How Much Is My Car Worth for Scrap or Cash in Queenstown?

What a wrecker actually pays for

When you sell a car to a wrecker rather than a dealer, you're being paid for two things: the scrap metal in the vehicle and the reusable parts that can be resold. That's why we pay for cars that don't run — a dead car still has both. The better the condition and the more in-demand the parts, the higher the offer.

The factors that set your price

• Make and model. Vehicles with strong parts demand in the Southern Lakes — Toyota, Mazda, Subaru, and 4WDs and SUVs suited to the snow and ski roads — tend to fetch more.
• Condition. A running car with current WOF and rego is worth more than a dead, stripped or heavily damaged one.
• Completeness. All panels, wheels, the engine and the catalytic converter present will lift the offer; a stripped car is worth less.
• Weight. Heavier vehicles — SUVs, 4WDs, vans — contain more recyclable metal, which feeds into the scrap value.
• Current metal and parts prices. Scrap steel prices move, and so do offers — though day to day the change is small.

Running vs dead — how much difference?

A tidy, running car with current rego will always beat a dead one, because it can potentially be resold or has fully working parts. But the gap is often smaller than people expect — a dead 4WD or SUV of a popular make, with good panels and a valuable drivetrain, can still be worth a solid cash offer up here. The only way to know your number is to ask.

How to get the best offer

• Give an accurate description — make, model, year and what's wrong with it.
• Mention if it runs, and whether it has current WOF and rego.
• Note any good points: low kilometres, new tyres, recent work, 4WD.
• Send a couple of photos if you can — they help us quote accurately.
• Don't strip it first: a complete car is usually worth more than its parts sold piecemeal.

Ready to find out? Get a free, no-obligation quote and we'll give you a firm figure for your car anywhere around the Queenstown Lakes.