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Scrap America

We Buy Anything With Wheels

Running? Not running? Wrecked? Rusted? If it's a vehicle, we want it.

Get Offer for My Car 📞 (414) 441-4448

The Ultimate Junk Car Buyer's List

At Scrap America, we are not picky. While a dealership will turn you away for a "Check Engine" light, we actively seek out vehicles with problems. Our business model relies on acquiring vehicles in any condition to feed our network of parts buyers, scrap metal recyclers, and core buyers.

By Vehicle Type

Passenger Cars

Sedans, coupes, hatchbacks, and convertibles. From a 2002 Honda Civic to a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. These are the bread and butter of our recycling program.

  • ✓ High Mileage Commuters
  • ✓ Failed Transmissions
  • ✓ Rusted Rocker Panels

Trucks & Pickups (High Pay!)

We pay a premium for trucks due to their heavier steel frames and valuable rear axles/differentials.

  • ✓ Ford F-150 / F-250
  • ✓ Chevy Silverado / GMC Sierra
  • ✓ Ram 1500 / Dakota
  • ✓ Toyota Tundra / Tacoma

SUVs & Crossovers

The most common vehicle on the road today. We buy them all, from compact Escapes to massive Suburbans.

  • ✓ Jeep Grand Cherokee / Wrangler
  • ✓ Honda CR-V / Pilot
  • ✓ Ford Explorer / Expedition

Vans & Minivans

Work vans and family haulers often have heavy wear, but huge recycling value.

  • ✓ Dodge Grand Caravan (Very Common)
  • ✓ Honda Odyssey / Toyota Sienna
  • ✓ Ford E-Series Work Vans

By Condition

We categorize every vehicle into one of three tiers to determine your quote.

1

The "Parts" Car (Highest Value)

These are newer vehicles (2012+) that have been in an accident or have one major mechanical failure (like a blown engine). Because the rest of the car—doors, interior, electronics—is good, we can pay more than scrap value.

2

The "Scrap" Car (Weight Value)

The classics. 15+ years old, 200k+ miles, rusted out, or multiple issues. These are bought strictly for the weight of the steel and the value of the catalytic converter. 70% of what we buy fits here.

3

The "Shell" (Lowest Value)

Vehicles that have been stripped of major parts (no engine, no transmission, no converter). We still buy them, but the payout is lower because the valuable components are gone.

Makes We Buy

We accept all makes, but here are the most common ones we process in Milwaukee:

Toyota Honda Ford Chevrolet Nissan Jeep Subaru Hyundai Kia Dodge GMC Volkswagen BMW Mercedes-Benz Audi Mazda Chrysler Buick Pontiac Cadillac Lexus Infiniti Acura Lincoln Volvo Land Rover Jaguar MINI Saturn Mercury Hummer Scion

What We DO NOT Buy

To save you time, here is the short list of things we cannot accept:

  • RVs / Motorhomes: The fiberglass bodies are too expensive to dispose of.
  • Boats / Jet Skis: We are an automotive recycler, not a marine salvage.
  • Trailers (Camper or Utility): Unless it is a commercial heavy-duty trailer.
  • Loose Parts: We don't buy a pile of doors. We buy cars that have doors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you buy cars that don't run? +

Yes, that is our specialty. Whether it has a seized engine, bad transmission, or dead battery, we will buy it and tow it away for free.

Do you buy commercial vehicles or work trucks? +

Yes. We purchase Ford E-Series vans, Chevy Express cargo vans, box trucks, and high-mileage fleet pickup trucks. We can handle fleet liquidations of multiple vehicles at once.

Do you buy RVs, campers, or motorhomes? +

Generally, no. We focus on automotive vehicles (cars, trucks, SUVs, vans). We do not typically buy recreational vehicles, travel trailers, or boats due to the low scrap metal content and high disposal costs.

Do you buy motorcycles? +

No, we strictly purchase four-wheeled passenger vehicles and light/medium duty trucks.

Do you buy just parts (like a loose engine)? +

No. We only buy complete (or mostly complete) vehicles. We are not a scrap metal drop-off center for loose parts. The vehicle must have a body and frame.

My car was in a fire. Do you take it? +

Yes. Burned vehicles are priced based on weight only, as the parts are usually not salvageable. We require the title for burned vehicles to ensure no insurance fraud is involved.

Do you buy electric vehicles or hybrids? +

Yes! Hybrids like the Toyota Prius are valuable for their copper wire recycling and high-value battery components (if intact), as well as precious metals in the catalytic converters.

Do you buy cars with missing wheels? +

Yes, but please let us know when calling so we send a flatbed truck with a winch. A deduction may apply for the missing aluminum rims.

Do you buy abandoned cars? +

Only if you are the legal owner. We cannot tow a neighbor's car or a car abandoned on your private property unless you have gone through the proper police abandonment procedures and obtained a Sheriff's title.

I have a title loan on the car. Do you buy it? +

We cannot buy it until the loan is satisfied. You would need to pay off the title loan company and get a lien release before we can purchase it.