for those parts too.
Instead of spending all your time – which might pan out to months – why not go for a stress-free option like selling your car for cash in its present state to us at SellMax?
We’ll come to you, remove your junk car for free and leave you with a stack of cash in exchange for your junk car. It’s that easy.
All you’ve got to do is see how much your car is worth using our online scrap value calculator and if you like what we’re offering, you take it. No pressure.
Sounds like a plan? That’s splendid. Why not get your guaranteed offer now?
