Rules of the Junkyard

1st Rule of the Junkyard:

1. Never employ wrench based technology when there is a hacksaw solution.

I reminded myself of this law when I overthought the procedure to remove the differential in that NC Miata 

2: Don't break E36 M3 just for fun, someone else might need that part.

In reply to ShawnG :

That's actually a big one for me.   I try my best to balance #2 with #1

I kid you not, many years ago a buddy of mine was helping me remove a transmission for my 16v GTI and we could hear someone going at it with a hacksaw. 
It was a guy on the next row sawing through a halfshaft! I thought he was crazy, but the guy was determined to pull the knuckle. And he did!

In reply to Cooter :

I can't count how many times I went to the junkyard and saw tail lights, marker lights, dashes, etc all very clearly broken just because someone felt like it.

Thanks to eBay and stupid local insurance companies paying way to much for used parts and driving the price up, I haven't set foot in an auto wrecker in probably 15 years.

Slippery said:

I kid you not, many years ago a buddy of mine was helping me remove a transmission for my 16v GTI and we could hear someone going at it with a hacksaw. 
It was a guy on the next row sawing through a halfshaft! I thought he was crazy, but the guy was determined to pull the knuckle. And he did!

I will be sawing through two halfshafts in the next day or two.  It isn't that bad.  I've sawed through sway bars and the ears on a front D44 to get a damaged axle through the knuckle. 

In reply to ShawnG :

U-Pull-It yards are cheaper than I paid for parts back in the '80s...

I needed a piece for a GM steering column and went to my friendly local wrecker.

They told me I needed to buy the whole column and that it would be $600.00 because that's what the insurance company will give them.

I had to leave in a hurry because I told them they were f-ed in the head.

My buddy got the same line from a different wrecker. Need a window regulator? Too bad, have to buy the whole door.

All because the legal system won't punish car thieves.

Here are the prices for complete steering columns at one of my local yards-

The trim piece off of one would be $5, or they might even tell you to walk out of there with it for free, as has happened to me multiple times.


Just because you and your buddy found a couple expensive yards doesn't mean they all are.   There have been high priced yards for as  long as I have been going to JYs.   And other ones that are cheaper.  And some that ar dirt cheap.   None of this has to do with the legal system or car thieves...

Here is the price for a complete power window regulator.  

Not arguing with you man, I completely believe you that yards where you are may be affordable. That's cool. I'm just saying the ones around here (note that I said LOCAL in the post above) are not worth the time. That's part of why they're all closing down.

We sort of have a unique situation here where there is only one insurance company that is run by the province.

As a result, they control what they will pay out for a given part to repair a car.

The result of this is that the junkyards know how much the repair facility is allowed to give them for a part. They charge the maximum because they know they will get it sooner or later.

Same thing with the bodyshops. They all know the maximum they can charge so every job gets billed to the full amount they can get away with. If the repair is done in less time than they bill, it's just gravy for them.

Combine that with our terrible driver licensing and you get what we have here in B.C. It's a complete E36 M3show.

You have Pick And Pulls in your area  

Here are the prices at one of them...

Ok, looks like things have changed in the last 15 years.

1. If you can protect the interior- PROTECT THE INTERIOR! If someone can see a hazard inside, shut the doors and roll up the windows! No telling what part someone needs (says the guy who just pulled AW11 MR2 carpets ad unbroken interior panels from a yard).

1b. And the exception that proves the rule- can't see inside? Open the hoods and trunks, and keep them open! Nobody in a junkyard wants to be stopped by a wasp's nest or get hantavirus from a mouse house! 

2. If you don't have to break it, Don't! 5 extra minutes of work can mean a lot to a person you will never meet.

3. Breaker bars are a salve for many sins.

4. GROUND. COVERAGE. I always bring an old shower curtain to protect myself from the dust and dirt on the ground- it sticks to everything thanks to the oil and antifreeze in the soil, so it'll keep your clothes better for longer. Bonus is, also protects your car's interior from whatever juicy finds you acquire.

I always carry a can of PB blaster, liquid wrench, etc. Very important, since it also doubles as a wasp spray.

GIRTHQUAKE said:

4. GROUND. COVERAGE. I always bring an old shower curtain to protect myself from the dust and dirt on the ground- it sticks to everything thanks to the oil and antifreeze in the soil, so it'll keep your clothes better for longer. Bonus is, also protects your car's interior from whatever juicy finds you acquire.

I always find floor mats or trunk liners to put on the ground. May not be the car you're working on, but one nearby is bound to have something soft to lay on.

My additions:

5. If you need to work under a car and it's sitting on those sketchy welded-together wheel jack stands, rock it back and forth in a few directions first.  

6. Seat belts are strong enough to save you AND pull an engine. Cut them out and tie a good knot.

7. Raid gloveboxes and center consoles for dope mystery mix CDs for the drive home.

8. Lending tools will net you junkyard karma. But still keep an eye on them...

maschinenbau said:

5. If you need to work under a car and it's sitting on those sketchy welded-together wheel jack stands, rock it back and forth in a few directions first.  

this kid is wise beyond his years.   *always* shake a car before getting under it, not just when someone else put the stands under it.

9. Take the hardware too. Never know when you'll need that bolt, nut, clip or connector. 

Know which tools you bring and make sure you leave with all of them.

If they're not going with you, ask your car buddies if they are looking for something before you go out. 

If you're looking for something specific, sign up for the mailing lists and alerts if they have one. Desirable items go quickly.

For models like Civics and other cars that usually get modded, give them a look over to see of there are any aftermarket parts. 

In relation to the above, carrying around some specialized lug nut sockets might net you some inexpensive aftermarket wheels.

High demand items (like Miata tombstones, some BMW switches) are worth pulling for later resale, even if you don't have the car they come from.

For mechanical parts, always try to find a smashed car versus one like it was sitting undriven for a while. Odds are better the thing will work from the one that was smashed.

If you're working under one of the cars, in addition to rocking it, give the area around where you're going to be working a few whacks with something to knock off any loose dirt and such. You don't want rust shards in your eyes in the back of a junkyard. 

Batteries at junkyards are usually affordable, and the date is right on them. 

Don't reach ANYWHERE without checking it very well first. I've found syringes in cars more than once.


 

It's been far too long since I've been in the nearest pick n pull. Anybody wanna watch some E36 M3 ass kids?

ShawnG said:

Ok, looks like things have changed in the last 15 years.

 

They have. Lots of business models that sucked were disrupted.

In reply to Brett_Murphy :

BUZZWORD BINGO!!!!!   Disrupted business models = "O 69" 

Check obvious locations like consoles, cupholders and under the seat for loose change to pay for your admission fee. I found over $7 in one car today.

If you are waiting for a specific car to come in you can get texts alerts on the Row52 site for yards like Pick N Pull. Register, put in alerts for cars you are looking for and you'll get a text to be on the spot when it is hot out the oven.