What Metals in a Car Are Worth Money? A Scrap Metal Guide

If you’re asking what metals in a car are worth money, the main answers are steel, aluminum, copper, lead and the platinum-group metals inside the catalytic converter. Steel makes up most of a car’s weight but is the least valuable per pound. Aluminum and copper are worth more per pound, the battery’s lead is recycled almost universally, and the small amount of platinum, palladium and rhodium in a catalytic converter can make it one of the most valuable single parts on the car.

Knowing where these metals are helps you understand what a junk car is worth, why buyers ask whether certain parts are still attached, and whether pulling anything yourself makes sense. Below is a part-by-part guide, along with important safety and legal notes.

Quick Overview: Metals in a Car and Where They Are

Steel and Iron: The Bulk of the Car

Steel is the backbone of almost every car: the frame or unibody, doors, hood, roof, trunk lid and many suspension parts. Many engine blocks, especially on older cars and trucks, are cast iron.

Steel’s value per pound is low compared to other metals, but there’s a lot of it. That’s why scrap car offers often start with the car’s weight. Cars are also one of the biggest sources of recycled steel, so the steel in your old car will very likely end up in new steel products.

If you want to understand how weight turns into an offer, see our guide to scrap car prices per ton.

Aluminum: Wheels, Engines and More

Aluminum is lighter than steel and worth more per pound. The USGS reports that transportation is the largest single use for aluminum in the U.S., and automakers have been using more of it over time to reduce weight.

Common aluminum parts include:

• Alloy wheels. Many cars have aluminum wheels instead of steel ones. Clean wheels without tires or wheel weights are typically worth more to a recycler.
• Engine blocks and cylinder heads. Many modern engines use aluminum blocks or heads. Older engines and many truck engines are often iron.
• Transmission cases and bell housings.
• Radiators and AC condensers on many newer cars.
• Body panels such as hoods or trunk lids on some models.

A magnet is a quick way to tell the difference: it sticks to steel and iron but not to aluminum.

Copper: Wiring and Older Radiators

Copper is one of the more valuable common metals by weight, and it’s widely recycled because it can be melted down and reused without losing its useful properties.

In a car, copper shows up in:

• Wiring harnesses running throughout the vehicle.
• Starters and alternators, which have copper windings.
• Older radiators and heater cores, which were often copper and brass. Many newer radiators are aluminum with plastic tanks.

Stripping copper wire from a car takes time, and the insulation lowers its value until it’s removed. For most people, the effort isn’t worth it compared to selling the car whole.

Lead: The Car Battery

The standard 12-volt car battery is a lead-acid battery. The USGS reports that the lead-acid battery industry accounts for most U.S. lead consumption, and that nearly all recycled lead in the country comes from old scrap, mostly batteries. In other words, car batteries are one of the most recycled products around.

Batteries are usually sold or returned whole rather than broken down. Many retailers that sell car batteries accept old ones, and scrap yards often buy them separately. Our guide to car battery recycling covers your options.

Safety note: Battery acid is corrosive, and lead is toxic. Keep the battery upright, wear gloves and eye protection, and never cut or open a battery.

Platinum-Group Metals: The Catalytic Converter

The catalytic converter is part of the exhaust system and contains a honeycomb coated with small amounts of platinum, palladium and rhodium. The USGS identifies catalytic converters as the leading domestic use of platinum-group metals, and a significant amount of palladium and platinum is recovered from spent converters in the U.S. each year.

Because these metals are so valuable, a converter can be worth a lot relative to its size. How much depends on the converter’s design, the vehicle it came from, and current metal prices, which the USGS notes can swing based on mining output, demand and investor activity.

That value is also why catalytic converter theft has become a problem. The National Insurance Crime Bureau has pushed for state laws that put more requirements on people selling converters and more due-diligence obligations on recyclers that buy them. Learn more in catalytic converters explained.

Legal Notes: Selling Scrap Metal and Converters

Rules for selling scrap metal vary by state and sometimes by city. Common requirements in many places include:

• Showing a government-issued photo ID when selling scrap.
• Proof of ownership for whole vehicles, usually the title.
• Extra documentation for catalytic converters, such as proof that the converter came from a vehicle you own.
• Waiting periods or non-cash payment for certain items.

These requirements differ widely, so check your state and local rules before selling a converter on its own. Selling the car whole to a licensed buyer with the title is typically the simplest path. If title paperwork is an issue, see our state-by-state car title guides.

Safety and Environmental Notes

Pulling parts from a junk car carries real risks:

• Lifting the car. Never work under a vehicle supported only by a jack. Use proper jack stands on solid ground.
• Fluids. Gasoline, oil, coolant and brake fluid are hazardous. They need to be drained and disposed of properly.
• Mercury switches. Some older vehicles have mercury-containing switches, such as in hood or trunk lights. The EPA set up a national program to remove these switches from retired vehicles before they’re crushed and melted, so mercury isn’t released when the steel is recycled.
• Airbags. Undeployed airbags can go off if handled improperly.
• Sharp edges and broken glass are common on damaged cars.

Licensed recyclers have the equipment and procedures to handle these hazards. You can read about the process in what happens to my car after it’s junked.

Should You Pull Metals Before Junking?

For most people, selling the car whole is the better choice. Yards price complete cars with the converter, battery, wheels and wiring in mind, and some lower their offers for stripped vehicles. Pulling parts makes the most sense if you have the tools, space and know-how, and a clear buyer for what you remove. Our guide on selling parts before junking can help you decide.

FAQ

What is the most valuable metal in a car?

By weight, the platinum-group metals in the catalytic converter are the most valuable. By total amount, steel accounts for the most value simply because there’s so much of it.

Are aluminum wheels worth more than steel wheels?

Generally yes. Aluminum is worth more per pound than steel, and clean aluminum wheels without tires or weights usually bring a better price.

Can I sell my catalytic converter by itself?

In many places you can, but laws vary by state and often require ID and proof of ownership. Selling it attached to the car you own is usually simpler.

Is it worth stripping the copper wiring from a car?

Usually not. It takes a lot of time, and insulated wire is worth less until it’s stripped. Most people do better selling the car whole.

Sources

• Aluminum, USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 — transportation as the largest U.S. use of aluminum
• Platinum-Group Metals, USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 — catalytic converters as the leading domestic PGM use, recovery from spent converters, and price drivers
• Lead, USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 — lead-acid batteries as the main use of lead and source of recycled lead
• NICB Urges Texas Legislators to Take Action to Curb Catalytic Converter Thefts — precious metals in converters and NICB-backed requirements for converter sellers and recyclers
• National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program (EPA) — removing mercury switches from vehicles before they’re crushed and recycled