Need Parts For Your Project Car? How To Find What You're Looking For At A Junkyard

 If you're working on a project car, and you don't want to spend a lot of money on parts, it's time to start looking in the junkyards. That's where you're going to find the best deals on the parts you're looking for, especially when you're looking for those hard-to-find parts that most auto shops don't stock anymore. It's also where you'll find parts to practice on, which is good when you're going to be working on a piece you don't have much experience with. If you've never ventured into a junkyard before, there are a few things you'll need to know. Here's some information that will help you prepare for your trip to the junkyard.

Choose the Location

When picking a junkyard to go scavenging for car parts in, you'll have two options to choose from. The first is the full-service junkyard, which operates like an actual auto parts store. At the full-service junkyard, you'll go into the office and tell them what part you're looking for. An attendant will head out into the lot, locate the part, pull it off the car, and bring it back inside for you. Then there's the self-service, or you-pick-it, lots. At those junkyards, you'll head out onto the lot, locate the part you want, pull it off the car, and take it in to pay for. If you're familiar with junkyards, that's the way to go, because you'll save some money when you do the work yourself. However, if you've never pulled a part off a junked car, you're better off paying the attendant to do it for you.

Know What You're Looking For

When it comes to searching for a part in a self-service junkyard, you'll need to know what you're looking for. Otherwise, it will be like looking for the proverbial needle-in-the-haystack. You'll need to know the exact part you're looking for, as well as the make and model that the part goes to. It's also a good idea that you know how to tell a good used part from a bad used part. If you don't, you might end up paying for a part that's just as broken as the part you're trying to replace. If you've never done this before, it's a good idea to bring someone along who has. Be prepared for a long day. You might have to dig through a lot of junked cars before you find the part you're looking for.

Come Prepared

If you're going to a self-service junkyard, you've got to come prepared. In most cases, they're not going to have tools available for you to use, which means you'll need to bring your own. At the very least, you'll need to bring your portable tool kit. However, to be truly prepared, you should also bring a short pry bar, a small hacksaw, and some tin snips. You'll also need some safety goggles, and a pair of heavy-duty gloves.

Looking for some spare parts for your project car? Use the tips provided here to find what you're looking for at a junkyard near you. Contact a parts yard, like City Auto Wreckers, for more help.