Depending on the car you drive, finding auto spares can be quite a challenge. Sometimes, you can find car parts easily from many different suppliers in your local area. Other times, you'd be hard-pressed to find a single supplier who has the parts you need. That supplier might end up being on the other side of the world, and they may or may not be willing to ship the car parts all the way to Australia. In either case, however, one challenge shared by most buyers is that of cost.
So instead of buying brand new parts from a supplier, what other options do you have as a buyer?
One popular alternative is to go to car wreckers and get your spare parts there. You may have seen their advertisements or heard of people using them, but what are car wreckers exactly?
What are car wreckers?
Car wreckers are nothing new. Odds are, you've seen plenty of them on TV or with your own eyes as you drive around certain parts of town. These businesses are also called wrecking yards, scrapyards or even junkyards. It's a location that acts as a 'graveyard' for cars that are no longer in use.
In some cases, they're cars that have been totalled in accidents. Some of them might even be cars that are too old and can't be restored. Whatever the situation, car owners can sell their vehicle to a car wrecker and get a bit of cash in exchange.
What happens to those cars when they make it to the yard?
Once there, the wreckers then start to take the car apart. Piece by piece, they'll search for car parts that are still in good working condition. They'll even look for parts that can be fixed up and reused. Once they've done that, they'll take all those parts and make it available to buyers who need them. These car parts will function as they should and be cheaper than getting a brand new one from a supplier!
Car wreckers play a vital role in the automotive industry. These businesses give car owners a way to recycle their unusable vehicles (and get money for it). At the same time, they provide car part buyers with a cheaper alternative for getting the auto spares they need to keep their cars running.
But are cash savings the only reasons you should buy parts from a car wrecker? Of course not. There are plenty of other benefits as well.
Why buy from wreckers?
Choosing to buy car parts from car wreckers isn't just about the savings. For starters, it's a great way to source OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts. It is especially true if you're looking for discontinued car parts, meaning those that are simply not made anymore. Many car owners prefer OEM parts to aftermarket parts made by third-party manufacturers. Even though aftermarket car parts are still useful, they may not have been designed with your specific car model and make in mind.
Aside from that, some car wreckers also provide a warranty on the parts that you buy from them. The exact duration of these warranties is up to individual wreckers. Still, it certainly does provide peace of mind in addition to the savings you get.
Here's a fun element about car wreckers: some of them allow you to do it yourself. Most car wreckers will even let you come in with your tools and take whatever parts you need for yourself. Then, you'll bring your ‘harvest’ to the counter or office and pay accordingly.
Another side benefit of getting your auto spares from car wreckers is that you'll be helping the environment. Instead of old cars being left to rust and waste away, wreckers recycle every last bit of them. Usable parts are sold off, and the scrap metal is melted and reused to build new cars.
So when you decide to buy car parts from an auto wrecker, you're also doing your part in helping to save the environment!
What parts can you get from car wreckers?
At a car wrecker, you can get almost any car part you can imagine. You could find almost anything that you need from car seats to entire car sections!
Many car wreckers now have websites that you will find useful. I suggest using Carpart.com.au's Directory to find the car wreckers closest to you and their contact details. By referring to their website or calling them directly, you’d be able to have an idea about what car parts they specialise in. Most car wreckers’ sites have a section called Currently Dismantling/Wrecking (or something like that) where they'll show you what they currently have available.
Car owners win too!
It’s not only the buyers who benefit from auto wreckers, people who have unused cars sitting in their garage or on their front yards also stand to benefit from the services they offer. As mentioned earlier, car wreckers will pay owners for their unused vehicles. However, their services go way beyond that.
For instance, car wrecking companies also tend to offer removal services, either free of charge or for a minimal cost. So let's say you're trying to get rid of an old car. Instead of paying a tow truck to come and remove it, car wreckers will usually come and do it themselves. Of course, be sure to check the terms and conditions before agreeing to this service.
Just like those who are buying car parts through auto wreckers, you who are recycling your old car can also enjoy the feeling of helping save the environment.
By Ray Hasbollah