Do Old Cars Contain More Gold and Other Precious Metals than New Cars Do?

Platinum ScrapRecycle Precious MetalsRecycle and Refine Gold
Written By Barry Lenson

A 1948 Packard weighed about 3,800 pounds when it rolled off the assembly line. No wonder. It was powered by a straight eight motor that was about the size of a refrigerator. A 1948 Lincoln Continental, which was powered by a V-12 engine, weighed about 4,000 pounds. 

What do cars weigh today?

A new Toyota Yaris, a small car powered by a non-hybrid gas four-cylinder engine weighs only about 2,400 pounds. A new Toyota Prius hybrid weighs a bit more – up to 3,000 pounds - because of its battery pack. The biggest Teslas today, the ones that are the size of SUVs, weigh in at nearly 5,000 pounds, also due to their jumbo battery packs. That’s even more than that 1948 Lincoln Continental we mention just above. 

So You Will Recover More Gold and Silver from Older Cars, Right?

No, wrong, because older cars had fewer of these internal components or smaller ones than those that are used today . . . 

  • Batteries are now much bigger, often bundled together into battery packs. This is especially true on new plug-in electric cars like the Teslas we mention just above. The battery pack in a Tesla Model S – a four-door coupe - weighs about 1,200 pounds. In contrast, the 1940s Packard and Lincoln had just one six-volt battery that was bolted into a bracket near the engine. Those batteries contained mostly lead and some copper. They are hardly worth recycling today.

  • Cars today are packed with electric devices, all of which contain printed circuit boards that contain gold. Modern cars have engine control modules, antilock brake controllers, built-in GPS devices, and dozens of other components. 

  • Emission-control components, including filters and exhaust gas converters, contain platinum and other metals. They were not used at all prior to 1975. 

If You Want to Recycle Car Components, Look to Newer Cars

They are the places to look for electronic and other devices that contain gold, silver, and even platinum. 

If you have a 1948 Packard or Lincoln, our advice to you is to drive and enjoy it. But if are interested in reclaiming and recycling precious metals – and if you are reading the Specialty Metals Blog, we believe you probably are – turn your attention to reclaiming electronic components from the modern cars that are piling up in scrap yards.

Pull out that electronic scrap and when you do, call our precious metal refiners at 800-426-2344. We are here to help you turn those automotive discoveries into cash.

Barry Lenson
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