Ever-fluctuating, the value of scrap metal is primarily determined by supply and demand. Not only that, but prices can often vary depending on the quantity and quality of scrap metal being sold.
Scrap metal is divided into two types: ferrous and non-ferrous. Ferrous metals are magnetic and can often be found in old cars, steel beams and appliances. Ferrous metals include steel, cast iron and wrought iron. Valued for their tensile strength and durability, ferrous metals are frequently used within the construction industry for tools, machinery and buildings.
Non-ferrous metals, such as aluminium, copper and lead are generally more valuable than ferrous metals. Non-ferrous metals have become popular in the manufacturing industry due to their low melting point, rust-free qualities, and pliability. Non-ferrous metals are often used by automobile manufacturers and the aerospace industry due to their lightweight qualities; this increased demand means that non-ferrous metals are generally bought and sold for a higher price than ferrous metals are.
Steel
One of the most common types of metal, steel is often seen as less valuable in comparison to other metals. The value of steel can be driven up however, if it contains other metals such as chromium and chrome. The grade of steel also has an effect on price, depending on the amount of nickel the alloy contains. To ensure you receive the best price, look to scrap steel that is high-grade, clean and has been well maintained.
Aluminium
A highly sought-after metal in many industries, aluminium can be recycled infinitely without ever losing its quality. Of the 9.5 billion aluminium cans produced in the UK yearly, 75% are recycled. And it’s not only found in cans and food packaging, aluminium can also be found in old computers, gaming consoles, car parts and even bike frames. In fact, during the 19th century aluminium became more precious than gold or silver. Nowadays aluminium holds less value due to it being one of the more abundant metals.
Copper
It may come as no surprise than one of the most valuable kinds of scrap metal is copper. Over the past few decades mining output for copper has grown far more slowly than other metals. Slower copper production has led to a shortage, and with demand rising, copper can be extremely valuable.
Lead
Fallen out of popularity due to its toxicity and associated health risks, lead used to be a widely used material. Even so, lead is still used to in the manufacturing of large car batteries and therefore does hold a relatively high scrap value. Lead can also be found in old pipes and weights. When handling lead make sure to wear personal protective equipment such as goggles, gloves, boots, and protective clothing.
Titanium
A less commonly found metal, titanium is often used in electronics and sporting equipment such as bikes or golf clubs. Although lightweight, titanium is extremely strong. Because titanium is harder to find than most other types of scrap metals, it has a higher price point, making it one of the more valuable metals to take to a scrap metal dealer.
Get in touch
If you want to check whether we can accept your scrap metal, scrap car parts, appliances, or any other waste materials you might want to recycle, just ask.
We can provide upfront price quotes for quantities of scrap and may be able to arrange collection of your item – give us a call on 0161 928 9981 to find out.
All cars develop some ‘idiosyncrasies’ over time, which are usually a sign that part of the vehicle is wearing out.
From rattling interior panels to strange smells wafting in through the vents, there are lots of ways to tell that the clock is ticking for your former pride and joy.
These are some of the top tell tale signs that help motorists to know when to scrap cars and put the cash towards a newer set of wheels.
1. Rattle & Squeak
Some minor squeaks from an interior side panel are par for the course, but over time they can add up to an absolute racket – and often coincide with more major problems elsewhere in the car.
2. Flat Battery
A flat battery in itself can be changed or charged, but can also be a sign of problems with your electrics, which can be excessively expensive to fix on an older vehicle.
3. Rumbling On
Almost as bad as a car that won’t start, is a car that won’t stop. If your engine keeps turning over after you switch off the ignition, it might need more than just a tune-up, and you could be better off buying something newer.
4. Smoke & Smells
Unusual smells from the engine bay, especially combined with smoke, can be a sign of an oil leak, hydraulic problems or a damaged clutch – again, often repairable, but potentially too pricey to be worth doing.
5. Dashboard Lights
When Meat Loaf sang “I can see paradise by the dashboard light,” he could have been singing about car heaven. If your dash lights up like a Christmas tree with inexplicable warnings every time you go for a drive, think about saying bye-bye to your banger.
6. MOT Nightmares
Your car’s MOT is often where a major fault comes to light and can leave you without a legally driveable vehicle with little to no warning – so call your local scrap yard and get them to take your uninsurable vehicle immediately, to avoid any fines or penalty points for having it parked up with no tax, test or policy in place.
7. False Economy
Hanging on to an old, inefficient vehicle can cost you more in the long run, from running repairs to poor fuel economy. Look at scrapping your car to get funds towards a newer model and you might find it’s surprisingly economical overall thanks to the reduced running costs too.
8. Trading Up
Getting rid of your old car doesn’t have to be because it’s no longer roadworthy – sometimes you just want an update, or an upgrade if you’ve come into some money. Scrapping an old car is always an option, and can be much faster and easier than trying to sell it.
9. Falling Apart
If your doors don’t close without a slam or your exhaust pipe trails along the ground, your car is probably past its best – so plan to get a newer model before your current vehicle falls to bits completely.
10. It’s a Write-Off
Last but not least, your insurer might let you know that they think your car is beyond economical repair. If you’re still left with the car to dispose of, scrapping it is a good way to get value out of a vehicle that you can’t sell on second-hand!
As we near the halfway point in 2022, what trends are emerging in the car market, and how are our driving habits changing compared with previous years?
Each passing year as more people choose to scrap an old car and upgrade to a newer model, the mix of vehicles on the roads gets newer overall too.
That leads to a changing in driving styles and vehicle characteristics. With the second half of 2022 around the corner, here are some of the trends emerging from this steady evolution.
Cheap as Chips
Reduced production during the pandemic and the release of pent-up consumer demand for electronic goods has led to a shortage of computer chips, including those used in modern vehicles.
Global advertising platform Teads found a whopping 89% of motorists who are planning to buy a new car in the next two years are aware of this silicon crunch and 31% are allowing it to affect their buying decision.
In particular, 14% said they will look at used cars if they want to buy a vehicle as soon as possible.
To Buy or Not To Buy?
The question of when to buy is on the agenda too. The Teads research found 8% of motorists who wanted to buy a car immediately are now likely to delay, including 5% of European drivers.
Price is always a factor, and 31% of drivers globally (including 34% of Europeans) believe they will get a better deal on their next vehicle if they wait.
This could be a false economy – when you scrap an old car you can turn it into cash to put towards a newer vehicle, and with fuel prices sky-high you could save a small fortune in improved fuel efficiency too.
Kill Your Speed
IAM RoadSmart, the road safety charity operated by the Institute of Advanced Motorists, has found that years of road safety campaigns are having an effect on how fast drivers think it is acceptable to go.
Compared with a previous survey six years ago, the proportion of people who think doing 80mph on the motorway is OK has fallen from 56% to 42% at the end of 2021.
The percentage who think it is acceptable to drive even faster than that is much lower still, down from 28% to 21%, and in residential settings the share of drivers who admit to doing 5mph over the speed limit is down from 17% to 10%.
Electric Dreams
It’s impossible to ignore the switch over to electric cars, and figures from the EV Charging Survey by charge point mapping app Zap-Map has found high satisfaction rates among drivers who have changed from internal combustion engines to battery power.
The survey found less than 1% of motorists would prefer to switch back to petrol or diesel for long-distance journeys – suggesting old worries about the range of EVs are no longer an issue.
With a range of government incentives and tax breaks for new EVs, it’s clear that we are coming into the peak period to scrap a petrol or diesel car and go all-electric.
En Route Charging
Finally, those fading concerns about range are being helped on their way by massive improvements in ultra-rapid charging infrastructure.
Zap-Map found there were 60% more public ultra-rapid chargers in 2021, compared with the previous year.
Among drivers surveyed, 52% said they regularly recharge at the supermarket and 50% regularly use motorway service station charge points – a sure sign that some of the fastest charge points are now available in the most convenient places.
Once upon a time, electric vehicles (EVs) were little more than a novelty, restricted to a maximum range of about 40 miles and good only for short hops and daily commutes. Those days are gone.
Hybrid engines are gradually fading from fashion too, as pure electric vehicles with zero tailpipe emissions increasingly offer the kind of range and comfort features you might expect from a traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) car.
The benefits are huge. Quieter cars, cleaner air, less negative impact on climate change, the potential to use more renewable energy and lower running costs are all in the mix.
EVs require less servicing, with fewer moving parts to go wrong. Their automatic transmission makes them easier and more efficient to drive. They can be recharged from a standard wall socket in about 12 hours, or from a rapid charger in under an hour.
In almost every conceivable way, electric cars make more sense – and with government incentives to help motorists make the move to electric vehicles, combined with spiralling petrol and diesel prices, is it time to scrap your car and go electric?
Electric Cars Take the Lead
We are at a turning point for the UK automotive market, according to figures published by the Department for Transport in January 2022.
They found that in the third quarter of 2021, a total of 542,000 new vehicles were registered in Great Britain. Of these, 51,000 were battery electric vehicles (BEVs), an increase of 44% over the previous year.
New petrol car registrations fell 41% and diesel registrations dropped by 66% in the same period, taking the figures to 213,000 petrol and just 35,000 diesel registrations. A further 76,000 hybrid electric vehicles and 29,000 plug-in hybrids were also registered.
In all, 83,000 newly registered vehicles meet the criteria to be classed as ultra-low emission, up 40% since 2020. ULEVs took a market share of 15.3% among vehicles newly registered in Q3 2021.
Should I Scrap My Diesel Car?
Scrapping diesel cars in particular is high on the agenda, as they face stricter MOT rules, higher fuel prices and raise greater concerns about environmental impact. However, much of this also applies to scrapping petrol cars too.
There are several incentives that might make it easier for you to switch to a fully electric car:
• Vehicle tax exemptions for zero-emission vehicles including battery EVs
• Additional exemption from the £355 premium vehicle tax on EVs worth over £40,000
• Congestion charge and clean air zone exemptions for ULEVs
• Plug-in Grants up to £1,500 to buy specific models of electric cars
• Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme grants up to £350 to install a home fast charging point
Added together, these incentives could make it well worth scrapping a petrol or diesel car, especially if you live close to a clean air zone where you have to pay to drive a car with non-zero exhaust emissions.
To find out how much we can pay you for your scrap car, fill in our Quick Scrap Car Quote enquiry form and you’ll soon know how much extra you can put towards your electric vehicle too.
We are really excited to announce we will be sponsoring Altrincham FC Women for the forthcoming 2021/2022 football season. This is a great opportunity to support women’s football and a fantastic part of our local community.
As part of our partnership with Altrincham FC we will offer brand new kits for the women’s first team. We will also include travel and training wear for the squad. We are also proud to extend this support to the community coaching team who do brilliant work with over 800 children, young people, and adults. (more…)
