If you’re a car owner you’ve probably experienced the need to replace a part from time to time. New car owners may not experience repair needs quite as much but it’s us people who choose to drive their cars fr 5 years or more that experience worn out part problems. That’s fine with me since a new part or repair is often costs no more than one or two monthly car payments.
We have a 2003 Chevy Tahoe and the electronic seat doesn’t go up or down anymore which makes it difficult for my wife to drive. So, I decided to call the dealership to find out what the repair would cost. The dealership quoted me a price of around $1000 which included labor. That outrageous price is what prompted me to look for other solutions.
I recently was able to find the exact seat, color, etc. with all the electronic parts at a local junkyard after just one phone call. The entire seat cost me $75. I’m still working on replacing the broken parts, but am just amazed at the amount of savings if all this works out. I’ve never shopped at a junkyard before, but it led me to think about other parts you might commonly find at a junkyard that can help save money. I did a little bit of research online and came across an article from WalletPop that mentions tires are a top seller. I suppose cars get taken to junkyards for all sorts of reasons and good tires aren’t necessarily removed before the car sees it’s final resting place. Other parts you might consider are radios, dashboards, seats, bumpers, trim, etc.
If you’re going to make a trip to the junkyard to look for a car part you need to keep a few things in mind:
Part Removal
Not all junkyards will remove parts for you. I think I lucked out as the junkyard I visited removed the seat and even put it in my car for me. But apparently most junkyards require you to make your way around looking for the part and removing it yourself. The downside to this is of course the work involved and you may not know if the part works until you install it yourself.
Installation
While I’m attempting to install the seat electronics myself I’m not sure I’ll be successful. I’ve already thought about finding a local repair man to do the rest of the dirty work for me. I think this type of work is also best for someone who enjoys fixing their own cars and has some more than general knowledge of car repair. Shopping at junkyards may still work in saving you money, but you may need to find someone who can do the installation to save you time and insure the work is done properly.
Research
Finally, I would imagine many people won’t be lucky enough to find a part as easy as I did. According to the article I read from WalletPop, most of the time the junkyard will only tell you what make, model and year cars they have in their junkyard. Many don’t keep a parts inventory, so it’s up to you to put on your old clothes, grab some tools and make your way around the junkyard shopping for your part. Keep in mind you may need to make several phone calls or trips to local junkyards before you find the right part.
Overall, I think shopping at your local junkyard can be a good way to beat ridiculous part and labor prices from dealerships and mechanics. It’s definitely not going to always be a solution for the average car owner, but simple repairs are possible. Also, keep in mind walking around and working in a junkyard can be dangerous, so use caution and make sure you take a friend to help.
Have you ever shopped at a junkyard? If so, what part did you buy and were you able to save some money? Tell us about your experience in the comments.
Photo credit: PMC 1stPix
|
 |
