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How your estimate is calculated
Three steps, and no contact details needed to see the number. Here is what happens at each one, and what the math behind it looks like.
1
Enter your car
Pick your make, model, year and condition. Nothing sits behind a phone number or email, so the estimate appears without a call attached to it.
2
See how the number is built
The estimate breaks into parts rather than landing as one figure. Metal value, the catalytic converter, and a premium for parts demand are shown separately, so you can see which part of your car carries the money.
3
Compare it against real offers
Take the range to a junkyard, a salvage yard and an online buyer. An estimate you can explain is what stops a lowball offer from sounding reasonable.
The math behind the estimate
Curb weight is the floor. Your car’s weight is priced against the current scrap rate per ton in your area, and that alone accounts for most of what an old, stripped vehicle is worth. Two things are added on top: the catalytic converter, which holds platinum, palladium and rhodium and is priced separately from the shell, and a premium for parts still in demand on your model.
Weight comes from manufacturer curb weight for your year, make and model. Scrap rates move daily with global steel and aluminum prices, which is why an estimate from last month is stale.
What moves the number
Three things carry the most weight — whether the car runs, its title status, and how heavy it is. A running car can be resold or parted out rather than shredded, a clean title keeps every buyer in play, and a heavier vehicle simply contains more recyclable steel.
From there, damage, a missing catalytic converter, flood or fire history, mileage and local demand for your model each shift the figure. A converter that has already been removed is the single largest drop most sellers run into.
What this tool does, and what it doesn't
It gives you an estimate, not an offer. We do not buy cars, tow them or pay you — those are all things a licensed buyer does after you have a number to negotiate with.
It also cannot see your car. Rust under the sills, a seized engine, flood damage or a transmission that no longer engages are all things a buyer finds on inspection and prices in. Expect a real offer to land inside the range rather than exactly on it, and treat any figure far below it as a reason to call someone else.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is the estimate?
Accurate enough to negotiate with, not accurate enough to hold a buyer to. Weight and metal rates are precise, while condition is self-reported, so the further your description sits from the car in the driveway, the wider the gap at inspection.
Do I need to give a phone number or email?
No. The estimate appears without contact details, because a number you have to pay for with your phone number is a lead form rather than a calculator.
Why is it a range instead of one price?
Scrap rates, towing distance and parts demand all differ by market, so one national figure would be wrong almost everywhere. The range shows the realistic floor and ceiling for your car in your area.
Why has my estimate changed since last time?
Scrap metal trades on global supply and demand, and the price moves daily. The same car can be worth noticeably more or less than it was a month ago without anything about the car changing.
See what your car is worth
Get an estimate in 2 minutes — any car, running or not. The math shown.
No phone number needed.