What is the difference between scrapping a car and selling it for parts?

Scrapping a car means selling it to a scrap yard for its metal weight, typically the lowest-value option. Selling for parts means either parting the car out yourself (listing individual components) or selling to a salvage dealer who does the parting. Parting out takes more time and effort but can yield significantly more money, especially if the car has newer or in-demand components like an engine, transmission, or catalytic converter.