When you look at that old clunker gathering dust in your driveway, what do you see? A fading paint job? Flat tires? A giant lawn ornament? At You Call We Haul, we see something completely different. We see a two-ton treasure trove of high-grade steel, versatile aluminum, and precious trace metals just waiting to be recycled and put back to work.
A car is an absolute marvel of metallurgy. If you’ve ever wondered exactly how much metal goes into the average vehicle—and why those metals make your junk car valuable—buckle up. We’re breaking down the heavy truth about what’s hiding under the hood.
The Basic Breakdown: Weighing In
The average vehicle on the road today weighs somewhere between 2,500 and 6,000 lbs, with some pickups exceeding 7,000 lbs. Of that massive footprint, a staggering 75% to 80% is pure metal. But automakers don’t just pour a single type of metal into a mold and call it a day. Building a car requires a highly calculated recipe of different alloys—each chosen for specific properties like safety, heat resistance, or fuel efficiency.
Here is exactly how that weight is distributed:
Classic 1970s Cruiser | Modern Sedan | Modern EV |
~75% | 60% | ~45% |
Classic 1970s Cruiser | Modern Sedan | Modern EV |
~2% | 10% | ~15% |
Classic 1970s Cruiser | Modern Sedan | Modern EV |
~10% | 5% | ~2% |
Classic 1970s Cruiser | Modern Sedan | Modern EV |
~1% | 2% | ~3% |
Classic 1970s Cruiser | Modern Sedan | Modern EV |
~0% | 0% | ~15% |
Classic 1970s Cruiser | Modern Sedan | Modern EV |
~12% | 23% | ~20% |
The Big Three: Steel, Aluminum, and Iron
To understand why your car is built the way it is, you have to look at the “Big Three” metals that make up its DNA.
1. Steel
Steel is the undisputed king of automotive manufacturing. Making up roughly 60% of your car’s total weight, steel is responsible for keeping you safe. Automakers use Advanced High-Strength Steels (AHSS) in the chassis, door beams, and crumple zones to absorb impact during a collision. It’s also the primary material for your vehicle’s roof and body panels.
2. Aluminum
Over the last decade, automakers have been putting cars on a serious diet, and aluminum is their secret weapon. Accounting for about 10% of a modern car’s weight, aluminum is incredibly lightweight and resistant to rust. You’ll find it in engine components, transmission housings, alloy wheels, and increasingly, body panels.
Fun Fact: When the Ford F-150 transitioned to an aluminum body in 2015, the truck shed 700 pounds, drastically improving its fuel economy without sacrificing towing power.
3. Iron
Iron may be significantly heavier than aluminum, but it brings unmatched durability and heat resistance to the table. Found primarily in engine blocks, brake rotors, and drivetrain components, iron handles the high-stress, high-friction environments that would melt or warp lesser metals.
The Hidden Treasures
Beyond the structural metals, your car is laced with smaller amounts of highly valuable trace materials.
- Copper: Thanks to its brilliant electrical conductivity, a modern vehicle contains anywhere from 40 to 90 pounds of copper wiring to power everything from the starter motor to your heated seats.
- Platinum, Palladium, & Rhodium: Found inside your catalytic converter, these precious metals are used to filter and neutralize harmful exhaust emissions.
- Lithium, Cobalt, & Nickel: As the automotive world shifts toward Electric Vehicles (EVs), these non-traditional battery metals are becoming some of the most sought-after materials on the planet.
Don't Let Your Metal Rust in Peace
The automotive industry is constantly evolving, blending new carbon composites and advanced alloys into the cars of tomorrow. But the fundamental truth remains the same: metal is the backbone of every car on the road, and it holds serious value.
When a car reaches the end of its life, letting it rot in your yard isn’t just an eyesore—it’s a waste of perfectly recyclable resources. That steel, aluminum, and copper can be melted down, refined, and given a second life in new cars, appliances, and infrastructure.
Ready to cash in on all that metal?
At You Call We Haul, we make it effortless to turn your unwanted vehicle into cash. We don’t care if it’s missing a bumper, completely totaled, or hasn’t started in years. We’ll get you a real bid from a real buyer…and the best part? Our buyer comes to you to tow it away for free, and pays you on the spot. Stop letting your metal rust in peace.
Click here to get your free, no obligation cash offer today!
How Will Flood-Damaged Vehicles Impact the Used Car Market?
This hurricane season has been one of the worst in recent memory. And over the past few weeks, we have seen the devastation Hurricanes Milton & Helene have left behind in the Southeast. Based on early estimates, the combined impact of 2024 storms will further push total insured losses in Florida alone to over $100 billion for the fifth straight year.
The aftermath of these storms is going to take a tremendous toll on the federal and state economies. Hurricanes hit U.S. land one on top of the other. Many people have lost their homes, their vehicles, or both. Compounding these sorrows is the sad reality for victims that may find out that insurance doesn’t cover their losses. In Florida, two-thirds of people in flood zones either do not have insurance or do not have the comprehensive coverage needed to pay for flood damage.
Like most of the stuff in our lives, we can sometimes take our cars for granted. But, what if you woke up tomorrow and your vehicle was totaled by flood waters? Even worse; you didn’t have the comprehensive insurance coverage needed to pay for the damage or replace your totaled vehicle? An estimated two-hundred-thousand people have found themselves with a totaled vehicle and without the necessary insurance to repair or replace it.
A HUGE Number of Flood-Damaged Vehicles Will End Up Back on the Road
According to CarFax, approximately 347,000 vehicles have flood damage from the 2024 hurricane season. Thousands of those cars will be filtered back into the marketplace over the next year, and they will be sold all over the country legally. Many will be purchased for salvage, stripped down and sold for parts. However, an alarming number of these totaled vehicles will be repaired with a flood, salvage or rebuilt title and will end up back on the road.
A vehicle with a flood, salvage, or rebuilt title has a significantly lower value than similar vehicles with clean titles. Most of us wouldn’t trust a vehicle that was previously totaled and whose title isn’t clean. Especially with flood vehicles, as they often have electrical/mechanical issues and may even have hidden mold that can cause health problems. It’s not illegal to sell a vehicle with a salvage, flood or rebuilt brand on the title, but any attempt to doctor or cover up a vehicle’s history is illegal.
Nevertheless, after we experience natural disasters there are thousands of scam artists who come out of the woodwork looking to purchase flood-damaged vehicles that have been totaled by insurance companies. According to one study, it was found that about 650,000 of the nearly 800,000 title-washed vehicles on the roads are flood-damaged/total loss vehicles!
How Flood-Damaged Vehicles are Re-sold to Unsuspecting Buyers
Most of us have never heard of Title Washing. What is title washing? Title washing is when scammers will purchase flood-damaged and flood-totaled vehicles dirt cheap, then spend a few dollars to cover-up any major signs of flood damage. They will register the vehicle in a state with looser title laws, thus removing the flood-totaled brand from the title. Now, the vehicle has the appearance of a clean vehicle with a clean title. The scammer will then turn around and sell the vehicle to an unsuspecting buyer for full value. The new owner is now driving around in what is potentially a dangerous vehicle, and/ or a vehicle that may cost them thousands in repairs. If you’re reading this, rest easy! There are a number of ways to uncover flood damage.
How to Avoid Being Scammed into Buying a Flood-Damaged Vehicle
There are plenty of signs a vehicle has been flood-damaged. Many of these signs can be covered up with a little work, but there are a few tell-tale signs that shouldn’t be ignored. The infographic below could arm you with the information you need to avoid becoming a victim.
Statistics
Fitch says Hurricane Milton will push 2024 insured losses over $100 billion https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/fitch-says-hurricane-milton-will-push-2024-insured-losses-over-100-billion-2024-10-10/
Hurricanes refocus attention to scarcity of flood insurance in high-risk Florida https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/11/florida-hurricane-milton-helene-flood-insurance#:~:text=An%20estimated%2035%25%20of%20homes,to%20one%20in%20five%20residences.
CARFAX: 347,000 Cars Flood Damaged in 2024 Hurricanes https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/carfax-347-000-cars-flood-damaged-in-2024-hurricanes-302284543.html
Buying or selling a car after a disaster https://www.thezebra.com/resources/driving/buying-selling-after-disaster/#:~:text=Carfax%20explains%20further%2C%20%E2%80%9CIt’s%20surprisingly,on%20the%20road%20at%20risk.