Truck country, and what that means for pricing
Houston buys more pickup trucks per capita than almost any major U.S. metro. F-150s, Silverados, Tundras, Rams — the fleet skews heavily toward full-size pickups and SUVs, which is reflected in our pickup mix. About 40% of recent Houston pickups are trucks or large SUVs versus a national average closer to 25%.
Trucks pay differently than sedans. The body weight is higher (more scrap), the catalytic converters are bigger and richer (especially older Tundras and Tacomas), and the parts market for common truck parts is deeper than for compact-sedan parts. A 2008 F-150 with a clean drivetrain and intact cat will routinely pay 30-50% more than a 2008 Civic with the same condition. Lifted trucks with aftermarket parts get factored in too — sometimes the wheels and tires alone are worth meaningful money to us.
Flooding is the second Houston factor
Hurricane Harvey (2017) put hundreds of thousands of Houston-area cars underwater. Imelda (2019) and Beryl (2024) added more. We've bought flood-titled cars from all three events and continue to see them on pickup lists. Even minor street flooding from an afternoon thunderstorm soaks ECUs, wiring harnesses, and interior carpet enough to total a 10-year-old car on insurance terms.
We buy flood vehicles routinely. The offer reflects the title status (typically 20-30% below clean-title equivalent), but the cat is still intact, the body is still recoverable, and the engine often still runs depending on water depth and time submerged. If you have an insurance settlement letter or salvage title from one of the named storms, bring it — it speeds the title transfer.