Each year, millions of vehicles end up in junkyards all across the United States. Most vehicles are junked after reaching the natural end of their useful service life while others are salvaged due to collisions. These vehicles may be off the road for good, but for a brief time they live second lives as sources for valuable used parts.
No matter how a vehicle arrives at your local junkyard, the car offers a golden opportunity to salvage parts that are still useful. The following showcases five instances where buying used auto parts is the smart choice.
1. You Want to Save Money
Everyone wants to save money on auto repairs, and few better ways of saving money exist than going used. A used auto part from your local junkyard will cost significantly less than a brand-new part, in most cases.
Used parts are so affordable when compared to their brand-new counterparts that even insurance companies make widespread use of salvaged and recycled OEM parts when rebuilding vehicles.
Keep in mind that the cost of your used parts may vary depending on a variety of factors. For instance, a particular part may cost more due to increased demand or its relative rarity on the market. The overall condition of the part can also factor into its price.
2. You Need a Hard to Find Part
If you own a vehicle from an obscure or defunct automaker, finding new parts can be a challenging ordeal. Defunct automakers often lack continuing OEM or aftermarket support for discontinued models, making newly manufactured parts extremely difficult, if not impossible, to come by. Any leftover parts that are found are also likely to be prohibitively expensive due to their rarity.
Things are a bit easier for discontinued vehicles that shared parts with other vehicles still being produced. Vehicles built by brands that were once part of a larger corporation are also a bit easier to find parts for. Unfortunately, certain model-specific parts can be nearly impossible to find. These issues often leave the junkyard as the place of last resort for anyone looking for a hard to find part.
3. You’re Restoring a Classic Car
Classic car restoration is no easy feat. It’s a labor of love that’s often a frustrating, yet rewarding process. Finding new parts for a vehicle that’s over 30 years old can be a challenge. Some new parts are only available via custom order.
Even in the age of fast 3D printing, custom-ordered parts can take a long time to manufacture and ship. Most custom-ordered parts are also prohibitively expensive for the average restorer for this very reason.
Junkyards bring in a broad range of vehicles from various eras, including vehicles considered classic collectibles. All you’ll need to do is contact your local yard and begin your search.
4. You Want Guaranteed OEM Quality
Going the aftermarket route is a popular choice for people in search of affordable auto parts. The downside is that brand-new aftermarket parts can vary drastically in quality.
Some aftermarket parts offer quality that’s comparable to or even exceeds Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) standards. Other aftermarket vendors may offer parts that have noticeably poor fit and finish, among other quality issues.
With buying new parts that a third-party vendor made, you don’t know what you’ll get for your money. You could end up lucky with a well-made part or strike out with a clearly inferior part. Buying a used part from your local junkyard offers a bit more predictability in comparison.
When you purchase a used auto part from a reputable salvage yard, the part is usually an OEM part that was designed and manufactured according to the automaker’s exact specifications. OEM auto parts not only offer better quality but you also have a better chance of the part fitting correctly the first time around. You can also refurbish these parts to like-new condition at an affordable cost.
5. You Want to Help the Environment
Vehicles that end up in the junkyard rarely go to waste. Anywhere from 80 to 86 percent of an entire vehicle is recyclable, usually in valuable automotive parts. Once a junked car no longer has its usable parts, any remaining materials are crushed or shredded.
Once a junkyard disposes of a car in this way, the junkyard extracts, sorts, and eventually reuses the raw materials for a wide variety of goods, including new vehicles and parts. Each month, the U.S. auto recycling industry reclaims a staggering 750 million pounds of scrap from salvaged vehicles.
Buying a used part from your local salvage yard keeps that component from entering the waste stream, thereby lessening its impact on the environment. Purchasing used parts also helps conserve resources by reducing the demand for newly manufactured parts. Last but not least, you’ll also have a good opportunity to reduce your personal carbon footprint.
If you’re in search of used parts for your vehicle, give City Auto Used Autoparts a call. We not only offer salvaged and used car parts but we’ll even pick up your junked car.
