Honda Civics share a lot few parts across years, generations, and versions. This makes finding salvage parts a little easier for these iconic Japanese cars. For Civics from 1992 to 2000 you can even use interchangeable Acura parts in certain situations, but there are other Honda models like CRV’s you can pull from. Below I will share how the Honda Civic junkyards near me work, where to find them, and what to do if you are trying to junk one.
Map of Honda Civic Junkyards Near Me
For “Honda Civic Junkyards Near Me” or “Honda Civic Salvage Yards Near Me”, see the map below…
According to Insurify, Honda Civics are the most stolen car in the US in 2020 with 38,426 thefts. Why that is relevant to us is because, fair or not, it creates a huge secondary market for parts. Then take into account that it is one of Honda’s most popular models selling about 300K per year, it means more vehicles for us to pick from as cars get junked and end up in an auto salvage.
While you can find various years of Civic coupes and Sedans at your standard auto junkyard, I tend to have more luck at Honda salvos. While Accords are definitely the models you will find the most (they are the most junked vehicles in the US), you will find plenty of Civics. Too bad Accord parts aren’t interchangeable.
How Do the Honda Civic Junkyards Near Me Work?
Salvage yards operate like any other local business. Where they differ from a regular business is that they must adhere to special government regulations related to environmental controls. Other then that, they operate kind of like a thrift shop, except they deal in junked autos and salvage auto parts. These businesses buy junked vehicles and then sell off any functional parts for re-use. This practice supports sustainability and the vehicle recycling industry.
There are different types of junkyards also. Some are self service, pick and pull, lots where you walk the yard and pull parts off of cars. There are full service salvos that pull parts for you. Then there are online junkyards that get junked vehicles, pull the parts and then sell them online.
How Do Honda Civics End Up at an Auto Salvage
Civics typically come to a junkyard in a few different ways: private owners, towing companies, insurance companies, or through salvage vehicle auctions.
When they come in from a private owner more often then not the vehicle isn’t running. Sometimes the owner tried to fix it, threw parts at it, and junked it anyway.
Insurance companies will junk a car when they have paid out a total loss claim after an accident. If the cost of repairs is higher then the value of the vehicle and the vehicle is totaled the insurance company will junk the car to offset some of their claims payout to the customer.
Some cars will come from an auction (often salvage, repo, or police auctions) where the junkyard took an opportunity to get a junk car cheap and sell any parts that still have value. Many times they will buy groups of junked vehicles to get better deal and reduce their risk of buying car that has no value at all.
How a Honda Civic Gets Processed Before Parts are Salvaged
At the Honda Civic junkyards near me, the vehicles doesn’t go straight out for pick and pull. The vehicles need to be drained of major fluids and stripped of parts that corrode the fastest. These processes serve two purposes: 1) The junkyard needs to meet environmental regulations to protect the environment from hazardous waste. 2) They can ensure that they maximize their profit in the junked vehicle.
Fluids like gas, oil, wiper fluid, and anti-freeze all get drained. Anti-freeze and wiper fluid are commonly containerized and resold, where gas and oil are recycled. When a junkyard pulls parts they take out pieces like batteries and alternators they tend to corrode quickly when sitting outside. Some yards might even pull the engine out of a Civic, rebuild it, and then sell it with a warranty. This is particularly true now for classic VTec engines.
1983 Honda Civic S in a Colorado wrecking yard – photo by Murilee Martin
What Kind of Used Honda Civic Parts Can You Find at a Salvage Yard?
You can find all types of used OEM Honda parts. This includes all the common stuff like doors, hoods, panels, auto glass, seats, dashboards, wiring harnesses, motors, starters, alternators, calipers, exhausts, turbos, etc. Then there is the Civic specific parts for each generation like the Hondamatic transmission components or the base 1335 cc engine used in the gen 2 civics in 1979.
The Honda Civic junkyards near me, have an online searchable parts database. That means you can look online for your parts without having to walk around a yard all day.
Look for Interchangable Auto Parts for Honda Civics..
One of the keys to junkyarding is that you should now comparable vehicles to pull parts from. Since The Civic has been alot you can check for parts in the CR-X, CR-X del Sol, the Concerto, the first generation Prelude, and the CR-V and FR-V). For Civics manufactured between 1992 and 2000, there are many Acura parts you could use instead as well.
Knowing which parts on which models are interchangable, will help you find used Civic parts more effeciently.
What Happens After the Car is Stripped?
After all the parts have been pulled and there is no value left in secondary market auto parts, the car gets scraped. What remains will be sold for scrap metal. This allows the junkyard to make more room on the lot and get the last bit of money from their investment.
Now to be honest all yards do not do this. A well run yard will operate like I described above. Many junkyards though leave the frames to rust in the lot.
Pros and Cons of Used OEM Honda Parts
Pros of Buying Used Civic Parts at a Salvage Yard
Without a doubt cost savings is the number one reason you should buy salvage parts. You can get deals like alternators for $18, doors for $40, and batteries for $12. While it’s great that you can save money, you can also consider pulling parts to resell yourself. Some of the best parts to sell online are headlight and tail components, sideview mirrors, and fenders as these are the most commonly replaced pieces after an accident.
Another top reason to get your Civic parts from a salvage is that you can find Honda installed and assembled pieces. This beats getting after market parts and often means you can get a factory assembled component and not just a small piece you need.
For certain years of Civics a salvage also might your only option to find parts. If you have a generation 1 – 7 (1972 to 2000), parts are so much harder to find. Often a junkyard is your best option.
Cons of Buying Salvage Civic Parts Cheap
Of course when it comes to salvage Civic parts, quality is the main concern. While you can and should give any part you are considering a thorough inspection, these parts can’t often be tested in the lot. You also have no idea how rough the previous owner was on the parts. For any part make sure you dig in and check for rust, corrosion, cracks, etc…before you even remove it.
Tips For Selling Your Honda Civic to a Junkyard
If you have a Civic that you want to junk, you can read more about how how to junk a vehicle. According to Junk Car Medics the average price of some junked Civics is over $700 dollars. For example the average paid for a 2010 Civic was $775.55 in 2020 and even paid as high as $2000 in Stanton California. Reasonably you can expect an offer between $300 and $500 for most vehicles.
Some of the steps you will want to take are:
- Siphon your gas to use for use if the gas is still good. If you don’t the junkyard will.
- Check the seat flaps, glove box, center console, etc…for personal items.
- Wipe your personal data (like address and numbers) if your Civic model year is 2008 or later.
- Cancel your insurance policy, state registration, and license plates. If the junkyard does it for you, they charge an admin fee.
- Know the Kelly Blue Book value. You won’t get KBB for a junked Civic, but should have a reference.
- Know the scrap value of your vehicles weight, which will likely be their first offer.
Resources for Honda Civics
Honda Civic Junkyards Near Me – Wrap Up
Honda Civic junkyards near me are the place to go for used OEM Honda parts, Knowing what vehicles you can interchange parts with is the key to finding parts for your Civic. While you can save a ton of money, you also must understand the risks involved in buying salvage car parts. For every part you buy you should thoroughly inspect it before removing it. If the parts are mechanical or you feel are a little expensive, you should also about the warranty and exchange policy. This is what I have learned from the Honda Civic junkyards near me.