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Scrap Car Prices in Scotland - How Your Quote Is Calculated
No guessing games. Here is exactly what moves the number, with worked examples by vehicle type.
Scrap car prices in Scotland are driven mainly by vehicle weight and the current price of scrap steel, with reusable parts and the catalytic converter adding to the total. Scrap A Car Scotland typically pays 130 to 400 GBP for a car and 200 to 600 GBP for a van, paid by bank transfer on the day of collection, with free collection and no admin, paperwork or collection deductions.
Key facts
- Typical car payment
- 130 - 400 GBP by bank transfer
- Typical van payment
- 200 - 600 GBP by bank transfer
- Main price driver
- Kerb weight, then scrap steel price and reusable parts
- Collection cost
- Free, anywhere in Scotland
- Deductions
- None. The quoted price is the price paid
- Cash payments
- Illegal in the UK since the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013
Anyone who quotes a flat figure for a scrap car before asking what it is has either guessed or plans to change the number when the transporter arrives. A real quote is built from a handful of inputs, and once you know them you can judge any offer you are given.
The four things that set the price
- Weight - the shell is steel, aluminium and copper. Heavier vehicles start higher, which is why 4x4s and vans beat superminis.
- Current scrap metal prices - these move weekly on world markets, which is why a genuine quote carries an expiry date.
- Reusable parts - engine, gearbox, alternator, doors, lights, and especially the catalytic converter or DPF.
- Completeness and condition - a stripped shell, a missing cat or a fire-damaged car is worth less than a complete MOT failure.
Where the car is
Our depot is in Thornton, Fife, and Fife, the Central Belt, the Lothians and Tayside are daily runs for our transporters. Further out - Highland, Argyll, Dumfries and Galloway - the collection window is longer, but collection stays free.
What should never come off your price
There is no legitimate admin fee, paperwork fee, DVLA notification fee or collection fee on a scrap car in Scotland. If a buyer's price drops on the driveway for a fault you already declared, you are entitled to refuse and send them away.
The figure we quote is the figure paid by bank transfer on the same day as collection, and we do not pay cash - cash payment for scrap metal has been illegal in Scotland since the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015.
How to get the strongest quote
Be accurate. Tell us the registration, whether it runs, whether anything has been removed and where it is parked. An accurate description means the quote holds. A vague one means the price gets revised on the day, which nobody wants.
Vehicle types and what typically drives their value
| Vehicle type | Examples | What drives the price |
|---|---|---|
| Small hatchback | Corsa, Fiesta, Polo, Aygo | Lightest shells - value comes mostly from reusable parts |
| Family saloon / estate | Focus, Astra, Golf, Mondeo | The most common vehicle we buy; steady mid-range weight |
| 4x4 and SUV | Qashqai, Freelander, X-Trail, Discovery | Heavy shells plus large catalysts - usually the strongest prices |
| Van and light commercial | Transit, Vivaro, Sprinter | Weight plus high demand for reusable commercial parts |
| MOT failure or non-runner | Any make, any age | No deduction for not starting or not being roadworthy |
| Stripped or incomplete | Missing cat, engine or wheels | Priced on remaining weight only |
Frequently asked questions
- How much is my scrap car worth?
- It depends on weight, current metal prices, what parts are reusable and the vehicle's condition. Give us the registration and an honest description and we will give you a firm figure that holds to collection.
- Why do quotes have an expiry date?
- Scrap metal prices move week to week on world markets. A quote with no time limit is either padded or will be revised later.
- Do you pay cash for scrap cars?
- No, and nobody legally can in Scotland. Cash payment for scrap metal was banned under the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015. We pay by bank transfer on the same day as collection.
- Are there any fees taken off the price?
- None. No admin fee, no paperwork fee, no collection charge. The quoted figure is the figure that lands in your account.
- Does a car with no MOT or a failed MOT get less?
- No. We buy end-of-life vehicles, so MOT status makes no difference to the price. A car that fails on structural corrosion is still bought on weight and parts.
- Is my car worth more if it still runs?
- Sometimes marginally, because more components are provably good, but it is a smaller factor than weight. We collect runners and non-runners alike at no charge.
- Why do two identical cars get different prices?
- Condition and completeness. A car with its catalytic converter, battery, alloys and undamaged panels intact carries recoverable parts value on top of the weight, so it beats an identical shell that has been stripped.
- Do scrap prices change through the year?
- Yes. Scrap steel is a traded commodity and the price moves weekly, so quotes are held for seven days rather than indefinitely.
Last reviewed by Scrap A Car Scotland
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Best price around
"Easy quote, best price around compared to the rest. Arrived to collect on time, collection driver was very helpful. Would I use them again... absolutely."
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"Really helpful and lovely lads, one of them even came and found me when I got lost looking for the yard which was so nice. Frank the mechanic is an absolute legend, such a great guy and very helpful."
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