Two quotes for the same junk car: why they differ

Call three buyers about the same dead car and you can get three different numbers. That’s not always a sign that someone is lowballing you. Each buyer is pricing a slightly different version of your car, built from what you told them, what they assumed, and what they plan to do with it.

The fix is to make every buyer price the same car. Here’s how offers are put together, and the questions that make two quotes comparable.

It starts with the metal

Most junk cars end up as scrap steel. The U.S. Geological Survey’s 2026 summary on iron and steel scrap names cars as the leading source of old steel scrap in the country and counts upward of 280 car shredders across North America.

Weight is the starting point. In Illinois, a licensed scrap processor has to record each vehicle it acquires on a weight ticket, along with the seller’s identification and proof of ownership, under Section 5-401.3 of the Vehicle Code. A full-size van or pickup carries more steel than a compact sedan, which is why trucks, vans and SUVs often bring different numbers than small cars do.

The metal price also moves. The same USGS summary shows the average delivered price for heavy melting steel scrap falling by about a quarter between 2021 and 2024. A quote from last spring and a quote today can differ for no reason that has anything to do with your car.

What moves the number

Factor	Why it changes the offer	What to tell the buyer
Weight and size	More steel means more scrap value	Year, make, model, body style
Catalytic converter	Contains platinum-group metals	On the car, stolen or removed
Wheels and tires	Aluminum wheels and mounted tires matter to some buyers; a car on blocks is harder to move	All four on, some missing, flats
Battery	It has its own scrap value and some buyers count it	Present or missing
Engine and transmission	Major parts some buyers resell	Both in place, or anything pulled
Runs or not	A buyer who resells parts or whole cars may care; a scrap-only buyer may not	Starts, runs, drives, or none
Title and papers	Illinois scrap processors must get proof of ownership	Exactly which papers you have
Towing distance	A buyer far away may charge for the tow or price it in	Where the car sits

The converter deserves its own paragraph. USGS reports that the leading domestic use of platinum-group metals is in automobile catalytic converters, and that about 50,000 kilograms of palladium were recovered from U.S. converters in 2025. Those metals swing hard: the USGS figures put palladium’s 2024 average price at less than half its 2021 average. So a car with its original converter can be worth noticeably more than the same car without one, and how much more changes from year to year.

Paperwork is the other big swing. A car with a clean title in the seller’s name is simple. A car with a lost title, a lien or a deceased owner may need extra steps before anyone can legally buy it. The Illinois rules for missing titles are laid out in our no-title guide.

Why a phone quote can change at the curb

A phone quote is a price for the car you described. If the car at the curb is a different car (converter gone, two wheels missing, engine pulled), the number was built on the wrong facts.

Some changes at pickup are fair for that reason. Others aren’t. A buyer who quotes high to win the job and then finds reasons to cut it once the truck is in your alley has wasted your day, and by then it’s awkward to say no.

You can protect yourself in two ways. Be exact about the car’s condition when you call, including the parts you’d rather not mention. And before you agree, ask if the price can move at pickup and, if it can, for what reasons.

Questions that make two quotes comparable

Ask every buyer the same things, and write the answers down.

1. Is towing free, or is a towing charge taken out of the offer? A higher quote with a towing fee can leave you with less.
2. Does the price hold if the car matches what I described? Ask what would make it change.
3. When and how am I paid? At pickup, or later? Cash, an app transfer or a check?
4. What papers do you need? A buyer who says any paper works for any car isn’t telling you how Illinois rules work.
5. Does the number assume the converter, wheels and battery are on the car? Make sure both quotes assume the same thing.
6. When can you pick up? A quote you can’t schedule for a week is worth less if the car is collecting tickets.

Line the answers up and the picture usually gets clear. The question that started this, who pays the most, turns into a better one: who pays the most that actually reaches your hand.

How our offers work

We’ll give you a number on the call based on what you tell us, so tell us everything: the converter, the wheels, if it runs, and which papers you hold. We don’t charge for the tow, so the number you hear isn’t trimmed to cover it, for a car parked in a garage in Garfield Ridge or out on a driveway in Justice. Payment comes at pickup, through Zelle or Cash App or in cash. Which papers can carry an Illinois scrap sale depends on state rules, and we check yours with you before booking the truck; our no-title page explains more. If you’d like a number to compare, ask for an offer or call (708) 838-5553.