Resources

Everything you need to sell your junk car.

These resources walk you through pricing, paperwork, who to call, and how to get paid the most, written by the people who buy junk cars across Metro Detroit every day. Honest answers, no fluff.

14 resources · Written by Detroit junk car buyers · Updated May 2026

Today's Detroit junk car market Updated May 2026

Detroit ferrous scrap rate

$190 to $210/ton

Typical junk car offer

$200 to $1,200

Trucks & SUVs pay up to

$2,500

Same-day pickup window

2 to 4 hours

Start here

Selling for the first time? Read these four in order.

Most sellers we talk to wish they'd known these four things before calling around. Together they take about 20 minutes, and pay off the next time you pick up the phone.

Quick reference

The answers most sellers want first.

Short answers to the questions we get most often. Click through to a full article for any topic that needs more depth.

Quick answers

How much is my junk car worth?: Most Detroit junk cars run $200–$1,200. Trucks and full-size SUVs hit $1,500–$2,500. Exact number depends on weight, condition, what's still on it. See the pricing worksheet →
Do I need a title?: Michigan requires a title in most cases. If you don't have one, an active registration plus matching photo ID can work, call us first. More on paperwork →
How long does it take?: Most pickups in Metro Detroit happen the same day you call (business hours). Cash is paid before our flatbed loads the car. Total time on-site is usually 10–15 minutes.
Do you tow for free?: Yes, free flatbed pickup anywhere in Metro Detroit. No tow fee deducted from your offer.
Will you buy a car with no engine / blown engine?: Yes. The offer reflects what's missing, but a missing or seized engine isn't a dealbreaker. More on engine issues →
What about a salvage or rebuilt title?: We buy them. The offer is slightly lower than a clean title, usually $50–$150 less on a comparable car.
How do you decide the offer?: Scrap weight times current Detroit ferrous rate, plus bonuses (aluminum, AWD, truck/SUV), minus penalties (missing cat, no title, stripped parts). See the full worksheet →
Is the quote free?: Yes, quotes are free, no obligation. You can decline at any point including when the driver arrives.

Browse by topic

All resources, grouped by what you need.

Pricing & values

What junk cars are actually worth in Metro Detroit right now, the math behind the offer, and how scrap rates move with the market.

How Much Are Junk Cars Worth?

Pricing factors, typical ranges, and how we calculate offers.

5 min read

Current Scrap Car Prices

Per-pound scrap metal rates and what they mean for your junk car payout.

3 min read

Junk Car Values by Make and Model

What top-selling vehicles in Metro Detroit pay as junk cars. Trucks, SUVs, sedans, vans, with real condition-based ranges.

8 min read

The selling process

How to pick a buyer, how to maximize what you get, and how to actually complete the sale from first call to cash in hand.

How to Sell a Junk Car

Step-by-step: paperwork, plates, pickup, and getting paid the most.

6 min read

How to Get the Most Cash for Your Junk Car

Practical tips to maximize your payout, what to do, what to skip.

4 min read

Who Pays the Most for Junk Cars?

Comparing local buyers, national brokers, and salvage yards for highest payout.

5 min read

How Long Does It Take to Sell a Junk Car in Detroit?

Most Metro Detroit junk car sales close in 2 to 4 hours from first call to cash in hand. Realistic timelines for every step, what slows it down, and how to get the fastest sale.

6 min read

How to Compare Junk Car Buyers in Detroit

Four buyer types operate in Metro Detroit, each pricing the same car differently. The side-by-side comparison, the broker margin that costs sellers $100+, and how to pick the buyer who pays most.

5 min read

Paperwork & Michigan title

What you need from the Michigan Secretary of State to complete a sale, plus the paperwork paths for lost titles, inherited cars, and no-title situations.

What You Need to Sell a Junk Car in Michigan

Title, ID, plates, liens, and the Michigan SOS paperwork that completes a junk car sale. Plus what to do for lost titles, inherited cars, and joint ownership.

7 min read

How to Sell a Junk Car Without a Title in Michigan

You can sell some junk cars in Michigan without the title. Here are the SOS-approved paperwork paths for each case, what we accept, and when a duplicate title is faster.

7 min read

By vehicle situation

Selling something specific? Direct resources for the most common cases we see in Metro Detroit.

Sell a wrecked car

Collision damage, totaled by insurance, or no longer drivable.

4 min read

Sell a non-running car

Won't start, dead battery, sitting for years. We still buy it.

3 min read

Sell a car with a blown engine

Engine seized or failed internally. Value depends on the rest.

4 min read

Sell a car with bad transmission

Slipping, dropped, or failed transmission. What changes for the offer.

3 min read

Glossary

Junk car terminology, defined.

The terms that show up in offers, paperwork, and quotes, explained without the industry-speak.

Catalytic converter: Emissions device in the exhaust line containing platinum, palladium, and rhodium. Often the most valuable single component on a junk car.
Core charge: A refundable deposit on rebuildable parts (starters, alternators, calipers). Returnable cores boost a junk car's parts value.
Curb weight: A vehicle's weight empty, no passengers, cargo, or aftermarket additions. Different from GVWR (which includes payload).
Ferrous metal: Iron-containing metals (steel, cast iron). Makes up roughly 65–70% of a typical car's weight. The base of all scrap pricing.
Non-ferrous metal: Aluminum, copper, brass, anything without iron. Priced 5–20× higher per pound than ferrous scrap.
Rebuilt title: A salvage-titled vehicle that's been repaired and re-inspected by the Michigan Secretary of State. Eligible to be driven again.
Salvage title: Issued when an insurance company declares a vehicle a total loss. Reduces the car's resale value but doesn't disqualify it from being sold.
Scrap rate: Price per ton for shredded ferrous metal. Set by the regional scrap market, updates weekly. Quoted in short tons in Michigan.
Short ton: 2,000 pounds, the US scrap industry standard. Different from a metric ton (2,204 lbs) used in global commodity reports.
Title transfer: The legal process of moving ownership from seller to buyer. In Michigan, signed at pickup; the buyer files with the Secretary of State.
TR-11L: The Michigan Application for Duplicate Title. Used when an owner can't find the original. Filed with the Michigan Secretary of State.
VIN: Vehicle Identification Number. 17 characters on every car built after 1981. Required for any sale, found on the dashboard, door jamb, and title.

Got a question we didn't cover?

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