What is my junk car worth in Hemet, CA? How offers are figured.

A junk car in Hemet is quoted per call, based on its year, make, weight and condition. A complete, heavy vehicle brings more than a light one, newer wrecks with good parts can be worth more, and stripped cars less. The quote on the call is the number that counts.

Offers move with the scrap market and with what local dismantlers need that month. Ask what would change the number before you agree to a pickup, and compare quotes with pickup included.

Most of a junk car's base value is its steel, so a heavier vehicle is worth more to a scrap yard. A compact sedan weighs roughly 2,500 to 3,000 pounds, and a full-size pickup or van often weighs 4,500 pounds or more.

Scrap yards pay by the ton, and the rate changes with the steel market. Aluminum wheels, copper wiring and the radiator may be sorted out and paid separately. That is why a heavy truck on aluminum wheels usually brings more than a light car, even when both are in the same rough shape.

The catalytic converter is often the most valuable single part on a junk car, because it contains precious metals. A car with its original converter is worth noticeably more than one with the converter cut off or swapped for a cheap aftermarket unit.

Converter theft is common in Southern California, and state law now limits who recyclers can buy loose converters from. That makes a converter still bolted to its car the normal way to sell one. Look under the car before you call. If you see a gap or a fresh cut in the exhaust pipe, say so, because the driver will spot it at pickup.

A car that runs and drives can be worth more than scrap, because it may be resold or its engine reused. A car that does not run is priced mostly on weight and parts. Be honest either way, since the driver checks at pickup.

An engine that runs but burns oil, or a transmission that slips but still shifts, keeps some resale value. Say what you know, including warning lights and noises. If the car has not been started in months, try a jump first so you can tell the buyer whether it turns over.

Missing wheels, a missing catalytic converter and a pulled engine or transmission lower the offer the most. Missing body panels, seats or a battery matter less. List what is gone when you call, and the phone offer will account for it.

If you have been parting the car out yourself, decide what you want to sell before calling. Selling the good parts separately can earn more in total, but it takes time and leaves a shell worth only scrap. Some buyers will not take a car without wheels unless they can drag it onto the truck.

Offers vary because buyers want different things: a scrap yard pays for weight, a dismantler pays for parts, and a reseller pays for a car that runs. Distance matters too. A car in Homeland or Winchester costs more to collect than one off Florida Avenue.

Some online instant-offer sites show a number on screen and then adjust it after an inspection at the curb. A buyer on the phone asks more questions first. Compare offers with pickup included, and ask what would make the number drop when the driver arrives.

Keep the car complete, have the title in hand, and describe it accurately. A car with its converter, wheels and engine, plus a title in your name, brings the best offer. Comparing two or three quotes with pickup included also helps.

Small things help a little: a jump so you can say the engine turns over, air in the tires so the car rolls onto the truck, and photos sent ahead. Draining fluids or pulling the battery yourself rarely adds anything and can make the car harder to move.

Age matters mostly through the parts: a newer car's parts fit cars still on the road, so dismantlers pay more for them. A very old car is usually priced on weight alone, unless it is a model people restore.

Older trucks and some classic models can be worth more than scrap to the right buyer. If you think the car might be one of those, give the exact model and trim on the call. For an ordinary sedan from the 1990s or early 2000s, expect a price close to its weight value.