Junkyards are similar to auto part supply stores. The only difference is that parts cost significantly less, customers must remove parts using their own tools, and customers must take special safety precautions. When you pick your own auto parts from a junkyard, you can save at least 50 percent off the parts’ original price. As long as you bring your own tools and practice the safety precautions below, shopping at a junkyard is a great way to get used auto parts.
Wear Appropriate Attire
Most junkyards require you to wear close toed shoes when you pick your own auto parts. Ideally, you should also wear a long sleeve shirt, long pants, gloves, and eye protectors. As an example of how to dress appropriately, consider the clothes and accessories an auto mechanic wears. Most junkyards don’t require you to dress like a professional mechanic, but taking the initiative and doing so is a great way to protect yourself while removing parts from an automobile.
No Smoking or Drinking
Sparks from smokable tobacco products can cause fires if they contact engine fluid or engine fluid residue, and the danger of drinking alcohol in a junkyard is self-evident. If you smoke, do it before you enter the yard, and wait to do it again until after you leave. If you plan on having a few cold ones, put it off until you discover how much money you saved from buying components from a junkyard. After you find out, chances are that you’ll feel like doing a little celebrating.
No Flame Cutting
Flame cutters pose the same risk as cigarettes and are actually a bit more dangerous. As a flame cutter goes to work, a shower of sparks peppers the area surrounding it. More than a few engine fires have started as a result of using flame cutting tools to remove engine components; That’s why most junkyards absolutely prohibit their use. If you have a flame cutter, leave it at home and bring your toolbox instead. Wrenches and screwdrivers should be all you need.
Ask for Help When Needed
When you pick your own auto parts from a junkyard, you remove the components on your own, except when a component is too large to be removed with your tools. For example, customer oriented junkyards will offer to remove engine blocks with an engine pulling A-frame, and provide wheelbarrows and wagons for transporting large parts to the payment destination. If you need help removing a large component, don’t hesitate to ask the junkyard for assistance.
Contact Us Today
If you are looking for a junkyard that has a great selection of used auto parts, Wrench-A-Part is the company to call. We carry late model domestic vehicles, early model foreign vehicles, and almost everything in-between. We also keep a safe, orderly lot that is even safer when you practice the safety tips above. For more information about our vehicle inventory and services, call us today at our location in Austin, Belton, or Lubbock, or use our contact form.
