Junk car value in Texas

What’s a junk car worth in Texas? Use the tool for your estimate, see example payout ranges with the math shown, and what to know before you sell.
Last updated 2026-07-05

What junk cars are worth in Texas

Texas sits in the South, where we estimate scrap steel around $150-$180 per ton (a self-labeled regional estimate as of 2026-06, not a quoted index). Your actual payout depends on your car’s weight, whether it runs, its title, and whether the catalytic converter is still attached. Here are example estimates for Texas:
Example car Estimated range
Midsize sedan that runs (clean title) $620 - $1,030
Compact car that won't start (clean title) $265 - $440
Full-size SUV or truck that runs $1,145 - $1,905
These are estimates, not offers. For a number specific to your car, use the value calculator – it shows exactly how the figure is built.

Where junk cars sell in Texas

Buyer demand is strongest around Texas’s metros – Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin – where there are more recyclers and dismantlers competing for cars. With about 30 million residents, Texas has a deep used-parts market, but the price for any one car still comes down to local demand for that specific vehicle and its parts. Free towing should always be included and never deducted from your payout.

Texas tip: In Texas, license plates generally stay with the seller – you can transfer them to another vehicle of the same class, keep them, or dispose of them by defacing the front; check current TxDMV guidance.

Title and paperwork in Texas

In most cases you need the title to sell, but requirements vary by state and some buyers accept a registration plus ID or a state junk certificate for very old, low-value cars. Confirm the current rules with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) before pickup. If your paperwork is not straightforward, these guides help:

Other South states

Junk car value in Florida

Junk car value in Georgia

Junk car value in North Carolina

How it works

How much is my junk car worth?

Most junk cars are worth roughly $150-$700 depending on weight, whether the catalytic converter is still on it, if it runs, and local scrap prices. Enter your make, model, and year above to get a real offer in about two minutes from our buying partner Peddle.

It’s a real offer. You enter your car, and our partner Peddle gives you an actual offer – not a vague estimate. The offer is take-it-or-leave-it with no obligation, and it depends on your car’s condition, paperwork, and local demand for the vehicle and its parts.

 

Usually yes, but rules vary by state and some buyers accept alternatives (registration plus ID) for very old or low-value vehicles. Cars with no title, lost keys, salvage titles, or major damage still qualify for an offer – the buyer tells you what your state and situation require before pickup.

Yes – free towing and pickup are included and never deducted from your payout. If a buyer wants to subtract a tow fee at pickup, that’s a red flag.

You get paid at pickup, before the car is loaded – on the spot, not mailed later. Pickup can often be scheduled within a few days of accepting your offer.

On this site you don’t enter a phone number or email to get your offer – you go straight to our partner Peddle, who handles the offer and any contact details under their own privacy terms. See our privacy policy and Do Not Sell My Info link in the footer.

See what your car is worth

Get a real offer in about 2 minutes – any car, running or not. Free towing, paid at pickup.

No phone number needed.

Home / Junk car value by state / Texas