Most junk cars in Texas sell for $215 to $1,350. Where yours lands comes down to weight, whether it runs, and if the catalytic converter is still on it.
Texas yards pay about $170 to $180 per ton for scrap steel. That is just under the national average of $175 per ton, so Texas sits mid-pack.
Here is the math any yard uses. Take your curb weight, subtract about 500 lbs for tires and fluids, divide by 2,000, then multiply by the per-ton rate. A 3,400 lb Camry works out to roughly $250 in steel.
That number is the floor, not the answer. A car that still has its engine, transmission and catalytic converter is worth far more than its steel, because those parts get resold before the shell goes to the shredder.
| Example vehicle | Steel floor | Typical Texas range |
|---|---|---|
| Compact that won't start, clean title | $175 to $220 | $215 to $560 |
| Midsize sedan that runs, clean title | $235 to $270 | $400 to $950 |
| Full-size truck or SUV that runs | $350 to $480 | $500 to $1,350 |
Those ranges come from real sales in Arlington, Austin and Laredo. Older trucks like the F-150 beat sedans of the same age every time, because their parts still sell.
For your exact car, the car scrap value calculator shows the number and how it was built.
Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin pay the most. More recyclers and dismantlers compete for cars there, and with about 31 million residents, Texas has a deep used-parts market.
West Texas and the Panhandle pay less. The car has to travel further to reach a shredder, and that cost comes out of your offer.
Do not assume the statewide rate is what you will get. A yard in Marshall lists car bodies at $6.00 per 100 lbs, which is only $120 per ton. Call two or three places before you accept anything.
Texas tip: your license plates stay with you, not the car. Move them to another vehicle in the same class, keep them, or deface the front before disposal. Check TxDMV for current rules.
You need the title in most cases. A few buyers take a registration plus photo ID, or a junk certificate on very old cars, but you will get fewer offers and a lower one.
Lost it? Order a duplicate from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles first. It costs a small fee and usually pays for itself, because a clean title lets a buyer resell or part out the car instead of only scrapping it.
Between $215 and $1,350 for most cars. A compact that won’t start sits at the bottom. A running truck with its converter still on it reaches the top.
About $170 to $180 per ton in 2026, or roughly $8.50 to $9.00 per 100 lbs. Plenty of yards pay less, so treat it as a ceiling on the steel portion.
Usually yes. Some buyers work around it with a registration and ID, but expect less money and fewer buyers.
Yes. Texas plates belong to you. Take them off before the car leaves.
More buyers competing, and a shorter trip to the shredder. Both show up in your offer on the same car.
No. It holds platinum, palladium and rhodium, and buyers price it in. Remove it and they deduct more than you would get selling it alone.
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