RV Scrap Price: How Much Is a Camper Trailer Worth In Scrap?
You have spent tens of thousands of dollars buying your nice new RV. Then when you can’t give it away or sell it as is, you will be disappointed that the money you get may not buy lunch for you and your family. It is a bitter lesson in reality.
Some scrap dealers will pay a going price for specific metals. Aluminum may be priced at 41 cents per pound but that price fluctuates depending on the market price. The problem is that 41 cents per pound may come to roughly $18 to $20.
To learn more about this disappointing value, just continue to read our article. It explores the topic to give you the best information possible so you know what to expect when you think about scrapping that old RV on your property. This news may not be encouraging at all.
RV Scrap Price
Can You Sell an RV For Scrap Metal?
Yes, you can scrap your old RV but it may be a bit difficult to do because so many landfills and scrap yards have their own rules. Some will want you to dismantle it before you bring the metal to them
The amount of money you are going to get in return is not going to be very encouraging. While some scrap yards say that there is only between $95 and $180 worth of scrap metal in an RV or trailer, the other parts, if in good condition, may boost your sales price to around $500 if you are lucky.
There are a lot of scrap yards that advertise that they buy older RVs. What they do not tell you is what they will pay for it until you talk to them. You may get your hopes up that you get a fair price but scrap yards only pay a small amount depending on the current metals are selling for on the open market.
Different metals come with different prices. If you buy an RV or trailer made from fiberglass, you can forget about getting anything for it. Fiberglass cannot be re-used so it may be lighter and save s you one gas money, it won’t bring you any sort of windfall.
When these scrap yards or outlets say they buy old RVs and cars, etc., do not expect to reap a lot of money. Their ads may say they pay top dollar but top dollar does not mean the same to them as it does to you.
Their top dollar will be what they can afford to pay and still make a profit off their purchase. In other words, if steel is selling for 2 cents per pound, you will be lucky to get 1/4 cent per pound. That is top dollar for the scrap yards.
How Much Does a Camper Scrap For?
Not very much. It is hard to place a price tag on this because prices change from day to day and different companies pay differently. If you shop around you may find one company paying a bit more than another but not by much.
You may end up losing money if you have to tow the RV or trailer to the business willing to buy it. Here is what Junk Car Us says about selling old RVs, etc.:
“At our company, we offer free junk RV removal for you. You contact our company. We evaluate your old RV based on the information you have given us about the car, and then we will pay you the money. Our representatives will come to you and pick up the RV. Towing the vehicle is also free.”
And
“You will definitely need a title to scrap your old recreational vehicle. Without this document, it is illegal in the US to take an RV to the junkyard. But we can help you make a duplicate if you have lost one.”
As well as
“Various factors can affect an old car's value, such as year, make, model, mileage, and condition. Therefore, we need more detailed information about your vehicle to answer this question. Once you give it to our agent, they will be able to calculate the value of your car.”
They are not going to give you a one size fits all price for every level of car or RV, etc., you have for sale. It is all done in a case-by-case situation. In this case, you won’t lose any money as that company tows for free.
Notice the bold words. You may have the same make and model RV or trailer as your neighbor but they may get a higher price than you just on this factor alone.
RV Scrap Price vs RV Salvage Value
There is a lot involved in this topic as there are many methods or routes you can take. For example, one route you can take would be buying a totaled by the insurance company RV back from the insurance company.
This may work best if the RV or trailer is older than 10 years. However, the same conditions apply and the price you pay will be determined by condition, cost of parts, and any salvage expenses the insurance company has had to pay.
But when it comes to scrap price, the money you receive will be determined by the purchase price for scrap metal. This is not going to be very high. Aluminum may be bought at 41 cents per pound but aluminum is a valued metal.
The price will change depending on what aluminum recycling companies will pay the scrap yards for the metal. You will get more money if the RV or trailer can be sold for salvage value because there is hope that the RV or trailer can be restored.
They also have many appliances, etc., that are still working. If you have appliances inside the RV or trailer and you want to scrap them, you will not get a used resale price for them. You will get a scrap price for the metal parts.
Scrap Prices For Class C RV
All the factors that we mentioned earlier will apply to this class of RV. You may get a higher price scrapping this size of RV simply because it has more metal inside than a small trailer.
But the governing factor will be the going price for different metals. You will find if you do some research on metals that copper is the best one to have. Svae that copper wire and strip it from the sheath without burning it. That way you will get the best possible price.
Right now some copper wire is going for $3 per pound. Other metals like steel, may be selling for $200 per ton. That equals out to 10 cents per pound. Keep in mind that the prices are going to be changing on a daily basis.
You may pay between $15,000 and $150,000 for your Class C when it is new but what you will get in return when you sell it as scrap is a fraction of what you paid for it. Possibly less than a fraction of what you paid for it.
Scrapping out some RVs is not going to get you a lot of money. The amount you will get will depend on the number of items the scrap yard wants and how much they are willing to pay for it.
Scrap Price For a Pop-Up Camper
The scrap price will be far less than what you would get for a Class C or even a truck. Most of these do not have a lot of copper wiring inside, they also are made mostly of fabric or fiberglass.
What most companies that buy used RVs will do is have you send them a description and as much information as possible to them through their websites. Then they will get back to you as quickly as they can with a price. That is if they are buying them at all.
These companies do not have a set price for everyone nor do they have a set price for pop-up campers. All the factors above apply to this form of RV as they do for every other class.
The problem with pop-up campers is that most of them are small and have little value even as scrap. Most of the construction materials cannot be scrapped because they are not made from the right metals.
If yours is made from aluminum, then you will get the going aluminum price per pound. And as we have repeatedly said, those prices change from day to day. The best thing to do is contact a scrap yard near you through one of the many ‘we buy RVs’ websites and get an idea of what you will receive.
How Much is a Trailer Worth in Scrap?
The price you will receive will depend on the market buying price for the different metals. While the make and model of the trailer play a role in the final amount of money you will receive, the market value of the metals will determine your final payment.
As you already figured out, smaller trailers will not bring as high a price as larger trailers will. Also, the quality of the metal will influence the price you get. For example, newer RVs have better quality metal and will command a higher price over older RVs.
The steel chassis or frame will only pay you about $200 a ton, as an estimate, while the aluminum siding or roof, if you have that, will be paying you about $400 to $600 a ton approx.
All the copper in your trailer will sell for $3 per pound approx., but that may be stripped price. Here is something we have not mentioned yet- your time.
You will not be paid for your labor in dismantling the trailer or stripping the wire. You have to determine if dismantling and stripping it yourself is worth what you get in return.
Of course, getting rid of the eye sore may be worth the effort and small purchase price you will receive. If you are lucky, you may receive between $100 to $1000 for your trailer if you scrap it.
Travel Trailer Scrap Value
There are different websites like NADA and Kelly Blue Book that may set values for different trailers. However, between those two, only NADA puts a value on used trailers. That is the good news.
The bad news is that scrap companies do not use those books to determine what they will pay for your old trailer. If the trailer is still in good shape and usable, you can use those blue books to help you find a reasonable selling price. But not for scrap sales.
To understand a travel trailer’s scrap value, you need to know and understand the metals' value and marketplace. Scrap companies will not pay you the top price for the metals. That is because they want to make a profit themselves.
They will offer a price based on that day’s value for all the metals and it may not be that large. The best thing to do to get the value of your travel trailer is to contact the different companies that buy scrap metal and talk to them.
They may or may not want the whole trailer. They may only want the dismantled metal delivered to their yards. It all depends on the scrap yard. There are just too many factors involved and each company has its own individual criteria and preference on how they handle scrap metal.
Scrapping a Motorhome
There are different methods or routes you can go when you want to do this task. The first route would be to try and sell it to a private party through any number of classified ad outlets including RV discussion forums.
This is where you will get the most money for your motorhome. It is not scrapping it but letting someone else use it while it is still in good condition. Then if you decide to scrap it, you have two ways to go about it.
The first way would be to find someone that will take it off your hands and tow it for you. Some companies charge for towing and others do not. But one thing they have in common is that they will take your motorhome off your hands.
The second way to scrap your motorhome would be for you to take the time to dismantle it, separate the different metals, and then wait till the prices go up before selling the metals to the scrap yards.
Any other route will just be variations of these two methods. The routes we will mention in the upcoming How to scrap a camper section will be applied to this section as well. There is no sense in duplicating the same information.
How Much Can You Get For Scrapping a Camper?
The amount of money you will get will depend on what the scrap companies will pay for it. They offer prices according to the current metal market levels or previous market levels.
These companies are in business to make money so they are not going to offer you a lot of money. They may buy at a previous market level and hold what they buy till that market improves on its prices but you will not see any extra money if they do that.
This is all discouraging news but that is the reality of this industry. The scrap companies will follow the buy low, sell high principle as that is how they stay in business. If you are lucky you will get between $50 and $500 or a little bit more if the camper is large.
But all dollar amounts mentioned here are speculative as the market changes on a daily basis.
How Much Aluminum is in The Sverage Camper?
This is a hard question to answer and there is one good reason for why it is so. The average camper may not have any aluminum in it or it may have a lot. It all depends on the RV maker and if they want to use aluminum or not.
Many shy away from using aluminum because aluminum can get damaged fairly easily or at least scratched a lot. Plus, the RV makers are constantly looking for stronger and lighter construction materials to use.
That means that a majority of RVs made in recent years may not have a lot of aluminum in them. The older RVs and trailers would and that would make mean there is some money to be made recycling the older aluminum found in these RVs.
It is hard to estimate how much aluminum is used because that is not an advertised fact.
How To Scrap a Camper Trailer
These methods apply to all RV Classes and sizes:
1. Sell it on eBay or Craigslist- there are always people looking for old trailers to renovate. They do this to make money or as a personal project. You can use other classifieds as well and you may find someone willing to take it off your hands.
2. Sell it to a junk dealer- you may have to tow it in or dismantle the trailer to get these companies to take the metal. These companies are in almost every town or city in the nation and they are always looking for metal. You just have to talk to them individually to get the best deal.
3. Donate it- there are companies and charities that advertise for junk cars, trucks, and even RVs. They will take it off your hands for you and then either sell it or use it for some specific purpose.
They may even do all the paperwork for you so you have one less hassle to worry about.
4. Repurpose it- take on a project that will refurbish it and turn it into an Airbnb rental. This is a possibility if you have the time and money to handle the work.
5. Sell parts- you can make more money taking the RV or trailer apart and selling the individual parts, if they still work and are usable, than you can by scrapping it out.
These options will take some discussion between you and your spouse. The easiest way to get rid of it would be to call those ‘we buy old RVs’ companies and let them handle all the hard work for you.
No matter which option you take, you will be lucky to get enough money for something else you may want to buy. Older RVs are only valuable for their metals and not much else.
Is It Worth Scrapping a Camper?
In some ways yes and in some ways no. In the former case, it is worth it if you are getting rid of an eyesore that your wife has complained about for years. Or if you are making your neighbors happy. Their property values may go up if you get rid of that old RV or trailer.
Those cases where it is not worth it is when you want a lot of money for the metal or parts. It just is not going to happen. While $100 to $1000 will help out with bills etc., it is not a lot of money to get in return for paying tens of thousands of dollars when the RV was new.
You have to decide if it is going to be worth it or not as you know your financial and other situations.
Some Additional Words
When it comes to scrapping your older RV, it may just be best to contact those companies or charities that take them off your hands. The tax deduction may come in handy and be more profitable than the small amount of money you will get for your RV, etc.
The tax deduction route is something you should consider when you are discussing this option with your spouse. It may help you get a refund but there are no guarantees with this move.
