January’s average price was £246 which was a 4%, or£10, decrease to those in December 2024. Despite the poor start to the year, February saw prices beginning to recover, boosted by £10 reaching an average of £256, which was 4% higher than January and also surpassed December’s price. March saw the first quarter of 2025 end with average scrap car prices at £253, a loss of just £3 month on month.
With uncertainty in global markets due to new tariffs and the instability of UK steel manufacturing, metal markets are likely to fluctuate more dramatically in the second quarter of the year.
While holding onto a scrap car can occasionally mean a higher pay out if you wait for a peak in pricing, the market can also hit a period of decline at any time. Unless it’s a vintage or rare model, the value of your car is always likely to decrease with age, so it’s usually advised to sell your car as soon as possible. Many factors influence the value of a scrap car, including, the demand for metal and reusable car parts, as well as the make, model, age, weight, condition, and even your location. Your car could be worth much more than the average scrap price! It’s always worth getting an instant quote to find out the scrap value of your car.
The chart below shows the trend over the last 12 months…
About the CarTakeBack Scrap Car Price Index
The CarTakeBack Scrap Car Price Index is a rolling monthly index. It’s updated monthly using the prices paid for scrap cars at CarTakeBack recycling centres throughout the UK. We’ve taken into account that cars come in all shapes and sizes, which has an effect on their scrap value, the prices show what the average car would be worth. This means that the index gives a great indication of the movement in the value of scrap cars from one month to another.
In the first quarter of 2025 the Ford Focus was the most frequently scrapped car with CarTakeBack. During this time a scrap Ford Focus was worth an average of £239.
The scrap value of a Focus has fluctuated in recent months, January saw a 6% decrease, February saw a 5% increase and in March prices decreased by 2%. The current average price for a Ford Focus is £240 – though as with all scrap values, your Focus could be worth more depending on factors such as age, condition and mileage.
In the first three months of the year, the most frequently scrapped cars were the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Corsa, Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Astra and the Renault Clio. The largest increase was seen from January to February, when the value of a Ford Fiesta was boosted by 8%. March saw all makes and models decrease compared to February’s prices.
Tip: you can move this table side to side on mobile devices if required.
| Make & Model | January Average | February Average | March Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Focus | £233 | £245 | £240 |
| Vauxhall Corsa | £197 | £194 | £188 |
| Ford Fiesta | £207 | £224 | £211 |
| Vauxhall Astra | £210 | £212 | £204 |
| Renault Clio | £190 | £191 | £183 |
Read previous scrap car price updates >
To see how much your car is worth as scrap, enter your reg and postcode in our online form. We may ask you some questions about the condition of your car to help us find you the highest value for it. You’ll see the valuation instantly and all CarTakeBack quotes are valid for 7 days, so if scrap metal values decrease, you’ll still get the best price for your car!
