The car restoration or repair costs can quickly add up, especially if you purchase all your automotive parts brand new.
Your local salvage yard can be an incredible resource for hunting down parts, and they offer steep cost savings, as long as you’re willing to do a bit extra work pulling it yourself.
If you’ve never visited a salvage yard to hunt for parts, you might be hesitant to trust their available car components. To ease your mind, here are a few ways salvage yards can save you a fortune.
Available parts
The pick n pull customer of the past primarily relied on knowledgeable staff to determine whether a particular part was available.
Now, finding what you need is much easier. Many salvage yards keep an online database of the makes, models, and parts in stock, so you’ll know what you’ll find before you even arrive.
Constantly refreshed stock
Salvage yards have an unfair reputation for hosting mostly decades-old scrap and junk piles, but that’s not the case.
Instead, most pick n pull setups have a daily stock refreshment, and owners will often seek out the specific vehicles that customers are looking for most frequently. If you don’t currently see the part you need, just give it a few days, and you might be pleasantly surprised.
Shop around without leaving your computer
Another helpful way to use pick n pull online inventories is to search for parts that might not be available close to home. That said, most folks would rather pay new part prices rather than drive several states over to get them used from a salvage yard.
Modern salvage yards offer to ship their parts, meaning they’ll pick the part for you, package it up, and send it right to your door. You’ll save time and travel expenses while still getting what you need.
Accessories included
When you purchase new auto parts, you’re on the hook for finding the necessary hoses, brackets, or screws to install them correctly. You’ll also have to pay additional costs for each of these automotive accessories.
On the other hand, pick n pull parts typically have all the accessories for a part already attached.
As long as you know how to uninstall it from the car’s main body correctly, you have everything you need to continue your restoration or repair.
Trade warranties
One common fear for automotive enthusiasts is paying for a pick n pull part only to find it doesn’t fit the car or isn’t functional.
Salvage yards often allow customers to either exchange or refund the part if it doesn’t work out, so you can confidently equip your ride with components such as used tires, alternators, or batteries without fear of it breaking down.
Wrap up
Salvage yards are a great place to start for car enthusiasts looking for cost-effective parts. They have what you need at a lower price and offer modern inventory systems that make the process easier than in the past.
With such excellent car parts and accessories options, why pay more at big box stores?