Scrapping cars in GTA 5 is primarily done through the Salvage Yard business, introduced as part of The Chop Shop update. This is a dedicated property you can purchase to systematically steal and dismantle high-end vehicles for parts and profit. The core loop involves sourcing specific target vehicles from a list, successfully stealing them, and then delivering them to your Salvage Yard to be scrapped or sold whole. Before this update, players often used Los Santos Customs to sell stolen cars, but that method has daily limits and lower payouts. The Salvage Yard offers a more structured and profitable endgame for vehicle disposal.
To start, you need to purchase a Salvage Yard property from the Maze Bank Foreclosures website. Once you own it, you can access the Salvage Yard computer to select a Robbery Contract, which will assign you a specific vehicle to steal. These missions are more involved than simply grabbing a random car off the street. You'll need to follow specific instructions to avoid detection, which might involve disabling trackers or using a cargobob helicopter for aerial extraction.
After delivering the car to your warehouse, you have two options: Scrap it for parts or sell it whole. Scrapping is an immediate, smaller payout, while selling the car whole requires you to wait for a buyer and complete a final delivery mission for a much larger reward. The Salvage Yard also generates passive income from the junk cars on your lot, which your staff will slowly dismantle over time.
| Scrapping Method | Average Payout (GTA$) | Key Requirement | Best For |
|---|
| Los Santos Customs (Early Game) | Up to $9,500 per car | Street car (non-premium) | Quick, low-effort cash with a daily cap. |
| Salvage Yard - Scrap Vehicle | ~$20,000 - $40,000 | Own a Salvage Yard | Immediate, guaranteed return. |
| Salvage Yard - Sell Vehicle | $130,000 - $400,000+ | Own a Salvage Yard; wait for buyer | Maximizing profit from a single heist. |
| Simeon's Repo Missions | ~$10,000 - $20,000 | Request from Simeon | Integrated story mission payout. |
