Salvage Yard Parts: The Top Tips for Inspecting Before You Buy

Salvage Yard Parts

On average, you can save up to 70% buying salvage yard parts in comparison to buying a brand new part from a dealership.

But, buying scrap car pieces isn’t as easy as it sounds when you’ve never shopped around for scrap car pieces. There are several things that you need to keep in mind when shopping around for salvage yard parts to ensure that you’re investing your money in a quality piece of equipment and not just buying junk.

So, what exactly should you look for to buy the best salvage yard parts? Today, we’re going to tell you about the top tips for inspecting before you buy scrap car pieces. 

How Do You Find The Best Auto Salvage Yard Parts? 

If you have a car that you’re desperate to find pieces for and you’re not interested in spending tons of money on brand new pieces, buying from a salvage yard is your next best bet. Here’s how you can work on finding the best car parts for your needs:

Find A Part Number

To make your search a little bit easier, you should know what the part number is of the piece that you’re trying to replace. That way when you’re searching through the salvage yard, you’ll be able to match up exact auto part numbers instead of guessing whether or not an auto part will match up.

You should also bring along your VIN number, as this will give you an idea of what car models you shouldn’t waste your time looking at. Not all cars use the same car parts, so bringing your VIN number with you will give the salvage yard an idea of what parts from what models you’ll be needing. 

Never Buy Electric Parts

Don’t buy electric parts at a salvage yard, especially because it’s extremely difficult to examine electric pieces for any damage. Even though it will probably be more expensive, it’ll be less of a hassle to buy any electric parts you need brand new. 

Research Local Salvage Yards

You should not only focus on researching the type of part you need to be replacing, but you should also take a search to find the best salvage yards in your area.

Take a look to see if you can find any salvage yards that offer warranties on parts that you purchase from their yards. This will give you the chance to return any pieces that ended up not working for the project that you needed them on.

Always Buy Newer Parts

If you’ve found a piece that you think is the right match for what you’re looking for, you should ask the salvage yard about the age of the piece.

While buying an older piece of scrap will most likely be cheaper than buying a piece off of a newer car, it’s hard to tell how many miles that piece of equipment was in operation for.

The older the piece, the shorter lifespan it’s going to have, which means that you’ll most likely just end up replacing it again in the short future. 

Check For Duplicate Parts

Don’t fall into the trap of buying a duplicate part. Duplicate car parts are not legitimate parts and aren’t safe or reliable. 

Before deciding to purchase a part, thoroughly examine the part to see if it looks different than the part that you’re trying to replace does, if the logo doesn’t match up, or if the brand name is mistyped or misspelled. If it falls into any of these criteria, it’s an illegitimate part. 

Wrapping It Up

Buying car parts from a salvage yard can be tricky if you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for. Use this guide when you’re out shopping for new parts to help make searching through for the perfect piece a little easier. Always make sure to ask from help from salvage yard employees if you’re unsure of anything!

Interested in trying to sell your car for scrap parts and making extra cash? Contact us today to get cash for your junk car or car parts!