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How much to offer for sheet metal?

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  1. #1
    ScraperRick started this thread.
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    How much to offer for sheet metal?

    Usually I scrap Pc's and make 500-1000 per load but there VERY hard to come by! So I'm calling up auto body repair shops now asking for junk parts.



    This guy said he gots a bin of sheet metal like fenders and so forth. I've NEVER done this before, how do I price him? What's safe.


  2. #2
    Mick's Avatar
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    I used to get several body and repair shops. I was getting most of the sheet metal, etc, free for keeping the area clean. But, what I did pay for, I generally paid 40-50% of what I expected. I carried a bathroom scale and would use that to weigh stuff. Since it wasn't certified, I'd tell people I was using it for my own purpose. Then I'd offer the a dollar amount "for the pile". Of course, they were free to look at the scale, if they wanted. Exceptions were things like rotors, alternators, starters (I'd offer a certain price per item) and catalytic converters (too many variables with these).
    People may laugh at me, but that's ok. I laugh all the way to the bank.

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  4. #3
    Mick's Avatar
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    CAUTION - if you plan to buy catalytic converters, MAKE SURE you know what you're doing and can ID them positively from the beginning. You can lose a lot of money real quick buying cats.

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  6. #4
    jghilino's Avatar
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    i dont think body shops are gonna sell many cats, if the damage goes that far into the car it is totaled 90% of the time

    on cats you need to know the types such as pellet, foil and ceramic honeycomb, then you need to be able to tell whether its domestic, import or aftermarket, theres alot of variables

    the best thing to do is get pictures and send them to cat buyers, then you know approximately what you should offer for them
    Last edited by jghilino; 10-10-2013 at 04:07 PM.
    I buy and sell all types of scrap and escrap. I buy specialty and hard to sell escrap. I buy resale items. PM me or contact me at jghilino@hotmail.com
    I AM ACTIVELY BUYING ESCRAP OF ALL TYPES. BOARDS, RAM, CPUS AND MUCH MORE

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    sledge's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mick View Post
    CAUTION - if you plan to buy catalytic converters, MAKE SURE you know what you're doing and can ID them positively from the beginning. You can lose a lot of money real quick buying cats.
    I will second this in a heartbeat!!
    I'm so into scrapping.. When my Steel Toe Boots Wear out, I cut the Steel out of them and recycle the Toe!

  8. #6
    ScraperRick started this thread.
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    He said he just has sheet metal, there's no cats involved. How much do I pay for the sheet metal

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    Ohio Scrapper's Avatar
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    40 - 50% of what you expect to make off of it as Mick said in Post #2. You could also offer to do a split with him.

  10. #8
    1956's Avatar
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    I have quite a few auto body shops,we remove the tin/ sheet metal and cardboard for free, but I do pay them for the rims,rads,alts,aluminum hoods, batteries, ect. most of my customers like the fact that we provide a service that they can count on and always tell me that lots of Scrappers stop but they chase them, and save the scrap for us because they know we will be there on there regular day.as far as what I pay them, I try to stay as close to half of what I sell for,you can buy a portable scale that weighs up to 500 lbs for fifty bucks or so on eBay,it takes time to build these customers up but be persistent,once they see you coming around a few times and there regular passes them up once to often you might get your chance,remember there shop is like there house and you just do not let strangers in your house,smile be friendly and sincere, but not phony.If you want to make your living in this business year round you must have a steady stream of material and body shops always have scrap,as far as cats go muffler shops are the place to get them,but you need to have a knowledge of them,excluding after markets,they way I learned was I payed twenty bucks a piece for them,you will get burnt a few times, but they way to learn is by your mistakes you will learn like we all did paying 20 a piece you cannot get burnt that bad if at all.carry a car antenna with you,you stick it in both sides one at a time to make sure it's full.good luck.

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  12. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by ScraperRick View Post
    He said he just has sheet metal, there's no cats involved. How much do I pay for the sheet metal
    As much as you can afford to and still profit!


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