My 2 cents about scrapping cars. My gf's son who lives with us scraps 1-2 cars a month and makes ok money. A lot of work though. He has a Chevy dually diesel with a trailer that he uses to go pick up the vehicles. It's only worth his time and effort if he doesn't have to pay more than $50-100 per vehicle figuring in time and fuel costs. When he gets the vehicle back here, he has to take off the tires and rims, punch a hole in the gas tank and drain the fuel, then haul it back out to the yard for maybe $300-400 depending on vehicle weight. Cut out the catalytic converter for another $30-40, and, on my advice, I told him he should cut out as much of the wiring harness as he can easily get to and save that also. So after time and fuel costs, he usually ends up making $200-300 or so. Not bad for half a day's work. Problem is, everyone and their mother is trying to do the same thing so pickings are slim and some times, there'll be a month or two dry spell.
So, I've been contemplating this idea. I haven't tried it yet but I think it could work and be more profitable. I've seen school and transit buses on auctions going for $500-2000. School buses weigh (depending on model) between 15-25k lbs. Transit buses are in the neiborhood of 35-40k lbs, more if they have the handicap lifts on them. Since this would take a large wrecker to haul anyway, transit buses would be the choice. Lets say a bus sold for $1500 at auction. The wrecking compay charges $500-750 depending on how far it has to haul the bus. On a 35k pound bus, the profit could potentially be in the neiborhood of $1500-2000 per bus scrapped. Problem is, finding a yard close enough to the auction site that would be able to handle something as big as a bus without having to pay the tow company an arm and a leg to haul this thing around town, or not having the tools to remove the tires (3/4 or preferably 1 inch pneumatic impact), or what to do with those tires if you could get them off because you sure couldn't sell them very easily which would eat into the profit. Yards pay less if the tires are still on the vehicle. But even yet, there is a potential there.
Another idea. Dead forklifts. They weigh in the neiborhood of 10-15k pounds. No fuel to have to remove unless they're diesel (which can be reused in the dually). Smaller tires and rims. I've seen those go from $150-500 on some auction sites. And your local tow company that has a typical rollback can handle those usually. Or if you have a hitch and trailer that can handle a load like that you'd save a couple $$'s from having to pay a tow company. A better profit potential for the same amount of work as trying to scrap a car? Just a couple of thoughts.
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