Despite what you might think, there’s some value in that junk pile of metal in your driveway. If you know what to look for, you can salvage parts from your car scrap that could earn you a few bucks at the car scrap yard Stoystown.

The engine is one of the most valuable parts you can pull from a scrap car. It contains precious metals like platinum and rhodium that are worth much money.

Engine

Cars may not be as useful as once, but some parts can still be valuable. It is important to identify these valuable parts before sending your junk car off to be shredded in the scrap yard.

The engine and transmission are often the most expensive car parts to scrap. They retain value if they are in good condition and can be sold to mechanics and auto enthusiasts looking for replacements.

Other parts worth a lot of money include the air conditioner, compressor, and condenser. These parts are valuable because they can be used to repair other A/C systems. A functioning battery is also highly sought after. It contains copper and aluminum, both valued by scrap metal buyers.

Transmission

A car’s transmission system is worth a lot of money, as it transfers the engine’s power to the wheels and regulates this energy so the vehicle doesn’t run too fast or slow. On average, the price of a used transmission can range from $800 to $1,200.

Other car parts worth scrapping include the air conditioning system, compressor and condenser, and catalytic converter. These parts can be sold to auto repair shops and private buyers looking for cheap replacements.

It’s worth examining your junked car for usable parts before you take it to the local scrap yard and have it shredded. Selling these individual car parts can be a much better way to make money than just turning the whole thing into metal scrap, especially when these parts are in good condition.

Airbags

Airbags are among the most valuable car parts. They’re in high demand among repair shops, car enthusiasts, and other businesses. Luckily, junk cars with unused airbags can still be salvaged for their value.

Airbags are designed to protect the driver and passenger during a front-on crash. They deploy within 50 milliseconds of a collision and cushion the impact by spreading the vehicle occupant’s deceleration over a larger surface area.

They are fitted to the steering wheel and dashboard and triggered by sensors that detect rapid deceleration. These sensors send an electric signal to a heating element that inflates the airbag with nitrogen gas. The “smoke” you’ve probably seen in videos from airbag deployment is a nontoxic powder, usually talcum or starch.

Built-In GPS System

Several parts of a car retain value even in a scrapped state. The catalytic converter, for one, is worth a fair amount of money as it contains precious metals such as platinum and palladium that are responsible for filtering and lowering the toxic fumes emitted by a car. It can be sold to electronics shops, car dealers, parts collectors,, and manufacturers.

A built-in GPS is also valuable, though many drivers prefer to use their smartphones for navigation. A working GPS is worth a few hundred bucks and fairly easy to remove from the vehicle. It can be sold to people looking for replacement systems, or recycled and used to manufacture a new car.

Aluminum and Sheet Metal

Even a junk car sitting in the driveway for years can have a few components worth money at the scrap yard. This is because everything in a car is either steel or iron, and these metals are worth something to salvage yards and individual buyers.

The engine and transmission are also valuable, as auto enthusiasts and rebuilders always look for viable parts to buy. The alternator and starter are valuable because they contain copper, while the radiator contains a significant amount of aluminum, another recyclable material.

The fenders are also valuable, as they protect the vehicle’s wheels and other front- and rear-facing areas. The tailgate and hatch are worth a little less, but salvage yards and individual buyers can often find good use for them.