Scrap Car vs Salvage Car: What’s the Difference?

Do you have an old car sitting around on your property? It doesn’t run and it’s been rusting away for the last 5-10 years…

You finally decide to do something with it but don’t know if it’s a scrap car or a salvage car. You also don’t know what your options are. Should you sell it or junk it?

If you find yourself in this situation, don’t worry. Check out this guide below to see the main differences between a scrap car and a salvage car.

Salvage Car

What exactly is a salvage car? As the name implies, it indicates a car that can be saved or repaired in some way.

Any time your car is in an accident or damaged in some way, your auto insurance company will evaluate if it is worth paying to repair it. If the cost of fixing the car is higher than the current value of the car, the insurance company will decide it’s a total loss. It will get a salvaged title at that time.

In other words, instead of repairing your car, the insurance company will purchase it from you. The insurance company will then sell it at a car auction.

While these cars are a total loss, it doesn’t always mean that they’re complete junk. While there can be extensive structural or mechanical damage, many salvaged cars only have cosmetic damage. That means these cars could easily be repaired and be back on the road in no time at all.

Scrap Car

Have you ever seen a car abandoned in the middle of nowhere with the engine missing? Inside the car, the seats are disintegrated, and everything is gone.

That car right there is a scrap car.

A scrap car is one that doesn’t have much value. It doesn’t run, and there aren’t many parts that can be re-used. There is essentially no hope that this car will one day be back on the roads.

The main value of a scrap car comes from recycling its steel. When you scrap a junk car, the steel is then commonly re-used to manufacture other vehicles. 

This is a great way to recycle. In fact, 14 million tons of steel are recycled from scrap cars every year with about 25% of the steel from new cars made from this recycled material.

The Main Differences

As you can see, there are plenty of differences between a salvage car and a junk car. The biggest differences, however, have to do with their value, parts, and ability to run.

The Value

A salvage car is much more valuable than a scrap car. While a salvage car may be a total loss, this doesn’t mean that it has no value. While some may be completely wrecked, others can still run or just need minor repairs in order to run. Scrap cars, on the other hand, have no other value other than its steel.

Spare Parts

Salvage cars that have extensive damage still usually have some spare parts that can be used for other cars. If the engine is destroyed, you can still usually sell interior parts like mirrors, steering wheel, seats, and more. If the interior is damaged, you may still be able to pull parts from the engine to use in other cars.

Scrap cars typically don’t have any usable parts. There is usually nothing to recover and re-use except for the steel.

Will It Run?

A lot of salvage cars can eventually be repaired so that they can once again cruise the streets. If the costs aren’t too high, it will be worthwhile to do this.

Scrap cars, on the other hand, are beyond repair. They will never be roadworthy again. The damage to the vehicle is so extensive that it wouldn’t make any financial sense to try to repair it.

Got Junk?

After reading this guideline, you’ve come to realize you have a scrap car. You’re sick and tired of it taking up space in your yard. You ready to just get rid of it! What can you do?

You’re in luck – we can help you with that! If you have a scrap car that you need to get rid of, please contact us. We are a top-rated junk car removal service that is licensed and insured in Ottawa! We can give you quick, easy cash for your junk car as well as remove it from your property at your convenience.