Junk Car Value Calculator (2026): Free Scrap Estimate

On this page

How the junk car value calculator works
Curb weight by vehicle class
Worked example: a midsize sedan, start to finish
Where the estimate falls short
How real offers differ from a scrap estimate
Scrap it, sell it whole, or sell the parts?
Ways to raise your number before you sell
What to do with your number

Our junk car value calculator estimates what a yard would pay for your car by weight: the curb weight for your vehicle class, times $140–$200 per ton, the range most US yards paid as of September 2026. Pick your car type below and the number shows up right away, with no phone number or email.

Junk car value calculator

Scrap prices checked September 2026. No phone number or email.

Quick answer

$210 – $545scrap value for common cars

That is the weight-only range for the calculator’s ten vehicle classes at $140–$200 per ton. CarBrain says to expect $250 to $750 on average for a junk car, so a real offer can land above the scrap math.

Top junk car buyers right now

Free online quotes. Free towing. Compare two offers before you say yes.

How the junk car value calculator works

The junk value of a car is mostly arithmetic. A yard weighs it, multiplies by a price per ton and takes off what is missing. The calculator does the same with a class-average weight instead of a scale ticket.

Weight comes first

You pick one of ten vehicle classes, from compact car to full-size pickup. Each has a default curb weight: the car with a full tank and fluids but no passengers or cargo. Scrap is priced by weight, so weight matters more than anything else you enter.

The scrap rate: $140 to $200 per ton

The formula is weight in pounds ÷ 2,000 × dollars per ton. iScrap, a crowd-sourced scrap price app, put the national average for a complete car at $177.58 per ton in September 2026. Its recent yard reports ran from $150 to $250, and single yards reported as low as $105 over the past year.

Most yards land inside $140–$200, so that is the band we use. Seven of iScrap’s last nine complete-car reports were $150 to $170. The two $250 reports came from yards in South Dakota and New York.

That headline number is a blend of user reports, so it swings. Its 45-day change was -22.58% last October and is -6.25% now, so don’t read a trend into one month. Our scrap car prices page tracks the reports.

Trade press quotes bigger numbers. RMDAS put shredded auto scrap at $418 to $422 per ton at mills between August 20 and September 19, 2026, according to Recycling Today. That is processed steel delivered to a mill. A yard buys the whole car and has to drain, haul and shred it first, so don’t expect that price for a car.

Deductions: missing converter and missing parts

Two answers change the math. Set the catalytic converter to No and the calculator subtracts a typical converter range for that class: about $20–$184 on cars and small SUVs, $80–$283 on midsize and larger SUVs, minivans and pickups, and $300–$700 on hybrids. It never cuts the low end by more than half or the high end by more than 40%.

Set the condition to Missing big parts and it takes 20% off the weight. Results round to the nearest $5. Runs, doesn’t run and wrecked don’t change the number, because a yard weighs them the same. Year, make, model and ZIP code don’t either.

Curb weight by vehicle class

The table shows each default weight, the scrap range it produces at $140–$200 per ton, and real curb weights from spec sheets checked in September 2026.

Vehicle class	Calculator weight	Example curb weights (lb)	Scrap estimate
Compact car	3,000 lb	Corolla 2,955; Civic 2,877–2,935	$210–$300
Midsize sedan	3,350 lb	Accord 3,239; Camry 3,450	$235–$335
Full-size sedan	3,800 lb	Avalon 3,570; Chrysler 300 4,013	$265–$380
Small SUV	3,500 lb	RAV4 3,370; CR-V 3,472; Rogue AWD 3,737	$245–$350
Midsize SUV	4,250 lb	Highlander 4,155; Explorer 4,344	$300–$425
Full-size SUV	5,450 lb	Tahoe 5,383; Suburban about 5,530	$380–$545
Minivan	4,550 lb	Pacifica 4,521; Sienna 4,610	$320–$455
Small or midsize pickup	4,000 lb	Maverick 3,856; Tacoma 4,145	$280–$400
Full-size pickup	4,700 lb	Silverado 4,288; F-150 4,396–4,894	$330–$470
Hybrid car	3,100 lb	Civic Hybrid 3,208–3,252	$215–$310

The examples are mostly base trims from model years 2022 to 2025, taken from Honda’s spec sheet, cars.com and The Car Connection. No source publishes an official average for these ten classes, so our defaults sit near the middle of the examples. That is our judgment, not a published figure.

Expect 300 to 500 pounds of swing inside one model, depending on drivetrain, hybrid battery, cab and engine. The cars getting junked are also older than the ones in the table. Our guide to how much a car weighs lists more models.

Curb weight, not GVWR

Use curb weight, which NHTSA defines as the vehicle with standard equipment and full fuel, oil and coolant. Ignore GVWR, the manufacturer’s loaded weight rating. A 2025 Ford F-150 XL regular cab has a 4,396 lb curb weight and a 6,220 lb GVWR, so plugging in GVWR would overstate its value by about 40%.

Worked example: a midsize sedan, start to finish

Say a Camry, Accord or Altima no longer runs. The calculator puts it in the midsize sedan class at 3,350 lb. That is 1.675 tons, or $234.50 at $140 per ton and $335 at $200, so the calculator shows $235 to $335. At iScrap’s $177.58 average, the same car comes to about $297.

Scenario	Weight used	Estimate
Complete car	3,350 lb	$235–$335
Catalytic converter missing	3,350 lb	$115–$305
Missing big parts	2,680 lb	$190–$270

With the converter gone, the low end falls to $115 (about half the weight value) and the high end drops $30 to $305. A converter’s price depends on its part number, which is why the deduction is a range.

Where the estimate falls short

Treat the estimate as a floor. Three things pull a real number away from it.

Cars that still run, and newer ones

A yard pays the same per ton whether the car runs or not. An online buyer doesn’t, because a running or lightly damaged car can be resold or parted out. The calculator flags model year 2011 and newer for that reason.

Your ZIP code and tow distance

Prices differ by region. Clunqr’s June 2026 state table runs from $195 per ton in California and $190 in Michigan down to $155 in Alabama and $145 in Alaska and Hawaii. Those are aggregator figures, so treat them as directional. Our page on how much junkyards pay for cars has yard reports.

Ask any yard whether towing is free or comes out of the price. Peddle and CarBrain both say towing costs you nothing. Neither covers storage or impound fees if the car is sitting in a tow yard.

The catalytic converter guess

The converter is the largest adjustment the calculator makes. A converter buyer’s price list puts the national average at $103.30 per unit on September 30, 2026, with categories from $20–$133 for regular domestic units to $110–$1,150 for some Ford torpedo units. The list calls its own prices guidelines only. One buyer blog (May 2026) lists Toyota Prius converters at $300 to $700.

Those are prices for a loose converter. Peddle and CarBrain price the whole car, so don’t add a converter price on top of an offer.

Pick Not sure and the calculator treats it like Yes, so the number may run high. Look under the car before you trust it.

Leave the converter on the car

Peddle says a missing converter can cut a car’s value by 30% or more. Loose converters are also regulated: California, Texas, Florida and Maine all set rules for who can buy one and what paperwork the seller needs. Our catalytic converter scrap price page has the details.

How real offers differ from a scrap estimate

What Peddle and CarBrain price in

CarBrain’s FAQ says its offers weigh location, the car’s pre-accident wholesale value, the damage, demand for the car and its parts, make, model, mileage and age, and that damaged cars have no book values. Peddle says the cars it buys end up as used parts, scrap through recyclers, or reconditioned resale, so a car with a resale path can beat the by-the-ton math.

CarBrain says to expect $250 to $750 on average for a junk car. Peddle publishes no average, but its Texas page lists sample payouts of $305 to $370 on cars from 2000 to 2015, such as a 2009 BMW 328 at $305 and a 2008 Chrysler 300C at $370. Peddle picked those examples, and the page doesn’t say what shape the cars were in. Set against the sedan rows in the table, they land in the upper half of the ranges or a little past them.

Why the offer can change at pickup

Peddle’s help center says the accepted amount holds unless the car was misrepresented or a major component is missing, and its terms count a missing major part even if nobody asked about it. CarBrain’s How It Works page says an accepted offer will not change, and its reply to the BBB complaint below ties that to an accurate description. Peddle says title status can affect the amount, and CarBrain says it requires a title in your name, so read selling a junk car without a title before you answer that question.

In one BBB complaint from June 2026, a seller says a $470 online CarBrain offer on a 2004 VW Passat fell to $250 at pickup because the converter was missing. CarBrain’s reply said the details submitted did not accurately reflect the car. That is one seller’s account, but it shows how far a missing converter can move a number. Answer every condition question the way the tow driver will see the car, and see CarBrain vs Peddle for how the two compare.

Scrap it, sell it whole, or sell the parts?

If the car is old, complete and dead, the scrap number is close to its real value, so take the better of one yard quote and one online offer. If it runs, has a working engine and transmission, or is under about 15 years old, get an online offer first.

Parting it out can beat both, but you do the work and still need someone to take the shell. Our guide to selling a car for parts covers the tradeoff.

Scrap value, salvage value and actual cash value

If you searched for a salvage value calculator for a car, you may be after an insurance number. The three terms price different things.

Term	What it prices	Who uses it
Scrap value	The car’s metal, by weight	Yards, and this calculator
Salvage value	A damaged car sold as a wreck	Insurers, in the total-loss formula
Actual cash value	What the car was worth just before the damage	Insurers, when they settle a claim

Federal law calls a car a junk automobile when it cannot run on public roads and is worth only parts or scrap. A salvage automobile is one damaged badly enough that its salvage value plus the repair cost would exceed its value just before the damage. Your insurer decides the claim and your state decides the title brand, so this tool can’t give you either number. It covers the junk end.

Ways to raise your number before you sell

Keep the car complete. iScrap says yards pay more when the car has its engine, transmission, catalytic converter, battery, radiator, rims and tires, and wiring harness, and that selling the converter separately could make it count as incomplete.
Leave the small stuff alone. A car battery weighs 30 to 75 pounds and scraps at about $0.20 per pound, so $6 to $15. Peddle’s terms check that the battery and wheels are still on the car.
Get the title ready. CarBrain requires one in your name, and Peddle says a missing title can change its offer.

What to do with your number

Write down the scrap estimate from the calculator.
Request a Peddle offer and a CarBrain offer for the same car, with the same honest answers.
Call one local yard, ask for its per-ton rate, and ask whether towing is free.
Take the highest number that comes with free pickup and paperwork you can manage.

The paperwork steps are in our guide to selling a junk car.

Compare two free offers for your car

Free online quotes. Free towing. Compare two offers before you say yes.

FAQ

How do I calculate the scrap value of my car?

Divide your car's curb weight in pounds by 2,000 to get tons, then multiply by the yard's price per ton. A 3,350 lb sedan is 1.675 tons, so at $140 to $200 per ton it comes to about $235 to $335. Subtract for a missing catalytic converter or missing major parts. The calculator above runs this math for ten vehicle classes.

How much will a scrapyard pay for a junk car?

Most yards paid about $140 to $200 per ton for a complete car as of September 2026, and iScrap's national average was $177.58 per ton. For a 3,000 to 4,000 lb car that works out to roughly $210 to $400. Yards pay less when the catalytic converter or major parts are gone. See how much junkyards pay for cars for yard reports.

Who pays the highest price for a junk car?

No single buyer always wins. Yards pay by weight, while online buyers like Peddle and CarBrain also price parts and resale, so they can beat the scrap number on newer or running cars. CarBrain says to expect $250 to $750 on average. Get one yard quote and two online offers for the same car, then take the highest one with free towing. Start with our list of junk car buyers.

Is it better to scrap or sell a car?

If the car is old, complete and not worth fixing, its scrap value is close to what it is worth, and offers will usually land near it. If it still runs, is fairly new, or has a working engine and transmission, get an online offer before you scrap it. Online buyers also pay for parts and resale value.

How accurate is a junk car value calculator?

Treat it as a floor. It multiplies a class-average weight by a per-ton range, so it cannot see your car's mileage, exact weight, local yard prices or parts demand. An old, complete car should get a yard offer inside that range. Online offers can go higher when parts or resale come into play. Only a buyer's accepted offer is an actual price.

What is the difference between scrap value and salvage value?

Scrap value is the metal in the car priced by weight, which is what this calculator estimates. Salvage value is what a damaged car would bring as a wreck, and insurers use it in total-loss math. Federal law also defines a junk automobile and a salvage automobile as separate categories. If an insurer totaled your car, read our guide to selling a totaled car.

Sources we checked

Written and fact-checked by the Junk Car Worth team. Prices and buyer policies checked September 2026. How we estimate value.