Searching for a Chrysler PT Cruiser at the junkyards? These 5 door hatchbacks produced between 2000 and 2010 by Chrysler are actually harder to find at junkyards despite the fact they reached 1.35 million in global production. A PT Cruiser salvage yard though is the best place to get used functioning parts that are no longer manufactured. Below I’ll share where to find your closest PT Cruiser salvo, the pros and cons of used parts, and my experience with the PT Cruiser salvage yards near me.
Map of PT Cruiser Salvage Yards Near Me
For “PT Cruiser Salvage Yards Near Me” or “PT Cruiser Junkyards Near Me”, see the map below…
Operations of Chrysler PT Cruiser Salvage Yards
A Chrysler PT Cruiser scrap yard operates like any small business but with the model of a thrift shop. Only here do they buy vehicles and sell the used functioning parts at discounted prices. I have never come across an actual exclusive yard dedicated to only PT Cruisers, but I have seen them a Chrysler junkyards and mixed vehicle salvages. All these salvos operate under state business regulations, and really from a business perspective are only differentiated by the types of state environmental laws that must adhere to.
How Do Salvage Get PT Cruisers
When a Chrysler PT Cruiser gets junked it is most often the result of an accident. It may be junked by the owner or an insurance company. Some will enter the junkyard via an auction, where the salvage yard buys wrecked vehicles to build their inventory. Those are the 3 most common ways the PT Cruiser salvage yards near me get them on the lot.
How the Junkyards Near Me Processes Vehicles
Each yard will process these front-engine, front-wheel drive, compacts a little differently. At the PT Cruiser junkyard near me, the cars are in rows and never stacked due to the high roof. Since they only had a 10-year run you won’t really find a Cruiser section, but more like a few scattered around and maybe near other Chryslers. In the US they are classified as a lite trucks, so another place to look on the lot is the truck section of the yard. You will find mostly the 5-door hatchback, rarely see the 2-door convertible model that only ran from 2005 to 2008, and I don’t know if I’ve ever seen the turbo-charged GT on a lot.
When one of these Chryslers gets junked it has to be processed before it goes out in the lot. The point of processing is to meet state environmental standards and maximize the profit of the vehicle. Major fluids like gas, oil, wiper fluids, and anti-freeze all get drained and specially handled. Anti-freeze and wiper fluid, for example, will get bottled and resold for cheap at the salvage. Some yards will pull the used tires for resale, pull the batteries for recharge, and resale, and some even pull the engines
Salvage Yards That Buy Chrysler PT Cruisers
Although considered a truck a PT Cruiser isn’t a large vehicle and they have a curb weight of just over 3000 lbs. Because of this, it doesn’t really fetch much in scrap steel. Typically a salvo is going to offer you a scrap steel price first and it’s up to you to negotiate up if the vehicle has more value.
This is why selling a PT Cruiser is better to sell at a salvage as opposed to a scrap metal plant, the salvage is interested in any valuable parts that are still in it.
If you are selling a junked Chrysler PT Cruiser, consider if the vehicle is repairable and if it’s worth fixing. Would a repair change the value? Could you at least get it running? A running vehicle is going to get a better offer. If the cost of repairs doesn’t make sense then maybe junking it is the best option.
Here are a few things you should do prior to junking the vehicle:
- Clean it out and remove any personal belongings
- Find your title because you will need to sign it over to the junkyard
- If there is gas in it, siphon it and use it for yourself. The junkyard is going to sell it.
- Cancel the registration, and insurance, and turn in the plates.
Before you go making moves calling around for offers do some homework. Find out what a reasonable price is for the vehicle. Prices are often impacted by curb weight, age of the vehicle, mileage, location, and local scrap prices. Since these aren’t very heavy the average scrap price is between $65 and $95. This is why it’s key to see if there are useful parts for other PT Cruiser owners still in it to negotiate up. Many of these vehicles have a faulty turn signal and hazard light motherboard control. So if the lights work, it may be worth a bit more money.
Salvage PT Cruiser Parts
You can find a variety of salvage PT Cruiser parts. This includes common vehicle parts like doors, mirrors, exhausts, intakes, panels, hatchback doors, etc. You can also find some of the signature Cruiser parts like hoods, high h-point seating, the multi-level cargo shelf as well as a fold, tumble, and removable rear seating.
Salvage PT Cruiser parts enthusiasts often find great deals by participating in auctions. These events, where salvage vehicles are sold, allow buyers to bid on items like engines, transmissions, or body panels. Keeping an eye on the sale date is crucial for securing desired parts at competitive prices in these dynamic and fast-paced auction environments.
Pros of Used PT Cruiser Parts
Saving money on used parts is clearly the best reason to get salvage parts. Your mixed auto yard is fine, but a Chrysler salvo is better. There you will get more exclusive parts, which can be interchanged amongst various years of production.
Another great thing about salvages is you are going to find OEM parts. They will likely have been installed by Chrysler and not some cheap local mechanic. Many of these parts are no longer manufactured since the Cruiser went out of production in 2010.
Some salvages will allow you to buy a warranty on a per-part basis. That will run you about $8 to $12 depending on the yard. Expensive parts are the parts that tend to degenerate the fastest so getting a warranty is a great benefit on salvage PT Cruiser parts.
Cons of Buying Used PT Cruiser Parts
Any parts you buy at a salvage yard always come with some risk. You can never be sure of the quality even if you fully inspect and test the piece. That is the real disadvantage of buying used parts for any kind of vehicle model.
The other downside of used PT Cruiser parts is they can be hard to find. It’s not that they aren’t sitting on a salvage somewhere, but they are usually mixed up with other vehicles because they are just not the most popular models that scavengers are seeking.
PT Cruiser Salvage Yards Near Me – Conclusion
The PT Cruiser is a cool-looking car, but just not that popular amongst junkyarders. That makes parts a bit difficult to find at a salvage. Looking online for used PT Cruiser parts can sometimes be a little easier. The best way to find them at your local auto salvage though is to look for a Chrysler section and possibly even check the lite truck section. If you are selling a PT Cruiser a salvage yard is a good option especially if the lights work because the motherboard can be pulled save someone else a factory replacement. This is what I have learned from the PT Cruiser salvage yards near me.
