Scrap Metal from Cars: Price Trends & What to Expect in 2025 (SA)

Overview: scrap-metal-from-cars-price-trends-2025-sa

Scrap metal prices impact the value recovery from damaged, non-running and written-off cars across South Africa. In 2025 market dynamics - global steel demand, commodity cycles, local recycling capacity, transport costs and exchange-rate movement - will drive price fluctuations for ferrous (steel, iron) and non-ferrous (aluminium, copper) fractions recovered from vehicles. This article reviews likely trends for 2025, explains how scrap pricing affects offers for damaged cars, and outlines practical steps South African owners can take to get a fair cash outcome.

Key drivers for 2025 (South Africa context)

• Global steel production and Chinese demand: changes in export volumes affect local scrap demand.
• Rand (R) exchange-rate volatility: a weaker rand typically raises local scrap prices in R terms if metal is priced in USD.
• Local recycler capacity and transport costs: collection and processing availability in metros like Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban shapes net recovery.
• Regulatory or environmental policy shifts that encourage domestic recycling over imports.

What this means for car owners

For most private owners and small fleet managers in South Africa, scrap-metal pricing is only one component of an offer for a damaged vehicle. Offers also reflect salvageable parts value, vehicle age, remaining market demand for parts, and costs to collect and process the vehicle. While scrap-metal values can boost the offer for older, fully written-off cars, they cannot be the sole basis for expected payout - valuations remain case-by-case.

Numbers above are illustrative South Africa estimates; actual costs vary by make, model and repairer. When repair costs approach or exceed retained value, selling as salvage or for scrap becomes the more economical option.

To understand how scrap value factors into offers from a vehicle buyer, see our company overview and process on the About / How it works page for more detail on valuation components and nationwide collection.

If your vehicle is not running, review specifics at our Sell Non-Running Car page to compare salvage vs repair choices in the current market.

When to sell vs repair (practical rules for 2025)

Use a simple decision framework: if the repair estimate exceeds 50-60% of the vehicle’s pre-accident market value (in R) and scrap/component buyers are active, selling for salvage or scrap is usually preferable. For older cars with low resale demand, recycling scrap metal and selling core parts will often return more net cash than paying for extensive repairs.

Damage types vs typical offer impact

How the process works for vehicle sellers in SA

A typical salvage/scrap sale in 2025 follows four practical steps: submit vehicle details and photos, receive an offer that accounts for scrap-metal expectations, accept and schedule collection, and finalise paperwork and payment. National players - including dismantlers and licensed recyclers - often offer free collection within metro areas and handle deregistration paperwork where applicable, reducing logistics cost for you.

For details on how a streamlined online sale works and what documents you’ll need, see our service overview on the homepage and examples at the Sell Damaged Cars page.

Legal & paperwork in South Africa

• Clear proof of ownership (RSA registration documents) is normally required before payment.
• Deregistration and transfer processes vary if a vehicle is under finance; lenders must be notified and settlement arranged.
• Licensed scrap yards and recyclers adhere to environmental regulations when processing hazardous fluids and components.

Tips to maximise your offer (practical)

• Photograph non-ferrous components (catalytic converter, aluminium wheels, copper wiring) separately to highlight recoverable value.
• Keep service and ownership records available - they increase transparency and may improve the parts resale estimate.
• Disclose outstanding finance up front; it speeds payment and transfer where lender settlement is needed.
• Compare offers and consider buyer coverage: buyers with nationwide collection reduce logistics deductions for owners outside major metros.

What happens after collection

After the vehicle is collected, licensed processors will depollute (remove fluids), harvest reusable parts, and sort ferrous and non-ferrous metals for recycling. Payment timing depends on settlement of ownership documents and any lender requirements; most reputable buyers release payment promptly after collection and verification. For fleet managers, consolidated collections can reduce transport-related deductions per vehicle.

Market outlook summary for 2025: expect moderate upward pressure on non-ferrous scrap prices if global demand and local recycling incentives remain steady, while ferrous prices will track global steel cycles and rand movements. All figures are market-influenced estimates and should be validated against live quotes when you sell.

Sources

• South African Reserve Bank - Economic updates
• Statistics South Africa - Industry and trade data
• World Steel Association - Global steel market reports

If you want to compare how scrap-metal factors into offers for specific non-running or damaged vehicles, check our practical service pages for examples and process details: Sell Non-Running Car and Sell Damaged Cars.