"Sell scrap car" is the biggest search in the car family, about 480 times a month in Australia, with "sell car for parts" close behind at about 390, according to Ubersuggest. "How to sell car for parts" is about 40, "sell car for parts sydney" about 20 and "sell catalytic converter" about 70. The advertising cost is about A$9 to A$14 a click for the main terms, so someone is paying to reach these sellers. Searchers use two phrases for what is mostly one job: handing a car that is not worth fixing to someone who will strip it or crush it. This guide explains the difference, what to bring, which parts have their own value and what to do about the catalytic converter. It is part of our guide to selling an old, broken or unwanted car or its parts. We quote no prices, as we found no dependable source. Remember that ScrapTrade earns from the scrap trade.
Parts or scrap: wrecker or yard
A wrecker, or auto dismantler, buys cars to take apart and resell usable parts, then sends the shell on for scrap. A scrap yard buys cars mainly for their metal. In practice the same business often does both, and the difference is what it pays for. A common model in good condition is worth more to a wrecker for its engine, gearbox, panels and electronics. A very old or heavily damaged car is worth its weight in metal. Ask for quotes from both kinds, and ask what the quote assumes: whether it is for the whole car, with tyres and battery fitted, and whether collection is included.
For the scale of the trade, an industry estimate cited in Where an Old Car Goes When It Is Scrapped puts end-of-life vehicles in Australia at about 850,000 a year, with roughly 70 percent of their weight recovered.
What the buyer will ask for
Most Australian wreckers ask for the same few things, according to their websites:
- Photo ID. A current driver licence or passport, with a name that matches the ownership papers.
- Proof of ownership. Registration papers, a bill of sale, an invoice or insurance documents, and a title where one exists.
- An authority letter if the car is not in your name, plus ID from the registered owner. Executors may need estate documents.
- The keys, where you have them.
Many wreckers say they will buy a car with no registration, but a few add release-of-liability or local disposal forms. After the sale, report it to your transport authority, as VicRoads says within 14 days. The detail is in Sell an Old or Unwanted Car for Cash. Remove personal items, tolls tags and plates as your state requires. These sources are wrecker websites, so confirm details with your state authority.
The parts that can be sold separately
Four parts can be sold on their own before the rest goes: wheels and tyres, the battery, the engine and the catalytic converter. Alloy wheels and tyres have their own guide, Sell Used Tyres, Rims and Wheels in Australia, and the battery is covered in Sell an Old Car Battery in Australia. Taking parts off yourself gets a better price in theory but adds time, risk and storage, and most yards price the car with the parts still on it.
The catalytic converter
A catalytic converter holds platinum group metals, which is why it is valued and why it has been stolen from cars. We found no Australian statute that governs the sale of one, and the results were scrap-yard pages, not legislation. Buyers in South Australia and Sydney say they ask for photo ID and evidence that the unit came from a vehicle you own or owned, and they may refuse a unit that arrives without paperwork. Sell it only through a buyer who records the transaction, and keep your registration documents and a note of the vehicle it came from. Do not buy or sell one from anyone who cannot show where it came from. For what the metals do next, see Where an Old Catalytic Converter Goes.
Where ScrapTrade fits
One scrap car is a job for a local wrecker who collects it. ScrapTrade is for the sellers on the other side of the counter: a wrecker or dismantler with surplus parts, a business with a stack of scrap vehicles, or a workshop with a bin of removed catalytic converters it can document. Those lots go to traders who buy by the tonne or by the unit. Listing is free, no commission applies, and the platform cites verified traders in more than 50 countries. Precious metals and batteries are among its twelve categories. You post photos and a price, negotiate in real time, agree collection or shipping terms and an accepted bid places the buyer's 5 percent deposit in escrow. Verification applies to businesses and individuals alike, and a seller who handles converters should expect to show where they came from. We could not confirm whether whole vehicles can be listed, so ask cs@scraptrade.com.au.
What we could not verify
- What cars, parts and converters sell for. We found no reliable price source.
- Australian law on selling catalytic converters. We found no statute, only scrap-yard descriptions.
- State disposal rules. We relied on VicRoads and wrecker websites.
- Whether ScrapTrade accepts whole vehicles or converters.
- ScrapTrade's verification steps. Ask support at cs@scraptrade.com.au.
Frequently asked questions
What documents do I need to scrap a car?
Usually photo ID and proof of ownership, plus an authority letter if the car is not in your name. Ask the buyer.
Can I sell a car for parts without registration?
Many wreckers will buy it, but ask first and bring proof that you own it.
Can I sell a catalytic converter?
Yes, through a buyer who records the sale. Expect to show ID and evidence that it came from your vehicle.
Is it better to sell the car whole or part it out?
Whole is simpler. Parting out can return more, with more work, storage and risk.
Sources
- Ubersuggest keyword data for Australia, queried November 2026.
- VicRoads, "Selling a vehicle".
- Wrecker websites in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, as summarised in search results.
- Scrap-yard descriptions of catalytic converter buying requirements, as summarised in search results.
- Our guide to where an old car goes, citing industry end-of-life vehicle figures.
- ScrapTrade website, accessed November 2026.
This is general information, not legal advice. Disclosure: ScrapTrade is a scrap marketplace.