These buyers view the car as a collection of parts rather than a single machine. By stripping high-demand components like catalytic converters (which contain precious metals), engines, and electronics, they can often generate 2-3x the profit of the vehicle’s raw scrap weight.
Vehicles beyond any repair are crushed and sold to steel mills. Remarkably, about 75% of a modern car's mass, including its steel frame, is fully recyclable. The Environmental and Social Impact places that buy totaled cars
Savvy mechanics buy salvage-titled vehicles to repair them using Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) guidelines. In a market where 3-year-old used car prices have surged by 41% since 2019, these rebuilt vehicles offer a rare entry point for budget-conscious buyers. These buyers view the car as a collection
When an insurer "totals" a car, they are making a purely financial calculation: the cost of repair exceeds a certain percentage of the car's current value. This creates an opening for "totaled car buyers" who operate through three primary value-extraction models: Remarkably, about 75% of a modern car's mass,