Short answer. A wrecker pays for parts it can resell, a scrap yard pays for metal by weight, and a marketplace lets both bid. Which is best depends on what your car still has.
People use scrap, wrecker and car-removal interchangeably, but the buyer behind each word thinks about your car differently. This guide sets out who buys scrap cars and what each is really paying for. It lists no prices, because we found no reliable source. Disclosure: ScrapTrade runs an online scrap marketplace and benefits when scrap changes hands.
The buyers
- Wreckers and dismantlers value the parts they can resell, such as the engine, gearbox, wheels and panels. A car with sought-after components can be worth more to them than its metal.
- Scrap yards and recyclers pay mostly for metal weight, after the car has been depolluted. A stripped car goes here.
- Online marketplaces and brokers collect offers, sometimes both kinds, which helps when you are unsure what you have.
What each is likely to want
A complete car with working parts suits a wrecker. A shell with the engine, gearbox or catalytic converter gone suits a scrap yard. If your car sits between the two, ask each buyer how it values the car and what it assumes about missing parts. Our guide to how much your car is worth as scrap covers the factors, and selling a car for parts or scrap covers the choice.
What to ask any buyer
- How are you valuing it: by parts or by weight?
- Is towing included, and when will you collect?
- What paperwork do you need, and what do I lodge afterwards?
- How and when will I be paid? See how you are paid for a scrap car.
What happens next
After collection, a scrap car is drained of fluids, stripped of reusable parts and processed for metal. Where an old car goes when it is scrapped follows the journey.
Where ScrapTrade fits
If you have several vehicles or a mix of cars and machinery, ScrapTrade can put them in front of verified buyers: listing is free with no commission, buyers negotiate in chat and the buyer's 5% deposit is escrowed after a bid is accepted. We could not confirm whether whole vehicles are accepted, so email cs@scraptrade.com.au first.
What we could not verify
- What any buyer pays for your car.
- How wreckers in your state value partial cars.
- Whether ScrapTrade lists whole vehicles.
Frequently asked questions
Who buys scrap cars?
Wreckers, scrap yards and recyclers, plus brokers and marketplaces that pass your car to one of them.
Which pays more?
It depends on the car. Parts-rich cars suit wreckers and stripped shells suit yards. We could not source a comparison.
Do I need to be there at pickup?
Often yes, to hand over keys and paperwork, but ask the buyer.
Sources
- ScrapTrade guides on scrap car value and the journey of an end-of-life car, accessed November 2026.
General information only.