When you sell a car for scrap, the first thing that sets your payout is the price of the metal it's made of. Scrap-metal markets move constantly, and a licensed recycler tracks them daily to quote you fairly. This 2026 guide breaks down what steel, aluminum and copper are actually worth in Ontario right now, how much metal is in a typical vehicle, and how that floor price combines with parts to produce your final quote.
What are scrap metal prices in Ontario in 2026?
As of 2026, mixed automotive scrap steel in Ontario generally trades in the range of $250–$450 per metric tonne at the recycler buy-back level, depending on grade and market conditions. Aluminum — found in wheels, some body panels, engine components and radiators — is worth far more per kilogram than steel. Copper, concentrated in the wiring harness, starter and alternator, is the most valuable of the common metals. These rates shift with global commodity markets, so any honest quote is a snapshot of that day's prices.
How much metal is in a car?
A typical passenger sedan weighs roughly 1.3 metric tonnes, the large majority of it steel. A mid-size SUV or minivan runs closer to 2 tonnes, and a full-size pickup can top 2.5 tonnes. That weight is why heavier vehicles always pay more as scrap: there's simply more metal to recover. On top of the steel, each car carries smaller but higher-value quantities of aluminum and copper, plus the precious metals in the catalytic converter.
What is my car’s metal actually worth?
Do the math on steel alone and a 1.3-tonne sedan's metal floor is roughly $325–$585 at current Ontario rates; a 2.5-tonne truck's steel is closer to $625–$1,125. Add the aluminum and copper recovered from the same vehicle and the metal-only value climbs further. This is the price floor — the amount your car is worth even if every part were scrap. In practice, saleable parts push the final payout well above the metal floor.
How do scrap metal prices translate into my payout?
Your quote is the metal floor plus recoverable parts value, minus the recycler's cost to tow, dismantle and process the vehicle. Because ScrapCash GTA does that work in-house and sells directly to certified processors, we pass more of the metal and parts value back to you than a tow-truck buyer who flips your car to a yard. That's how most Ontario cars land between $200 and $900, with trucks, SUVs, hybrids and newer write-offs paying more — up to $20,000 for the right vehicle.
Do scrap metal prices change how I should time a sale?
Metal markets rise and fall, but for an ordinary old car the swings rarely justify holding on and hoping for a better month — especially in Ontario, where another winter of road salt eats into the car's remaining value faster than metal prices typically climb. If the car is off the road, insured 'just in case,' or failing safety, selling now almost always beats waiting. We quote on the day's live rates so you always get current market value.
Get a quote based on today’s scrap metal prices
Curious what your specific car is worth at current rates? Call ScrapCash GTA at (647) 983-9577 or request a 60-second online quote. We're a licensed, ELV-certified Ontario recycler who prices every vehicle on live scrap-metal markets plus its recoverable parts, tows free the same day across the GTA, and pays top-dollar cash on the spot.
Ready to find out what your car is worth?
Call us with the year, make, model and condition — we'll lock in your top-dollar 2026 quote in 60 seconds, with free same-day pickup anywhere in the GTA.
We’re a family-run, Ontario-licensed auto recycler that has bought and recycled 15,000+ vehicles across the GTA since 2010. Our guides are based on real, day-to-day experience buying scrap and junk cars, handling ServiceOntario paperwork, and paying fair, transparent prices.
