How Do Junkyards Work?

Junkyards purchase wrecked vehicles that are not worth the cost to repair and then sell any car parts from the vehicle that are still functional. They get their inventory from sources such as private owners, insurance companies, and auto auctions. Many junkyards offer free towing services to incentivize selling them your junked vehicle.

What Tools Should I Bring to the Junkyard?

Having the right tools on hand is critical when picking parts. Here are my top tool picks for pulling parts: Wrenches Ratchets Sockets SAE and Metric Extensions Impact driver Pliers Hammer Breaker bar Screw drivers Penetrating Fluid Sawsall

Why do Junkyards Charge Entrance Fees?

Some self-service junkyards charge an entrance fee (normally less then $10) to walk around. This is to help cover maintenance and administrative costs that the yard incurs.

Can you Negotiate with a Junkyard?

For standard parts like doors, alternators, fenders, engines, transmissions, mirrors etc junkyards have fixed listed prices that are non-negotiable. In my experience though if you are a regular and are buying multiple parts, you can often ask if they could give you a discount on a certain piece.

How Much do Junkyards Pay for Cars?

There are many factors that determine the price, but most commonly you will get between $250 and $500. The prices fluctuate based on the scrap metal market prices and the weight of your vehicle determines how much scrap metal you have. Other factors to be considered are whether or not you need a tow, the mileage on the vehicle, and any damage. A running vehicle is worth more then one that is totally decommissioned.

The Advantages Of Second Hand Vehicle Parts

Whether you are fixing up an old car, or you have a whole fleet of vehicles that you are trying to look after better, it’s invaluable to be able to source the right parts at the right times. Most of the time, you are probably going to want to make use of second hand vehicle parts, rather than brand new items. There are many reasons for this, and in this article we are going to take a close look at some of them. Once you understand the main advantages of using second hand vehicle parts, you’ll probably never go back to using brand new parts.

4 Advantages of Second Hand Vehicle Parts

Cost Effective

The main reason that most people go for second hand vehicle parts is because they are much more cost-effective than new parts. You will need to carry out a balancing act of sorts here, of course. With new parts, you can expect them to perhaps last a little longer – but even that is not a given. However, what is a given is that a new part will cost you a great deal more than a used part.

In fact, second hand vehicle parts cost on average at least half the cost of the equivalent brand new part. So if you are always going for second hand rather than first hand, you will be able to save a huge amount of money in the long run. If you are looking after more than one vehicle, those savings will just add up over time.

Energy Efficient

Your own wallet is not the only reason you should consider making use of second hand vehicle parts, however. There is also the planet to think about. If you care about trying to minimize your impact on the environment, then you will find that opting for second hand parts is definitely the way to go, as often as you possibly can.

If you think about it, it’s clear why this is going to work, and why second hand parts are more eco-friendly. After all, when you use a second hand part, you are making use of something that is already in existence. Whereas when you buy a new part, often it will be made and delivered just for you. That requires new materials, resources, and fuel to transport it.

With a second hand part, however, all of that energy consumption is greatly reduced, and your own footprint on the planet is a lot less too.

Boosting Economy

There is a whole, thriving industry in the US and beyond for sourcing and supplying second hand vehicle parts. If that were to disappear overnight, then there would be a lot of jobs suddenly gone, and those people would have to find something else to do. It really is a huge industry, and it’s one of the most important for keeping the economy healthy and strong. So when you use second hand vehicle parts, you can actually feel as though you are helping the whole country along, which is a great feeling to have.

Easy & Quick

Moreover, sourcing and buying second hand vehicle parts is a very easy and quick process almost all of the time. You’ll be amazed at how easily and swiftly you can get your hands on the parts that you need. Even if you think that you might be dealing with quite a rare part, it’s incredible just how often someone nearby has it, especially if you know which places to go to. If you go to the right junkyards, you’ll find that second hand vehicle parts are easy to come by, and you can quickly fix up your vehicle in whatever way you need to.

In some case you may be able to find the part online. Even if that part is at a junkyard that is too far away, you can call and see if they can pull the part for you and mail it.

Get Your Car Up & Running Again

So if you are working on your car and you want to get it up and running again as soon as possible, you’ll definitely want to consider visiting your local junkyard and seeing whether they have the parts for you. You might be surprised at the speed and efficiency of this service, as well as the affordability, and if you are like most people you’ll wonder why you ever bought a first hand part at all in the past.

Making use of second hand vehicle parts will help you to fix up your vehicle in no time, getting you back on the road again. And if you are managing a fleet of cars, then you’ll need to have a good source of parts on a regular basis. There is nowhere better for that than your local junkyard.

You may also be interested in the 5 Most Popular Used Auto Parts.

James

James is an avid junkyarder and mechanic. He has visited Junkyards in every US state and has restored over 30 makes and models of vehicles. He has several automotive and recycling related blogs that generate over 150K views a month.