Scrapyards.io

Auto Parts Scrap Prices Today

2 auto parts grades tracked. National averages updated daily.

About Auto Parts

The Auto Parts category covers spent car batteries and removed catalytic converters. Yards buy these as whole units rather than for raw metal weight, since the value sits in lead in battery plates and platinum-group metals in converter cores. After the yard, the units ship on to secondary lead smelters and platinum-group metal refiners. Yards generally inspect for an intact case for batteries and an undamaged honeycomb core for converters before quoting a rate, since damaged units bring less. Sellers planning to bring in spent car batteries and removed catalytic converters should call ahead with item type and approximate count, since per-unit quotes change with refiner contracts and the condition of the units being dropped off.

Auto Parts Grades

GradeCurrent PriceUnitLast Updated
Car Battery$8.50/eachNov 10, 2026
Catalytic Converter$95.00/eachNov 10, 2026

What drives the Auto Parts market

What drives Auto Parts rates is the underlying value of lead in battery plates and platinum-group metals in converter cores — not the weight of the casing or shell. End-use demand from secondary lead smelters and platinum-group metal refiners feeds back into what each yard posts at the scale. Within the category, car batteries are priced on recovered lead content per unit, while catalytic converters are priced on platinum-group metal content in the honeycomb core. A quick call ahead is worth the minute it takes — per-unit rates in Auto Parts can move based on refiner schedules and downstream contracts.

How Auto Parts grades compare

Within Auto Parts, the two main items price separately at the scale. Yards price car batteries based on recovered lead content per unit. Pricing for catalytic converters reflects platinum-group metal content in the honeycomb core. Across both items, condition matters: yards check for an intact case for batteries and an undamaged honeycomb core for converters before quoting a rate, and damaged units take a haircut at the scale.

Auto Parts Prices by State

Auto Parts in AlabamaAuto Parts in AlaskaAuto Parts in ArizonaAuto Parts in ArkansasAuto Parts in CaliforniaAuto Parts in ColoradoAuto Parts in ConnecticutAuto Parts in DelawareAuto Parts in District of ColumbiaAuto Parts in FloridaAuto Parts in GeorgiaAuto Parts in HawaiiAuto Parts in IdahoAuto Parts in IllinoisAuto Parts in IndianaAuto Parts in IowaAuto Parts in KansasAuto Parts in KentuckyAuto Parts in LouisianaAuto Parts in MaineAuto Parts in MarylandAuto Parts in MassachusettsAuto Parts in MichiganAuto Parts in MinnesotaAuto Parts in MississippiAuto Parts in MissouriAuto Parts in MontanaAuto Parts in NebraskaAuto Parts in NevadaAuto Parts in New HampshireAuto Parts in New JerseyAuto Parts in New MexicoAuto Parts in New YorkAuto Parts in North CarolinaAuto Parts in North DakotaAuto Parts in OhioAuto Parts in OklahomaAuto Parts in OregonAuto Parts in PennsylvaniaAuto Parts in Rhode IslandAuto Parts in South CarolinaAuto Parts in South DakotaAuto Parts in TennesseeAuto Parts in TexasAuto Parts in UtahAuto Parts in VermontAuto Parts in VirginiaAuto Parts in WashingtonAuto Parts in West VirginiaAuto Parts in WisconsinAuto Parts in Wyoming

Frequently asked about Auto Parts

Do scrap yards buy whole catalytic converters?
Yards that handle catalytic converters buy them whole, with pricing based on the platinum-group metal content of the honeycomb core. Tampered or chiseled converters bring much less because the recoverable PGM is gone.
What should I check before bringing in spent car batteries and removed catalytic converters?
Yards inspect for an intact case for batteries and an undamaged honeycomb core for converters. Damaged units bring less, so condition matters more in this category than in commodity-grade scrap.
Are prices in the Auto Parts category posted publicly?
Per-unit rates change with refiner schedules and downstream contracts, so yards typically quote on a call-ahead basis rather than posting a fixed daily rate at the scale.
Do all scrap yards buy Auto Parts?
Not all yards handle Auto Parts. Yards focused on commodity metals (steel, copper, aluminum) sometimes refer sellers to specialty recyclers who handle spent car batteries and removed catalytic converters.
How much is a car battery worth as scrap?
Spent automotive batteries pay a per-unit rate that tracks recovered lead value. Yards check the case for cracks and look for missing terminals before quoting. A standard passenger-car battery typically pays a small per-unit amount at the scale, with diesel-truck batteries paying more because they're larger.
How does the Auto Parts category differ from regular metal scrap?
Yards in the Auto Parts category buy whole units rather than weight-priced metal. The value comes from lead in battery plates and platinum-group metals in converter cores recovered downstream by specialists, not from the casing.
How much is auto parts per pound at a scrap yard today?
As of Nov 10, 2026, the US national average is $95.00/each for Catalytic Converter and $8.50/each for Car Battery. Yards quote around these figures depending on grade, cleanliness and volume, so call two or three with your weight for a firm price.
Which auto parts grade pays the most?
Catalytic Converter pays the most at $95.00/each; Car Battery is the lowest at $8.50/each. Sorting by grade before you arrive is the biggest lever on your payout, because a mixed load is paid at the lowest grade in the pile.