"Scrap radiator price" is searched about 40 times a month in Australia, according to Ubersuggest. A radiator looks like one item, but a scrap yard sees at least three kinds, and what you are paid depends on which you have. This guide explains the difference between copper-brass, aluminium and ali-copper radiators, what to do with plastic tanks and heater cores, and how to prepare them. We found no Australian prices, and our grading details come from a UK buyer, a US yard and an Australian guide, so they are the pattern and not a quote. It fits with our guides on scrapping an air conditioner and selling a scrap car. ScrapTrade runs a scrap marketplace and has a commercial interest in the scrap trade.
Three kinds of radiator
- Copper-brass. A UK scrap buyer says brass-copper radiators fetch a higher scrap price than aluminium ones because they contain both metals, and a US yard reaches the same conclusion.
- Aluminium. Worth less to the yard, and priced as aluminium.
- Ali-copper. A US yard says aluminium and copper radiators are worth more than standard aluminium because of the copper. This is the type that appears in air conditioner coils, where one Perth yard lists aluminium and copper radiators as accepted.
In our reading, colour is the quick guide: copper and brass look reddish or yellow and aluminium looks silvery. Yards differ in what they call each type, so ask.
Plastic tanks and steel parts
Plastic end tanks, which are common on modern radiators, are generally not worth much to a metal buyer, so pull them off or check with the yard first. The same US yard advises stripping magnetic steel parts to get the most per kilogram, and an Australian guide recommends separating metals and removing non-metal attachments. Drain any coolant first. We found no source on handling coolant, so ask your yard and the council how to dispose of it.
Heater cores
A heater core looks like a small radiator. A US yard says it sells for less because it believes the cores contain more lead, which is one yard's view, so check it against local pricing and keep heater cores apart from radiators when you sell.
Radiators from air conditioners and other sources
The coil in a split-system air conditioner is the same ali-copper material, and the gas has to be recovered before the unit goes anywhere, as our guide to air conditioner disposal and refrigerant rules explains. We did not research other radiators, such as household heating panels or industrial coolers, so ask the yard how it treats them and tell it what you have.
Questions to ask a yard
- Which radiator types do you take, and how do you grade them? Ask for copper-brass, aluminium and ali-copper separately.
- Do you want the plastic tanks and steel parts removed? Or do you take them whole and deduct?
- What do you do with coolant? Some yards will not take a radiator that is not drained.
- Do you pay a different rate for heater cores?
- What do you need from me? Identification and records may be required, as in the state rules above.
How yards pay
An Australian scrap guide lists copper as the most valuable of the common metals, followed by brass and high-grade aluminium, and says prices vary by location. The prices we found for radiators were overseas, dated and inconsistent, so we give none. Ring two or three yards with a description or photo and the approximate weight, and ask for the rate for each type. For a guide to the metals, see our scrap aluminium price and scrap copper price pages.
Rules
Scrap metal dealing is regulated at state level, and Victoria, for example, requires licensed dealers to record the seller's identity, according to one Australian guide. Our summary of state rules is in the cable guide, and we did not research radiators separately.
Where ScrapTrade fits
A single radiator goes to a yard or a wrecker, and ScrapTrade is not meant for it. A radiator shop, a mechanic, a wrecker or an air conditioning contractor with a quantity of sorted radiators and coils may find the marketplace useful: listing carries no fee or commission, price and terms are worked out in chat and the buyer's 5 percent deposit is held in escrow after a bid is accepted. Businesses and individuals can sell once they are verified, and buyers in more than 50 countries bid. How radiator lots are graded is something we could not confirm, so ask cs@scraptrade.com.au first.
For the global view, with US, UK and EU examples, see Scrap Radiators: Copper, Brass or Aluminum.
What we could not verify
- What any radiator type pays in Australia. We give no prices.
- Whether heater cores sell for less here. One US yard's view.
- How to dispose of coolant.
- Australian grading names for radiator types.
- Whether ScrapTrade lists radiator lots.
Frequently asked questions
Are copper radiators worth more than aluminium?
Yes, according to a UK buyer and a US yard, because they contain copper and brass. We found no Australian prices.
Should I take the plastic tanks off?
Generally yes, because plastic is worth little to a metal buyer, or check with the yard.
Are heater cores worth the same as radiators?
One US yard says they sell for less. Keep them separate.
Do I need to drain the radiator?
Yes. Ask the yard and your council how to dispose of coolant.
Can I list radiators on ScrapTrade?
Verified sellers can list scrap. Ask support about radiator lots.
Sources
- Ubersuggest keyword data, Australia, queried November 2026.
- UK and US scrap buyer pages and an Australian scrap guide on radiators, as summarised in search results.
- ScrapTrade website, accessed November 2026.
General information only, not legal or financial advice. Yards and rules vary.