9 cars and trucks in my local pick-a-part today. I know why they are there but it still makes me sad.
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Pick-a-part sadness
- Thread starter c502cid
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It was a K20 too.Early 70's Squarebody Fleetside, project truck.
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If only those cars could talk. I wonder why and how they all ended up in places like that. When you walk through a junkyard and see cars that are so mangled you cant even tell what they are, it's sad and scary at the same time.
It’s hard to fathom that some cars that sell for a lot of money today were cars that were sent to the crusher without a second thought after sitting out in a yard like this. While all of these vehicles pictured may not fit in that category exactly, it’s sad to see them wasting away. The only saving grace is that these old girls are possibly helping to keep another like them on the road. 
Yes, I have seen this reality a 1000 times and more some. First reason I would say is economics......costs more to fix than it is worth. I try not to look at all repairs from that POV. I personally try to take into account other costs that you incur from a new or newer acquisition...sales taxes, license costs, higher insurance (assuming higher replacement value), and then personal satisfaction of just fixing something and making it last.
Another thing that happens is, by the time a car gets to a second or third owner, they are not as emotionally or economically attached to the vehicle like the earlier owner was. They start to see the car as a problem, a headache, a money pit, something that is always breaking or has become unreliable for the duty it needs to serve them by. Here in the mid-west most yards are not keeping any inventory older than 10 years. Maybe 12 - 15 at the most if it was / is a high volume model.....think Accord, or Camry, Corolla, etc. This changed somewhat during the pandemic when all of the OEMs had parts supply chain issues, and the last 2 years for most organized yard owners, and scrap dealers has been a boom.....however it is starting to slow down.
It will be interesting to see how all of the OEMs will continue to supply or support ICE parts after they make the complete transition to EVs. The common auto dismantler may get a second wind in supplying lots of parts that are simply no longer available from the OEM or aftermarket suppliers.
Another thing that happens is, by the time a car gets to a second or third owner, they are not as emotionally or economically attached to the vehicle like the earlier owner was. They start to see the car as a problem, a headache, a money pit, something that is always breaking or has become unreliable for the duty it needs to serve them by. Here in the mid-west most yards are not keeping any inventory older than 10 years. Maybe 12 - 15 at the most if it was / is a high volume model.....think Accord, or Camry, Corolla, etc. This changed somewhat during the pandemic when all of the OEMs had parts supply chain issues, and the last 2 years for most organized yard owners, and scrap dealers has been a boom.....however it is starting to slow down.
It will be interesting to see how all of the OEMs will continue to supply or support ICE parts after they make the complete transition to EVs. The common auto dismantler may get a second wind in supplying lots of parts that are simply no longer available from the OEM or aftermarket suppliers.
I have thought about this very scenario that you’ve just mentioned. Unfortunately, these parts will likely be more costly as well due to demand.
HB, your intuition is exactly correct. I am also concerned that states will ban this business practice so as to make sure the market scurries quicker in the direction that they want it to........unfortunately.
The Volvo and the Mercedes were amazingly complete. You could see how well built both of them were. The 64 Mercury and the Caddy too. The Squarebody and the Ford pickup used to be the mainstays of yards like this.It’s hard to fathom that some cars that sell for a lot of money today were cars that were sent to the crusher without a second thought after sitting out in a yard like this. While all of these vehicles pictured may not fit in that category exactly, it’s sad to see them wasting away. The only saving grace is that these old girls are possibly helping to keep another like them on the road.
You can tell lots about cost to repair by the number of newer Audi’s, BMW’s, and Mini’s that are here too.
They are surprisingly very stable. I’ve never seen one even close to wobbly. I rarely get under them but the couple of times I had to I shook the sheet out of them from many angles… they weren’t moving an inch.
When I see a new vehicle especially $40k+ I always remember they end up there in 14-20 years. Cars are disposable unless you don’t drive them (esp winter) or take extraordinary measures to keep them.
I once worked with a Manpower worker that would buy a cheap car from a private owner and run it till it broke down. Wherever it broke he would just walk away and hitch aride back to his apartment. Then he would scour the paper for another one. Last one he had was an older Rambler wagon with a 6 cyl. Walked away when it had the water pump blow. He knew nothing about fixing cars and had no tools..
fiat there (#3? a zadalgo)? Asa kid a yrd specialized in Italian. Pulled manya lancia, alpha, fiat out for total restore. Made 'em into something I could not afford to drive, but did so till the nxt jewel came into "Goldie's". Sold my first for enuff, used some to get the nxt one (w/left over for rest0mod). Never built up enuff to geta ferrari or maserati. Left town 1st, then onto college.
Now no p&p's state-wide. Places look like a file cabinet, 5'n 6 tiers hi. End posts of the shelving have ltrs/#s like st signs. Not allowed back there. You go in the frnt door, a neat office like presentation. Guy serves U from 'puter, gets on mike, tells fork lift guy where to go from map on his screen. U sit ona couch, wait for the part, swipe ur card. They do deliveries, they swap w/other yrds to geta sale. So very different now. 1 thing I like is no sills back there. The deliveries and swaps (to keep my business) is pretty good too. I HAVE caught them selling some prts for more than new tho.
Now no p&p's state-wide. Places look like a file cabinet, 5'n 6 tiers hi. End posts of the shelving have ltrs/#s like st signs. Not allowed back there. You go in the frnt door, a neat office like presentation. Guy serves U from 'puter, gets on mike, tells fork lift guy where to go from map on his screen. U sit ona couch, wait for the part, swipe ur card. They do deliveries, they swap w/other yrds to geta sale. So very different now. 1 thing I like is no sills back there. The deliveries and swaps (to keep my business) is pretty good too. I HAVE caught them selling some prts for more than new tho.
Schnitzer Industries(Pick & Pull) and LKQ have a core supply business - especially in LKQ’s case, which their Keystone line of business sells a lot of refinished bumper covers and wheels to body shops - insurance companies, especially Progressive, Allstate and Geico prefer “like kind and quality” parts to be installed - be it a Keystone “refurbished” bumper cover or wheel or Chinese sheet metal/lights. I wouldn’t be surprised if Cardone runs a boneyard in Philly or Texas and then ships it all to Mexico for rebuild.I have thought about this very scenario that you’ve just mentioned. Unfortunately, these parts will likely be more costly as well due to demand.
However, with the box parts stores preferring to sell new Chinese CV axles and rotating electrical, eventually new power steering pumps and brake calipers, Schnitzer and LKQ will just chuck those.
I read at an automotive museum “economy cars become more difficult and expensive to collect for museums then exotic super cars, because average people use and consume their economy cars while exotics are preserved by their owners”It’s hard to fathom that some cars that sell for a lot of money today were cars that were sent to the crusher without a second thought after sitting out in a yard like this. While all of these vehicles pictured may not fit in that category exactly, it’s sad to see them wasting away. The only saving grace is that these old girls are possibly helping to keep another like them on the road.
Always makes me wonder, what might a simple 90s Honda Civic in good condition be worth in another 30 years?
everything we put on is new (LKQ/Keystone delivers to the shop).
Only use junk yrd prts now when the part is not available.
Been finding the junk parts are great (oem), its the after mrkt new than are the junk !
(poor metal quality, non-fitting, flimsy construction).
For Kurt/#18: look to past/current for answrs. Do we see stuff like the Jolly (flimsy fiat 300) and Sol (tinny 2 seater by honda) rake in exorbatant auction prices? -Yes- , we do ~
Only use junk yrd prts now when the part is not available.
Been finding the junk parts are great (oem), its the after mrkt new than are the junk !
(poor metal quality, non-fitting, flimsy construction).
For Kurt/#18: look to past/current for answrs. Do we see stuff like the Jolly (flimsy fiat 300) and Sol (tinny 2 seater by honda) rake in exorbatant auction prices? -Yes- , we do ~
