New Member, need clarification

[jsher123]

Good evening folks. I'm doing research on recycling automobiles and wanted to get some clarification. When you acquire a car it seems you pull the most valuable stuff off the car, the battery, catalytic converter, brake rotors, radiator etc. My question is, once you have pulled all those items out, do you just throw the shell of the car on your flat bed and take it to the scrap yard and receive payout on the tonnage weight? Do some of your guys flatten or shred cars?

[MattInTheHat]

depends on what equipment you have available.

[Patriot76]

Welcome to the forum. Everyone has their own style depending on their equipment, distance to the yard, time, how the yard pays, etc. I know one scrapper that prepares all of the metal, another that removes valuables including engine, and another that just hooks up to them and drags them in. They all use the same yard, but other factors influence their game plan. The biggest difference between the three is the inventory they have available to them.

Now that you are a member, you have the right to use the library. In the upper right hand corner you will see a search bar. Under it is the advanced search (I just found it after a year on the forum.) You can read numerous discussions about the efficiency of scrapping a vehicle.

My strategy is to take the goodies off and smash the roof to load numerous cars for one haul. I only do this when things are slow. Other wise I concentrate on moving other items when the price is high. Having the space and equipment allows me to prepare items when the prices are low and haul when the "Price is Right." Good luck to you.

[jsher123]

Thank you very much for the info. Does the scrap yard not care if the seats and interior are still in the vehicles?

[Bear]

Thank you very much for the info. Does the scrap yard not care if the seats and interior are still in the vehicles?

that depends on their condition : D

[Mechanic688]

Thank you very much for the info. Does the scrap yard not care if the seats and interior are still in the vehicles?

Most cars are eventually run thru a shredder (google it) which sorts out the non-ferrous and interior (fluff).

[Yunkman]

Thank you very much for the info. Does the scrap yard not care if the seats and interior are still in the vehicles?

I don't know of any yards that require the removal of seats / interior. Some require all rubber removed as well as the gas tank, all fluids drained including freon, transmission and rearend oils and the radiator contents. I don't sell cars to those lots.

[Mick]

Most yards will have classifications for cars depending on how much is removed. Most highest payout is usually for complete cars minus fluids. Then for cars with the stuff you listed having been removed (even one item, which is usually the catalytic converter). Then for cars with fluids (if the yard takes them at all). Check with your yard before you start pulling stuff. It might not be worth it.

[mseashell]

Welcome to the forum from ky. As patriot was saying there is a lot of info on here u can use. Just a simple search and tons of info at ur request...
As for ur other questions, my local yards (3 that I normally use) only require the gas tank removed and battery removed. They will allow tires that are on the vehicle. One yard will allow tires to be inside of car, but only a totle number of what is supposed to be on car. For example if I took a duel wheel truck in, I could pull it in with a wrecker, and have four tires in the rear, and two tires in the cab as long as there is no tires on the front of the truck. That comes in handy if I wanted wheels and tires off something, I could take them and throw some old tires inside. The same yard will let u leave gas tank on, but charge 10 dollars, and battery in, but charge 5 dollars. Check around and see what local yards in ur area rules are and make ur decission from there

[SparrowMetals]

Welcome to the forum!

After I strip my junkers of the goodies, they go to the junkyard as-is. The yard takes care of fuel tank removal and other preparations. I would never scrap a car complete, as the yards around here will only pay about a dollar per hundred more complete. That means you would only be getting $30-50 for your converter(s), battery, radiator, alternator, aluminum wheels if it has them, and any parts with core value (ECMs, BCMs, etc). In most cases, you will make out much better keeping the goodies, selling them separately and taking a slightly lower price per hundred on the "carcass". However, if the yard is offering a substantially better price complete, you may want to weigh your options, especially on heavier vehicles with a low-grade or aftermarket converter.

Some yards are easier to deal with than others as far as what they require to be removed before buying a junker. I'm thankful that my yard is pretty lenient, as I really don't have time to be dropping fuel tanks, draining fluids and all that good stuff.

One other thing I can think of that will help you- I would recommend finding a good, reputable core buyer in your area to get the best price for your converters, wheels, batteries and rebuildable parts. Around here, the yards pay only a fraction of the true value on converters, and many of them don't even know what they are buying when it comes to cats.

[mseashell]

Sparrow, u touched on a really good point. I have a buyer in my area that buys all cores. I made a post last week on a thread about battries. Don't remember who started it thogh. My local yard gives 5 dollars each on battries. My core buyer gives 9 on lawnmower and small car battries, and 12 on any battry weighing over 39 lbs. Marine batts. are 15. As for alum wheels my yard gives 12 per wheel and my core buyer gives 19. Break calibers are 8 dollars each at my core guy, and short steel price at my yard. Rotors are 3 each at my guy and short steel price at my yard.
So defentally find someone to buy stuff like that including starters alt and converters, if it ain't to hard to get to, and worth ur time

[Bear]

I get a funny feeling when someone comes in and starts asking, point blank, with no other introduction, a bunch of questions on particular subjects, especially when it could possibly be about the scrapping of our nation.
Location - United States?, well, maybe so, but still, "tonnage", this is a shipping term, not that of a local scrapper

[happyscraper]

I agree with Bear. Location-united states was the first red flag when I saw this thread. Personally if I had questions like this I would pick up the phone and call the scrap yard and ask thiere requirments.

[SparrowMetals]

$19 on wheels is a great price. Around here, 13-14 is tops. I pay 11, but I always recommend that my sellers check around to see if they can do better. Most of them sell me the wheels anyway, as they appreciate the honesty. Plus, I'm much better on converters than anyone in my local area, simply because I grade them correctly and pay a fair price. Getting $80 for a cat that one of the "other guys" offered them $35 for is something they remember, and they spread the word.

We have a few "roving" core buyers who will pay 17-18 on wheels, but it's a smokescreen- They are absolutely HORRIBLE on converters, but that high price on wheels makes them look good on paper. Your core guy sounds like he's pretty good across the board. I went through several volume core buyers until I found a good one that I could trust. Now, I pay more for cats than the guy I used to SELL to will pay, and that's a great feeling

[mseashell]

Sparrow, the guy I use makes a trip to ohio once a month and doubles his money. He is very honest and been doing it for many years. I once took a large bread loaf to the scrap yard and they quoted me a price of 115. I took the same cat to my core guy and he gave me 185. Of course this was about 4 or 5 years ago. Don't think they are going that high now. I haven't took but 1 cat off in about 2 years, and that was a small forgin. Came off of 2002 saturan. I think I got like 90 for it.

My appoligies to the op for taking over this thread. I get started talking about stuff like this and keep going, now I know how arron at stillwater feels about battries....