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Scrap car values rise in September

Published 02 October 2020

Scrap car values increased in September, according to CarTakeBack, one of the largest scrap car recycling networks in the UK.

The industry experts expected that the prices paid for scrap cars would be steady in September, however, the prices have actually increased by four per cent compared to August. The figures show a six per cent increase compared to September 2019.

In April, during the height of the Covid-19 lockdown, scrap car prices were 24 per cent lower than those seen the year before. However, the market has recovered over the past few months as showrooms have reopened and people have bought new cars and part-exchanged their old vehicles.

The most common vehicle scrapped in September was the Ford Focus, as it was in August. The average age of the Focuses scrapped was 16 years and the average scrap value was £143, a drop of £2 compared to last month.

Many factors affect the value, including the global demand for scrap metal, as well as the make, model, age, weight, condition, and location of a car.

Make & Model	August Average Scrap Value	September Average Scrap Value	Percentage Change
Ford Focus	£145	£143	-1%
Vauxhall Corsa	£144	£154	7%
Ford Fiesta	£151	£152	1%
Peugeot 206	£138	£134	-3%
Vauxhall Astra	£147	£155	5%

Comments

Mr Nexus on 6 October 2020

Hmmm, two Fords, two Vauxhalls and a Peugeot - no VW group motors or German, Swedish makes. Makes you wonder a little. Would never buy a Ford, Vauxhall or French car - poor quality.

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aethelwulf on 6 October 2020

The focus was a best seller for many year and outsold those expensive other makes. They were used and abused by owners, particularly later owners and are bound to be scrapped and not worth repairing first. Swedish cars are dear and cost more to fix so owners are stuck with a vehicle that they feel bound to mend .Same for VW who often pay £000 s for repairs when it should be scrap. It will be worth nothing in the end. Ford are good value. If you pay less and get 16 years you are winning. Are you really going to keep the car for your lifetime? If so buy a Bentley.

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Arthur Gardiner on 6 October 2020

Interesting. I have my son's Vauxhall Corsa 1.0 L 2003 on the drive. The key is broken, but still works. It leaks into the footwell (common fault) has a broken wing mirror and needs a good overhaul as well as a service and MoT but the engine starts first time and runs like a sewing machine (139,000 miles). Do I spend and relieve it of my son (now has another car and lives elsewhere) or scrap I ask myself - Oh and it's beginning to grow mould - could be very dangerous unless treated?!!
But I reckon it's more reliable than some of the horror stories I'm hearing about new cars..........Thanks for the space to muse my thoughts.

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cheshiredolphin on 7 October 2020

Interesting that nobody has mentioned the D word - depreciation. If you have a 6 -16 year old car there is no further depreciation of note. Whereas a new car loses 50% or more of its value in the first 3 years and continues. If you have an older car that with attention will continue to provide acceptable transport, why scrap it?
If you have a 16 year old car it may be gaining classic status, benefiting from reduced insurance costs and perhaps slowly increasing in value.
My wife has a 3 and half year old car purchased new, which averaged out has lost over £400 a month, every month, to which you must add higher servicing and insurance costs. Parts are expensive when required due to the technology.
Whereas I have a Swedish car over 30 years old which is slowly appreciating in value and doesn't cost me £400 a month. Parts are cheaper and generally still available and servicing is considerably cheaper as it is done by marque specialists.

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