So I just did my first car this week...

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net...35589240_n.jpg

It was a beat up Hyundai Elantra. I paid $150.00 for it, had it towed for $55.00, and got $272.00 as scrap, so a profit of only $67.00, but I never touched it.

Wondering how much better I would have done had I brought it in myself (with a trailer which I would have had to rent) and taken off cat, starter and alternator, and maybe taillights for quick sale on eBay. I have no interest in puling off radiators and making a coolant mess at my shop.

Thoughts?

Okay, I can't edit the title. Obviously it is supposed to say FIRST car... :-)

Open mouth - Insert foot :)
http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/off-t...-have-say.html

I think I'd at least tried to cut the cat out of there

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Abuilder

Open mouth - Insert foot :)
http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/off-t...-have-say.html

---

Yep, ya got me! :-)

Although, technically, since I KNOW how to spell "first," it's not so much a spelling error as fat finger syndrome combined with impatience to finish the post. LOL

I just scraped my fingers across the keyboard wrong...

Most rads on newer cars are aluminum anyway, so not really worth it. Although some yards pay lower for undrained autobodies. If the radiator is copper/brass you should get similar pricing as yellow brass, IF you clean the steel off of them.

Cats are worth cutting and batteries are worth pulling. Again some yards will pay lower if batteries are still installed.

Aluminum rims are worth pulling as well, if equipped.

The title must have been edited, I don't see the mistake.

Yep, the admin fixed it up for me.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BurlyGuys

I just scraped my fingers across the keyboard wrong...

---

That's suppose to be scapped my fingers isn't ti? LOL

:-) .

Back on topic.
Pulling the alternator and battery sure would have helped that sad profit level.

Thanks for getting back to the purpose of the post! How much on average are those items worth?

Burly
I get about 9 bucks for an average size car battery. And the alternator can have a few pounds of copper in them if you break them down. The starter also has quite a bit of copper in them too but getting under the car to pull it can be a pain.

I have another idea! I wonder how hard it would've been to have sold the whole car for say 500 bucks? Hopefully the engine and tranny was bad and always cut the cat off unless it is super impossible to cut off or you know for sure that its an aftermarket.

You did fine, ive never cut the cat off a hyndai but some of those smaller cars are tough. Alternators we started selling them to a local rebuild shop 8 bucks a piece. Our 1st car we really took our time and really took it apart, only after a few cars and some practice will you really know what works for you. The next one you get break it down, don't get frustrated I still sometimes ruin 4 or 5 blades cutting out a cat

Quote:

---

don't get frustrated I still sometimes ruin 4 or 5 blades cutting out a cat

---

Gus told you why, maybe you can get different blades to counteract it.
Compliments of Gus;

Quote:

---

Came across this bit of information while the mutt was out having a wiz. 400 series stainless. This would explain why cutting off catalytics with the sawzall plays havoc with the blades.

In the beginning I was using 14 tpi blades but have now switched over to 10 tpi with faster cutting with longer blade life.

409 is a titanium stabilized ferritic stainless steel. Although regarded as a general-purpose chromium stainless steel the primary application for Grade 409 is automotive exhaust systems.

Corrosion Resistance
Grade 409 resists atmospheric and exhaust gas corrosion. A light surface rust will form in most atmospheres; this rust retards further corrosion but makes the surface undesirable for decorative applications. The corrosion resistance is about the same as that of 3CR12 and the 12% chromium martensitic grades such as 410, and inferior to the 17% chromium grade 430.

Heat Resistance
Generally 409 is classified as resistant to scaling in intermittent service up to 815°C and up to 675°C in continuous service, but these temperatures are dependent upon the exact service environment.

Typical applications include:

• Automotive exhaust systems

• Catalytic converters

• Mufflers

---

Depending on the size of cat, that alone would have been $90-115, assuming it was 100% full. Around another $50-150 just in cores. About $10 for the battery. All without touching ebay.

Why not re-use the antifreeze?

Quote:

---

Why not re-use the antifreeze?

---

The junk yard up north of me sells used/filtered anti-freeze for $ 1. a gal.