If you need used parts specifically for a Volkswagen, see the map below. If you don’t have one nearby, your local car salvage yard will carry lots of Volkswagen used parts cheaply in all likelihood. In this article, I will assist you in finding the closest VW junk yard near you, tell you a bit about how the Volkswagen salvage yards near me operate, address buying used VW parts from scrap yards, and share some advice on selling your VW to a junkyard.
Map of Volkswagen Salvage Yards Near Me
For “Volkswagen Junk Yards Near Me”, and “Volkswagen Salvage Yards Near Me”, see the map below…
If you don’t see many results above, it’s simply because there are not many VW salvage yards around. For better results visit our homepage which shows you all auto salvage yards nearby. Almost all of them will have a Volkswagen section, where you can find used VW parts for cheap. You can also check specialized foreign car salvage yards
How Do the Volkswagen Salvage Yards Near Me Operate
Volkswagen junkyards are locally run. The Volkswagen salvage yards near me buy and sell used VW’s, but you can also scavenge for parts in the yard.
How They Get VW’s in The Yard Inventory
All junkyard and salvage yard businesses operate a little bit differently, but on the whole, they get both junked and used VW’s from the community or from insurance companies. When Volkswagen’s come from the general public in the community it’s often because the owner was looking to sell the car fast, has deemed it inoperable, or figured the cost of repairs isn’t worth it. When VW’s come from an insurance company it’s because the car was in an accident. This is how insurance companies recoup some of the money they pay out on a claim. They sell the junked car to a salvage yard, which in turn sells it off for used parts.
How Volkswagen Junkyards Process Their Vehicles
When a VW salvage yard takes in your auto, they can’t just throw it out in the lot for pick and pull, it needs some basic processing done.
Often the first step is to rid the car of most fluids. This includes siphoning the gas and draining the oil, wiper fluid, and antifreeze. The gas goes into a huge gas container and is resold, while the oil gets recycled at a plant. Other fluids, like anti-freeze, get put into recycled plastic containers and then resold to the public for cheap.
Some Volkswagen scrap yards will remove specific parts such as the engine, motor, or battery. If the motor is pulled out they will often send it to a 3rd party vendor for engine restoration, which will be rebuilt and resold with a warranty. The batteries and engine parts are sometimes restored and then sold for heavy discounts at the VW junk yard.
How the Volkswagen Junk Yard Near Me Makes Finding Used Parts Easier
The VW salvage yards near me have all their autos well arranged by grouping them into model and year. This makes finding the used Volkswagen parts you need so much easier because the salvage yard is well organized. Not all Volkswagen junk yards are managed well, so your results may vary in how searchable the inventory is.
Depending on the popularity of the model you need, there may or may not be a dedicated section for your VW needs. For the most part, they should have sections though for the most popular VW models including.
- GTI
- Touareg
- Eos
- Jetta
- Type 1
- Type 2
- Polo Mk3
- Polo Mk4
- Golf
- Citi Golf
- Beetle (Classic)
- New Bettle
- R32
- Up
- Scirocco
The salvage yards that carry Volkswagen parts near me have an electronic inventory list of all the VW’s in the lot. When a customer is seeking a specific VW model, year, or part, they can tell you if they have it or what percentage chance they have it. Sometimes it’s easier though just to call and ask like, “Do you have a manifold for a 2009 Jetta”? or “Do you have any R32s on your lot, what years and how picked apart are they”?
Specialized VW Beetle Salvage Yards
You can find some salvage yards that deal exclusively in VW Beetles. These yards may contain a few other VW’s, but mostly Type 1 old-school bug. Newer Beetles produced after 2010 aren’t often popular at these lots. These are for vehicles between 1938 to 2000. Most of your classic inventory will be between the 1960’s and 70’s Bugs.
There aren’t many of these exclusive Beetle salvage yards around, but they are the ideal spot if you are doing a Beetle restoration. The VW Beetle salvage yards near me are almost like tiny history museums and are fun to walk around.
What Kind of Used Volkswagen Parts Can You Find at a Junk Yard?
For used Volkswagen parts at a VW salvage yard you can really strike gold. You can find doors, seats, mirrors, steering wheels, intakes, full exhaust systems, manifolds, etc. Believe it or not, there are times I find new Volkswagen parts near me at these junkyards. This happens when the previous owner tries to fix the auto and throws a ton of parts at it and still can’t get it to work. They junk the car for cash and leave all the new parts they added to it in the car.
What Happens After A Volkswagen Gets Stripped at the Junkyard?
After a vehicle has sat in the yard for some time and stripped down to its frame, the VW salvage yard will crush it down and sell it for scrap metal. By doing this they can make more room for new VW inventory coming in and it allows them to squeeze the last bit of money out of any already stripped-down vehicle.
A well-managed VW junk yard will turn over the inventory every 6 months. A poorly managed or less busy yard will let the cars sit in the lot and rust.
Buying Used Volkswagen Parts at a Salvage Yard
Pros of Buying Used Volkswagen Parts Near Me
Buying used Volkswagen parts from an auto salvage can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars, depending on the parts. You can get a battery for less than $15 and a full door for under $75. You can find these kinds of prices on Craigslist or even Ebay. Actually, if you are a savvy enough VW enthusiast you can get parts from the yard and then sell them yourself online for a profit. I’ve done this quite a few times and made some really good money off junkyard spare auto parts.
One of the keys to buying used VW parts at a salvage yard is to get a warranty. Most of the time that will cost somewhere between $5 and $15. This way if what you bought doesn’t work when you get home, you can always bring it back to exchange for a different one. If they don’t have another of the same part, you will likely get credit, as most yards don’t offer cash back.
Another advantage of using VW parts at the salvage lot is that you are getting pieces assembled by Volkswagen. Probably not all the parts, but many will be factory-installed. I always find this helpful and boosts my confidence in the quality of the parts and craftsmanship.
Cons of Buying Used Volkswagen Parts Cheap
Just because the parts are available, certainly does not mean they are quality. It’s possible that you are buying used VW parts that have reached the end of their life cycle. If the odometer is still in take that can give you a rough idea of how much mileage the part has on it. The problem there is you don’t know if it’s the original part or if it has been replaced. Additionally, you don’t know how rough the previous owner was on the car. This is again why a warranty is recommended especially if the part is on the higher-priced side,
Another thing that can happen is you could walk around a Volkswagen scrap yard all day and never find what you need, At times you may not find what you need, especially if the lot is disorganized, and other times they may just simply not have the parts, This is why calling ahead or using their online inventory can be helpful.
Tips For Selling Your Volkswagen to a Salvage Yard
If you need to junk your Volkswagen for cash, do the following to maximize your money:
- Siphon all the gas and save it to re-use yourself
- Take your personal things out of the car, check the glove box, center console, trunk, and flaps on backrests
- Cancel your insurance, registration, and plates (don’t have the auto salvage do it – they will charge you)
- Know the value of your Volkswagen before you negotiate a selling price
When you sell your Volkswagen to a junkyard it’s helpful to know and understand a little bit about the auto salvage business. Some junk yards do some shady business practices, and you need to be aware of these. If you want to get familiar with some of them, read here to learn how to avoid common junk yard car-buying scams.
Volkswagen Resources
- Volkswagen Wiki
- Volkswagen.com
- Reddit r/Volkswagen
- VW Model Specific Forum
- VW Forum
- VWOC – Volkswagen Owners Club
Volkswagen Salvage Yards Near Me Conclusion
Volkswagen junkyards are fantastic establishments if you are a mechanic, enthusiast, collector, or performing a restoration, The problem with them is that there are just not a lot of them around, Despite that you won’t find many VW salvage yards, Volkswagen’s are super popular and must auto junkyards will have a dedicated VW section. Either place you go you can find used Volkswagen parts cheap. These yards serve as a great mechanism for the community because they get junked cars off the streets, keep them out of the woods, and generally are an auto recycling center.
Even though you may run into a few dirty scams at an auto junk yard, most are safe, and it’s a great way to get cash for your Volkswagen. This is what I have learned from the Volkswagen salvage yards near me. Happy parts scavenging!
