We all love our cars, but there will be a moment where the car we adore needs a new part. Whether this is a new bumper or a new piece of the instrument panel, it can be a costly affair if we approach the original manufacturer of the vehicle for a new part.
There is another way to take care of the situation. Rather than going to the original manufacturer, it is possible to find a breaker’s yard, and buy a secondhand part from there. This is a direct alternative and a less costly option when compared to a manufacturer.
So, what is it?
A car breaker’s yard is a specialist place where cars and vehicles that have been ‘written off’ end up. There are many reasons for this, and sometimes it is as simple as a car being involved in an accident. However, sometimes it is the case that a garage may decide that a vehicle is beyond repair, or too expensive to repair when costs are taken into account in relation to the value of the vehicle.
It is often the case that a motorist is allowed to come down to the yard and break a vehicle down for spare parts. You can also ask a specialist to do this for you for a fee.
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Should I buy secondhand parts?
Once you own a vehicle, repairs will be needed at some point down the line. This can mean some very high part replacement costs. However, breaker’s yards take in so many vehicles a year that there is a high chance the part you need will be on one of the vehicle’s in the yard.
In addition to that, it may be the case that you have an older vehicle and the manufacturer doesn’t have parts or simply doesn’t make the parts anymore. In that situation, it is often the case that a breaker’s yard will have some parts still that can be used.
When choosing a breaker’s yard to buy parts from, remember that not every yard operates under the same conditions. Some will ask for extra costs for the service of allowing you to come and take parts away, on top of the price of the part. Others may say you need to spend a certain amount of money during your visit. There are many different kinds of breaker’s yards when it comes to terms and conditions.
In addition to checking the terms and conditions of a breaker’s yard, it is worth spending the time to search for part codes, which will make it easier for you to find the part you want. This is particularly important when you are trying to find parts for a vehicle that is a later version of an established model. Some car manufacturers, such as Vauxhall ‘tweak’ the parts in a later model, making them very specific and hard to find. A part code will help in this area if you visit a Vauxhall Breakers yard.
Breakers yards are great places to find an inexpensive part that will get your car working again. Don’t choose the first one you find, and make sure you know what part you are looking for before you visit. This will just save time.