What different vehicle types are worth as scrap
SHORT ANSWER
Scrap value follows kerb weight first: small hatchbacks sit around 900 to 1,100kg, family hatchbacks and saloons 1,200 to 1,500kg, estates and MPVs 1,500 to 1,800kg, and 4x4s and panel vans 1,800 to 2,500kg. Reusable parts, a complete catalytic converter and how far the vehicle is from the depot then adjust the figure up or down.
The single biggest driver of a scrap price is how much the vehicle weighs, because the shell is sold by the tonne. Everything else adjusts that starting point.
These are the bands we work to day to day, using vehicles we collect constantly across Scotland. Treat them as brackets rather than prices, because the underlying metal market moves weekly.
Small hatchbacks and city cars
Corsa, Fiesta, Polo, Aygo, 107, C1, i10, up. Kerb weight is typically 900 to 1,100kg, which puts them at the bottom of the weight table.
What lifts a small car above its weight is parts. A late-plate Fiesta with a good engine, intact catalytic converter and undamaged panels is worth noticeably more than an identical car stripped or fire-damaged, because the reusable components are sold on rather than shredded.
Family hatchbacks, saloons and coupes
Focus, Astra, Golf, Megane, 3 Series, A4, Insignia. Kerb weight is usually 1,200 to 1,500kg, and this is the single most common category we collect.
Diesel versions of these cars often carry a diesel particulate filter as well as a catalytic converter, both of which contain precious metals. That is why two apparently identical cars can be quoted differently: one has its exhaust system intact and one does not.
Estates, MPVs and people carriers
Passat estate, Zafira, Galaxy, Scenic, S-Max, Touran. Typically 1,500 to 1,800kg, so a clear step up from the equivalent hatchback.
Seven-seaters carry extra steel in the rear floor and seat frames, which is real weight. Removing the rear seats before collection lowers the weight of what we take, so leave them in.
4x4s, SUVs and pickups
Discovery, Freelander, X5, Sorento, Hilux, L200, Shogun. These run 1,800 to 2,500kg and sit at the top of the private-vehicle range.
Older body-on-frame 4x4s are heavier again because of the separate chassis, and their axles, transfer boxes and diffs have a genuine second-hand market. A rusty Discovery that will never pass another MOT is usually worth well above what its owner expects.
Vans and light commercials
Transit, Sprinter, Vivaro, Transporter, Crafter, Boxer. A short-wheelbase van starts around 1,700kg and a long-wheelbase high-roof can exceed 2,300kg before any racking or ply lining.
Commercial vehicles are often stripped of their wheels and batteries before anyone calls us. Tell us up front if that has happened, because it changes the figure and we would rather adjust the quote than have a driver renegotiate on the day.
Why the heaviest vehicle is not automatically the best paid
Weight sets the floor, not the ceiling. A complete, recently running 1,300kg diesel hatchback with a good engine and intact exhaust can beat a 2,000kg 4x4 that has been sitting in a field for six years with a seized engine, no cat and water damage through the interior.
The three things that move a vehicle up a bracket are: it is complete, it recently ran, and the catalytic converter is still fitted. The three that move it down are: missing wheels or battery, a removed cat, and fire or flood damage.
Getting an accurate figure for your own vehicle
We quote from the registration, which gives us the exact model, engine and body style, plus your honest description of the condition and your postcode. That is enough to hold the price to collection day.
There is no admin fee, no collection charge and no paperwork fee on any vehicle type. The figure quoted is the figure transferred to your bank.
Key takeaways
- Kerb weight sets the baseline: roughly 900kg for a city car up to 2,500kg for a large van or 4x4.
- A complete vehicle with its catalytic converter fitted is worth materially more than a stripped one.
- Leave the seats, wheels and battery in place; removing them lowers what you are paid.
- Declare missing parts when you get the quote so the price holds on collection day.
USEFUL NEXT STEPS
Written by the Scrap A Car Scotland team. Last reviewed 15 September 2026.