Not all parts are available in parts stores. Interior parts, clips, bras, lights, and lenses can all be hard to find. Maybe you lost a bracket or put some bolts in the wrong place, or maybe you are angry because something doesn’t come out naturally and you have damaged it with anger.
One way is to go to a retailer to get these new parts, but if you are among the poorest workers the cost of the retailer parts is out of the question. So you can ask where, where can I find these parts? A local junkyard that is nearest to you!
You can find junkyard or auto salvage anywhere. Within 50 miles I can go to 4 different junkyards near me to find the parts I need, and CHEAP! You can find a junkyard near you with a simple Google search: just enter the word “junkyard” with your zip code or city, and you’re sure you’ll find retirees who are ready to donate parts to you.
There are usually two types of junkyards. One of them is the You-Pull type (commonly referred to as U-Pull) where you pay a small fee to enter, and it is up to you to find what you need, remove it from the car, and pay over the counter. The second type is a storage yard that will fit cars, store parts in a large area, and have a computer monitoring service that will sell them across the counter. Like a pharmacy of broken fat monkeys.
While cheap and easily accessible, the junkyard has some drawbacks. First of all, if you are a You-Pull type junkyard, you will be out of the elements, in a world filled with oil, cooling, and separation liquid sprinkled with shards of glass and metal. Second, most of the time you can’t restore parts to You-Pull mode. Third, you are dealing with used parts, which can be worn or not worked at all if you find them at home. With that in mind, there are ways to prepare yourself to break the twisted metal and come up with quality parts, money in your pocket, and no tennis.
1. Know What You Need
I suggest you remove the part you need to replace first, so you know what it means when you find a donor car. Remember, most cars have different trim levels so know what level your car is at! For example, the Honda Accord comes with many deciding levels by selecting various engines, such as LX, EX, EX V6, SE, etc. Components are not always available on all platforms.
2. Pack your tool bag: Bring the right tools
If you remove the part you need to replace it first, you will know exactly what tools you will need. However, you will also find eye-piercing parts and forget that you need them, such as a door handle or heater controls. Use this basic list to pack your kit:
3/8 inch screwdriver socket, with a few extensions
Metric set: 10mm to 18mm, Standard socket set: 3 / 8s to 3 / 4s
2 ton jack and jackstands. Note: Some junkyards will not allow you to touch cars for safety reasons.
Store towels
Prybar / Breaker bar, and possibly a PB Blaster to help release items
I also suggest that you bring a tool bag instead of a metal box. You will be carrying this heavy bag for some time in your search and will tear the palms of your hands with a metal handle. I have seen people put large toolboxes strapped to the traction straps on a two-wheeled wheel in the past, which is very poor and can help you reduce those hands. Lastly, make sure your tool bag/box is BIG because sometimes small parts fall out there and you don’t remember to pay for them until you get home …
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