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Did you know that over five million car accidents occur every year? Unfortunately, many of these accidents result in cars that are either totaled or too expensive to repair. That’s where junkyards come into the picture.
These types of businesses can take your wrecked car off your hands while getting you some fast cash as well. But exactly how do junkyards operate? And what types of services can you expect from them?
If you want to learn the answer to these questions and more, then you’re in the right place. In this article, we’ll give you a crash course in everything you need to know about junkyards. Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
What Is a Junkyard?
A junkyard is a business that collects scraps from vehicles. This scrap is then either recycled, disposed of, or resold as a replacement part. While they’re commonly associated with cars, the reality is that junkyards accept scrap from all different types of vehicles.
As such, it’s not uncommon to see things like boats, RVs, and motorcycles, in addition to automobiles at a junkyard. In addition to disposing and storing totaled cars, many junkyards will also let customers sort through their inventory to find potential helpful parts.
Parts aren’t the only thing people look for either. Many people visit junkyards for good building supplies, appliances, or craft parts.
How Do Junkyards Work?
Now that we know what a junkyard is we can dive into how they work. When you bring a vehicle to a junkyard the first thing that happens is a process called pre-treatment.
During this phase, the vehicle is prepped to avoid leakage during the other phases. They do this by disassembling the vehicle and draining it of its coolant. In addition to the coolant, the attendants will also remove the gas tank, wheels, and batteries.
If they’re in good condition, then all of these parts can typically be reused or resold — including the gas and coolant. At the very least these parts will be saved for scrap metal. Once these components are taken out, then the owners of the junkyard will evaluate the rest of the vehicle.
If anything can be resold or refurbished, then they will remove it. Everything, from the engine to the car seats, can be reused if it’s not in too bad condition. Whatever’s left can be used for scrap metal. Keep in mind that some junkyards don’t remove the parts themselves.
Instead, they leave the vehicles and allow the customers to perform their manual labor. Others will take them out, clean them and sell them online or at a separate location. Once the car has been picked clean, then the interior will be recycled and the frame will get crushed down to save on space.
When Should You Consider Taking Your Car to a Junkyard?
Junkyards might not be the best option for everyone. For example, if your car is perfectly operable, then you might want to consider a different place. The junkyard will still take your car, but you likely won’t get the amount of money that you could at say, a used car lot.
That being said, if your car has a major repair problem that would cost thousands of dollars to repair, then you can benefit from taking your car to the junkyard.
Either you or the workers can strip the car of the parts that still work. That way you both get rid of your car and make some extra cash. Still aren’t sure whether or not your car is worth taking to the junkyard. Here are some common rules of thumb to look out for:
- Your car is taking up needless space in your garage or yard
- Your car is more than ten years old
- The repairs on your car cost more than the car itself
- Your car doesn’t run
- Your car has been in a bad accident
Why Are Junkyards Beneficial?
There’s a lot of benefits that come from junkyards besides the fact that they help you get rid of your vehicle while paying you too. Notably, junkyards are great for the environment.
Why? Because it allows car owners to reuse working parts that survive the wreck. This in turn helps reduce the energy and material costs required to make new parts. On top of that, it also recycles scrap metal, like steel, that requires a lot of energy to make.
How Do You Find a Junkyard That You Can Trust?
It isn’t always easy to find a good junkyard that you can trust. The internet is typically a great place to start. You can read online reviews and see what other customers’ experiences were like.
A lot of positive reviews are typically a good indication that the junkyard is credible. You should also look for junkyards that offer additional services. For example, let’s say your vehicle is totaled and you can’t bring it to the junkyard yourself.
A good junkyard, like Cash Cars Buyers (https://www.cashcarsbuyer.com/junk-car-removal/) will pick up and remove your car for you, free of charge. This type of complimentary service can save you a lot of money for towing expenses.
You should also call the junkyard and make sure they offer the specific type of service you want. Most junkyards will take your car, however, if you want to hunt for auto parts manually, then you should make sure that they allow you to do this.
Want More Content? Keep Exploring
We hope this article helped you learn more about how junkyards work in real life. Junkyards aren’t always the right call for everyone, especially people with a fully functional car.
However, for many people, it’s the fastest option to clear up space while earning a few extra bucks. So, call your local junkyard and find out whether or not they’ll take your vehicle.
Did you enjoy this article? If the answer is yes, then you’re in the right place. Keep reading to find more topics that you’re sure to love.
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