Are Auto Salvage Yards Eco Friendly?

For the most part when you enter an auto salvage yard, environmentally friendly may not be the first thing to come to mind. In reality salvage yards are incredibly friendly to the environment.

We all know the importance of keeping waste down and recycling as much as possible. There’s a huge amount of cars in the world, many of which are no longer working or just sitting in a driveway rusting away. These cars can pollute the environment and contain valuable metals and other commodities that can be reused. The only way to turn a junk car from a piece of trash to a source of recycled material is to go through an auto salvage yard.

Selling your junk car to an auto salvage yard allows your trash to become a valuable piece in creating new products. Rather than letting these materials go to waste, they get a second life.

There are also parts that still work on a junk vehicle that can be used to fix other cars. To throw these parts and materials away in a landfill would not only be wasteful, it would also be bad for the environment.

We use a huge amount of metal in our lifetime. Mining for metal releases harmful toxins into the water, soil and air so when given the chance to reuse metal through salvage yards, it reduces the amount of metal being mined. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle!

Salvage yards are also eco friendly because they dispose of harmful chemicals. Cars contain antifreeze, power steering fluid and battery acid. If handled incorrectly these materials can be extremely damaging to the soil, water and surrounding wildlife. Salvage yards know and are trained to handle these materials properly so that they are disposed without harming the environment.

How to Salvage a Car

Do you have an old or worn out vehicle that is just sitting there? Odds are the repair would cost more than the vehicle is worth. Then the question is, how to salvage a car?

The fastest and easiest way to get rid of your junk car and receive the most cash for your investment is to sell your vehicle to a junkyard. Here are the step to salvage a car.

Collect Your Personal Belongings: Make sure to go through the compartments and trunk to see if there’s any personal items. For the years you’ve had your car there’s bound to be items stored in compartments and areas unseen that you’ll want to keep.

Make Sure You Have The Title: A proof of ownership is required when selling your vehicle. Most reliable and certified junk car buyers will require you to have a title. Getting the title enables you to transfer ownership which in turn will get you cash! If you don’t have the vehicle title on hand it’s not over. You can go to the DMV and get the proper paperwork to get the title back in your hands.

Shop Around For the Best Deal: Pricing on junk vehicles varies on many different circumstances. It’s not just the vehicles type and it’s condition, it’s also the economy and what the market’s supply and demand is. If many junk car buyers are purchasing junk vehicles at the same time, this will drive the price up for your junk vehicle meaning you will likely get more cash. If it’s a slow time in the junk car buying world than the demand is lower so you will not get quite as much as you could have. When you are quoted a price you agree with and agree to the terms than you’ve found a buyer!

Arrange Your Vehicle To Be Picked Up: Once you find a buyer for your junk car it’s time to arrange pick up! Most quality junk car buyers will pick up your salvaged car for free. Then it’s just a matter of setting up a date and time for them to pick the car up and give you the cash.

After that you’ll have a junk car out of your way and some extra cash in your pocket!

Getting Your Junk Car Towed

Typically with “junk cars” they aren’t running or working well enough to drive to the facility you’re selling it to. This leads to needing your junk car towed. The main goal in selling your junk car is to get the most cash out of it and clear the car out.

The last thing you want to do is have to pay for your junk car to be towed. This eats into the cash you would have made on the car if you have to pay out of pocket. When you look to sell your junk car make sure the buyer is willing to tow it away for free. It is an added perk that isn’t uncommon.

Wrench-A-Part Tow Truck Offering Free Towing

Serious buyers are willing to invest the time and towing equipment to ensure the customer is satisfied, paid, and the car is in their hands. Keeping this detail in mind, add it to your list of questions when you’re getting quotes for your junk car. Once you find the right fit you’ll have your junk car towed and cash in your pocket!

Need a quote for your junk car? Fill out an online form here!


Get Cash for Valentine’s Day…With Junk Car Parts!

Valentine’s Day may have started out as a way to honor Saint Valentine, but it has become one of the largest consumer holidays of the year. The average U.S. consumer spends $143.56on Valentine’s Day. Whether you plan on pampering a special someone or treating yourself this holiday, get your hands on some extra spending money with cash for junk car parts at Wrench-A-Part.

What Could That Old Car Part Get You for Valentine’s Day?

Your junk car could be a goldmine in terms of used parts. A Cash for Junk Carsprogram like that at Wrench-A-Part is a fast and easy way to turn old car parts into cash – no strings attached! Here are a few excellent Valentine’s Day gift ideas you could turn into reality with the money you get for junk car parts:

  • 6-cylinder engine: $199.54. Around $200 is plenty for a lavish Valentine’s Day with your sweetheart. This amount of money could pay for a couple’s massage, or an elegant dinner, jewelry, roses, and chocolates. It could also pay for a fancy hotel room for the night somewhere special, if you and your special someone prefer experiences to gifts.

  • Transmission, front-wheel drive: $99.77. With nearly $100 in cash for junk car parts, you could easily afford a bouquet of roses, a big box of gourmet chocolates, a nice bottle of wine or champagne, and groceries for a romantic stay-in dinner. Woo your honey with a romantic night in, complete with home cooking and a movie.

  • Tailgate: $45.27. Sell your junk tailgate through Wrench-A-Part and get about $45 in spending money this Valentine’s Day. That’s just enough for a bottle of champagne and a single rose (spread the petals for extra romance!), or a box of chocolates and bouquet of roses. It’s also enough for two tickets to the movies, with enough left over for snacks and post-movie ice cream or coffee.

  • Battery: $34.76. Selling your old car battery could get you enough cash to buy a beautiful bouquet of a dozen roses – plus chocolates if you find a good deal on the flowers. Get some flowers delivered to your loved one’s work for the added element of surprise, and the chance for your sweetheart to show off the gift to coworkers.

  • Windshield: $26.79. Sell a junk windshield for just under $30 and buy a single rose, a cute stuffed animal, and a small box of chocolates. Complete the gift with a sentimental card – or go ultra-romantic (and save some money) by making the card yourself!

  • Alternator: $20.32. A little over $20 for an old alternator is the perfect price for a classic assorted box of Valentine’s Day chocolates and a single rose, or a bouquet of inexpensive flowers, like colorful carnations. Red carnations are a symbol of admiration, while pink means, “I’ll never forget you.”

  • Headrest: $6.47. Sell something as simple as one junk car headrest to make enough cash for a single rose. The simplicity of a single rose is perfect to tell a special someone how you feel this Valentine’s Day. For $6.47 you could also buy a small box of chocolates, if your sweetheart has a sweet tooth.

Have an idea of your own? Get a quick quotefor your junk car parts at the nearest Wrench-A-Part location to you. See what your used car parts could be worth in cash, and then start planning your perfect Valentine’s Day. We have locations in Austin, Belton, Lubbock, Holland, and San Antonio. The prices listed above are for Austin, but prices may vary by location. Some locations differ in prices according to the local market and vehicle quality. Request a quote online or by calling the parts hotline at (512) 501-6946 today.

“Pick and Pull” Auto Parts

When looking for auto parts there are a few different options. These options include buying new, full serve auto parts, or “pick and pull” auto parts.

For the cost savers and mechanic savvy people, the “pick and pull” method is your best option. This can save you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in the long run. With today’s technology it becomes a little easier than before for the pick and pullers and salvage yard lovers.

Yard organization is important. It is laid out by type and further down to make and model.

First, if you have the vehicle’s make, model and year you can do an inventory search to see which vehicles are available as well as comparable vehicles that will have the same body style or inner parts that you’re needing. Once you get the list of inventory that will fit your needs it’s time to go to the salvage yard and check them out. Search Inventory

The “pick and pull” method of buying used auto parts means you have to pick the part you are needing from the list of inventory and pull it yourself. This means you’ll have to bring your own tools and remove the part. It’s important to inspect the part before and after you pull it to make sure it’s in good condition.

It’s advised to purchase a warranty. Warranties for used auto parts are inexpensive, usually $1 per day for as long as you choose. It’s definitely worth it extra few dollars just in case the part doesn’t pair as well as you thought with your vehicle or if it has an issue.


DIY Car Repair

For regular DIY car repair and maintenance there are some easy and quick suggestions on what you can do to keep your car running smoothly.

Even if you’re not a car mechanic these DIY car repairs will help save in future repair bills.

Change Your Coolant

Coolants should be changed out every 25,000 miles if it’s the green coolant and every 100,000 miles if it’s the extended-life coolant. Replacing the coolant will help save your radiator, heater core and water pump. Without replacing it, expect to have pretty expensive repairs on the radiator and more.

Change Fluids Regularly

If you are able to change the fluids and oil yourself, this is fairly inexpensive and well worth it. Changing them out when your vehicle says, or when you’ve reached the milage where it needs replacing, be sure to do so. Replacing the components that corrode when your don’t change out the fluids and oil can cost you about $1,500 each component! Not worth the risk!

Replace Air Filters Every Year

When you don’t replace your air filters the cabins air filters get clogged which puts stress on your car’s A/C system. In Texas, where you blast the A/C most of the year, you don’t what it going out in mid summer. Make sure to replace these once a year.

Test Your Coolant

Test your coolant with a voltmeter. Set your digital voltmeter on the lowest DC setting reading and dip the positive probe right into the coolant. Touch the negative probe to the negative battery terminal and rev the engine to 2,000 rpm. If the reading is .4 volts or more, your coolant is toast.

Clean Your Headlights

Often times this can seem like a cosmetic problem but if you let it get too foggy it can turn into a real issue. If your headlights are cloudy you can pull a light if we have your car make and model in inventory, or you can buy a headlight restoration kit at most auto parts store. These are usually around $20. The kits have instructions for sanding and buffing.

Clean Corroded Battery Terminals

Anytime there is corrosion it adds strain to the working parts. In the battery terminals if there is corrosion it forces the charging system to work harder and can lead to issues with the computer-controlled systems. Cleaning these terminals is by far the cheapest way to prevent electrical problems.

Repair a Malfunctioning Defroster Grid

This is an easy DIY car repair job. Buy a Permatex Quick Grid repair kit, usually around $13 at auto parts stores. Apply and follow instructions and your car will be back to defrosting!

*Reference article: https://www.readersdigest.ca/cars/maintenance/fix-your-own-car-car-repair-tips-experts/?fbclid=IwAR0uD162EEIR0whTtVP3udAFa-1C-u-1qLtrFgbdDVNTuFMuOHcHVTb9TQM

 

Cash for Junk Cars

Need cash and have a junk car? Your in luck! Wrench-A-Part is always paying cash for junk cars.

We buy junk cars all across the Austin, San Antonio, Belton, Holland, Lubbock and surrounding areas. If you have a junk car you’re ready to get rid of for quick cash, call one of our specialists and we’ll give you a quote!

We’ll ask some basic information on the vehicle and give you a quote that day. If it is a price you agree on we can pick your junk car up as fast as the next day! For all inquiries, a vehicle title is required.

Get a Quote Fast

Our staff is ready to answer any questions you have and with some basic information on the vehicle we are able to offer you a quote that day. You can get a quote online or call the number listed below for whatever area you’re closest to.

Austin Location 512-501-6946

Belton Location 254-831-4905 ext. 1

Lubbock Location 806-748-5865

Holland Location 254-831-4905 ext. 1

San Antonio Location 210-951-5000

Free Towing & Removal

Typically junk cars aren’t in running condition so our drivers will come pick up the junk car or truck wherever you need us to. We offer this service for free.

Cash on the Spot

Once you have received a quote and agree to the price we will schedule a day for pick up. Our drivers will trade cash for your junk car and be on our way! You can rest knowing your piece of junk is gone and you have extra cash in your wallet.

 

Self Serve Used Transmissions

At Wrench-a-Part we offer used transmissions in our yard. With dozens of vehicles entering the yard daily, there are numerous used transmission options that will fit your needs.

Buying used transmissions can save you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. Depending on whether you need a whole transmission or certain parts within the transmission the price will vary. The parts price list is online at wrenchapart.com where you can select the location closest to you or if you found your vehicle at another one of our locations you can select that location’s parts list as well.

Keep an eye out for our weekly sales to see if there’s an engine/transmission sale coming up. This is a great opportunity to save additional dollars.

We offer warranty on all of our transmissions at $1 per day and you can choose how long you’d like to warranty it for. This gives many customers the option to test and install the transmission and in the event it doesn’t work or there is any issues, you can bring it back with no hassle. Make sure to keep your receipt.

If you are doing a transmission replacement or swap you can also bring back your old transmission to us and we will pay you back the core charge. We also list core prices on our parts list as well.

All of our locations sell used transmissions with the exception of Late Model Wrench-A-Part which doesn’t sell engines or transmissions at that location.

Check out our inventory to save money and get the auto parts you need! wrenchapart.com

Buying Used Engines

Buying a used engine in a salvage yard can save you a lot of money. To ensure you pick a good engine there are some key things to look out for.

First step is to find the section of vehicles that have the engine type you need. Once you’re there, do a close inspection of each of the used engines to see which one is in the best condition. If you see still water inside of the cylinder walls or spark plugs, save your time and move on to the next engine!

A good thing to look for is vehicles that have been in a collision. You can assume that it was salvaged because of the collision rather than a damaged or bunt out engine. There’s a good chance that the engines are still operational because they were working at the time of the collision. When you’re inspecting the engine, look closely at the mounting bosses and look for broken parts either on the cylinder head or where the engine mounts to the body.

Inspect the oil pan and engine block for damage. If you see holes or pieces sticking out of it, it’s definitely not an engine you want to pick. Check to see if you can spin the crank shaft by hand, if you can’t, the engine can’t or will be extremely difficult to move.

Vehicles in the salvage yard have already been removed of all fluids so you won’t be able to check and levels. Pull the dip stick and look for coloration or signs of contamination on it that could indicate a problem with that engine. Also remove the oil cap and see if there’s any crusty build up, that is another red flag to avoid the engine in that vehicle.

Check for abnormalities in the spark plugs. Ones that have darker colors than the rest or has residue show signs that the engine is burning oil and you don’t want that.

Knowing these red flags to look out for will help you choose a well running used engine and save a lot of money! Wrench-A-Part offers $1 per day warranty, so if you happen to pull an bad engine and you purchased a warranty, you won’t be out very much.

Check out our inventory to see vehicles we have in stock with the correct engine matches: Check Inventory

 

Junk Yards in Lubbock

Looking for junk yards in Lubbock? At Lubbock Wrench-A-Part we have thousands of parts to pull and dozens of fresh vehicles entering the yard daily. Our state of the art facility has a large selection of the most popular vehicles. We inventory domestic and import cars and trucks and categorize them in the yard by make and model for organization and customer convenience.

Lubbock Wrench-A-Part is very different from other junk yards in Lubbock. Our friendly staff is trained to find you the parts you need and help guide you every step of the way. We offer thousands of quality parts at a fraction of the cost of a dealership or auto parts store.

 

To enter the yard there is a small fee of $2.o0 or you can get in free if you check-in on Facebook, ask cashier for details. Upon check-in you will receive a list of vehicles that match your auto parts needs and a map to show exactly where to find them.

If you’d like to search inventory online we list all of our vehicles by make, model and year and have pictures and the geo-location of that vehicle mapped showing where it is location in the yard. For further questions regarding inventory call 806-745-2274.

Selling a junk car? We buy vehicles and offer top dollar. Towing is free and we do next day pick ups. For quotes submit this form and we will contact you shortly!