Wander-around junkyard vs. inventoried junkyard

[brages]

So over the last few years, I have learned about self-serve junkyards and I have found they are an excellent resource for keeping old cars running.

First, I went to well-organized junkyards that were part of the Pick-n-Pull and LKQ national chains. These places allow you to search online for the car model you are interested in, and they give you a picture of the car and its location on the lot.

A few weeks ago, I tried a different kind of yard. No online inventory. I called and asked about the car I was looking for and they said, "yeah, I think we have some of those". When I got there, they pointed to a map that showed that imports were over by the swamp. So I just wandered the rows, trying to identify the model - and approx year - I was interested in. It wasn't really that bad because I was looking for Honda Odyssey parts, so they aren't hard to identify and they ended up having two or three. While I was pulling parts, a front-end loader carrying cars high up in the air was driving past where I was working, made me nervous. The prices at this place were about half of the prices at the organized places. For that reason, I might go back if I needed a part for a common vehicle, but I wouldn't go there for Volvo parts, lol.

How about you? What kinds of junkyards have you been to, and what's your preference when you're feeling "down in the dumps"?

 

[MSCH]

back when I had a personal fleet of beaters, my go to was the local wander around and take it off yourself junkyard.
they didn't know what they had out there, it was up to you to find it yourself. they didn't charge you anything to walk around
so you'd just get yourself a wheelbarrow and some tools and scavenge. I liked that experience.

 

[Fla]

I love the old unorganized junk yards! Going to a modern place like LKQ is about as exiting as going to Walmart and buying a bottle of aspirin. (And the level of employees is about the same as those found in Wally World.) I've found some real treasure troves in the old JYs, including a stash of 1950s MG T series cars that the JY people didn't even know that they were there. I found an early 1950s 3 cylinder DKW engine in the same place. I once found a 3x 2 bbls with the aircleaner and intake manifold for a Ford in the trunk of a car and gave $25 for it.

Over the last 50 years the JYs around here have almost entirely disappeared and the few that remain are all organized and they usually want an almost new price (and often higher than new) for anything so I haven't been in any JY in 15? years. I can find much better prices on Ebay. Some of the Ford dealers also sell new parts online and at a considerable discount.

"Organized" junk yard prices are already too high and I'm not about to pay for the "privilege" of going into a junk yard and looking for a part that they probably don't have anyway. My other complaint about them is that they won't give you a price on a paert until after you do all of the work to find and then remove the part and carry it to their office. So at that point you can expect them to screw you on the price.

 

[PF52]

The online inventory is a godsend. Until a few (several?) years ago, none of the yards had it online and it was necessary to hike through the yard looking for whatever car you were looking for. Fine if it's a common car like a Cavalier but not so much for something rare which there might not even be any of in the yard.

 

[Kira]

I've been to/used both.
The junkyard you want is the one with your needed part (ha-ha).

1) A busy, inventoried lot I tried in Connecticut didn't bother with sensors as the computerized inventory listing program they bought didn't have slots for them. Six phone calls to the office were needed to get them to pull me a YAW SENSOR.
A [swear word here] $100 part which shipped in a small padded envelope was a federal case to execute.
ps Yaw sensors for this job were $660 new pre-Covid.

2) I love doin' the junkyard walk. I'm surprised there are any left.

3) Some yards are insultingly expensive.

 

[CKN]

Seems how you prioritize your time. If you want to spend time wandering around-or go online and know where things are-and get in and out.

 

[ChrisMU]

I prefer the free, wander-around junkyards. When I was a kid, the old places would let my dad take me to help. My favorite was a junkyard along highway 45 near the Racine/Milwaukee County line. It was run by a chain-smoking elderly man, complete with posters of scantily-clad women. His mind was still sharp, as he could tell you what he had and where it was. Grouping cars by make would have been nice, though. No charge to enter. I remember getting front bucket seats, a rear hatch, hood, four doors, and a bumper for my rusty 1988 Plymouth Horizon (in 2003) for $130. A year later my dad bought a complete, running 305 for his winter beater ‘85 Caprice for $225. Now, even the local self-serve yards charge admission and you can’t bring your kid to help… I know… liability.

 

[AandPDan]

I also prefer the "wander around" junkyard. When I was a youth I was added a great many options to several of my and my parents cars courtesy of them. I took the entire cruise control system out of an 86 Mustang, all I needed to buy new was the cable to the throttle body. Lots of other things too, like adding the "light group" a rear wiper, dash upgrades, or finding a comparable transmission for my '66 Mustang's 2.77 3 speed gearbox.

 

[Fla]

One of my most enjoyable cars that I ever owned was the result of prowling around in a junk yard. I went to a JY in Roseville, Ca in 1974 looking for parts for my Plymouth and found a gutted 1952 MG TD in the yard. I bought it and completely rebuilt it with a Plymouth V8 engine and automatic transmission and a Jag IRS and MGB front end and installed wire wheels all around and then painted it with two tone paint job and reupholstered it myself. That car would outrun anything in Sacramento at the time and was a real beauty. But I had to sell it when Uncle S told me to go elsewhere. I've been trying to find a suitable replacement ever since!

 

[Fitter30]

Just depends how much your time is worth. What scares me is crawling under a vehicle that is held up by wheels or ?

 

[D60]

The best deals are typically the self-serve

The best use of time is arguably inventoried.

I'm grateful for both. And not being near a major metropolitan area I think ebay is a godsend. I've purchased several pieces in good condition from yards on ebay, and shipping was quite reasonable.

It can be REALLY nice for interior pieces or upholstery. I got a center console/armrest from a yard in Florida to upgrade my '07 F150 XL to cup holders and storage. I'm not sure how they made any money after shipping but things like this practically bring the whole country to your front door even if you live in BFE like me

 

[wlk]

I love the scavenger hunt u-pull yards, it's like Christmas. I also like the U-pull yards for the experience of pulling it yourself if you haven't done a particular job before. It teaches you how it goes back in or how not to break it trying to open it uup

Granted in a hurry or just needing a part or 2 at an inventoried and counter place is great too more like a parts store though

 

[brages]

When I say "inventoried" I'm still talking about self-serve. Just that you're able to look up the year and model of the car and see what they've got before you go. And then when you get there, they can tell you what row to go to.

The thing I don't understand about self-serve junkyards is the wheels. Most of the cars don't have their wheels. I don't know if professional pickers nab any decent wheels as soon as the cars hit the yard? Or if the junkyard itself pulls the wheels for ebay or whatever.

 

[97prizm]

So over the last few years, I have learned about self-serve junkyards and I have found they are an excellent resource for keeping old cars running.

First, I went to well-organized junkyards that were part of the Pick-n-Pull and LKQ national chains. These places allow you to search online for the car model you are interested in, and they give you a picture of the car and its location on the lot.

A few weeks ago, I tried a different kind of yard. No online inventory. I called and asked about the car I was looking for and they said, "yeah, I think we have some of those". When I got there, they pointed to a map that showed that imports were over by the swamp. So I just wandered the rows, trying to identify the model - and approx year - I was interested in. It wasn't really that bad because I was looking for Honda Odyssey parts, so they aren't hard to identify and they ended up having two or three. While I was pulling parts, a front-end loader carrying cars high up in the air was driving past where I was working, made me nervous. The prices at this place were about half of the prices at the organized places. For that reason, I might go back if I needed a part for a common vehicle, but I wouldn't go there for Volvo parts, lol.

How about you? What kinds of junkyards have you been to, and what's your preference when you're feeling "down in the dumps"?

I'm really peeved on how many nice perfectly good running vehicles pull-n-pay dispose of. Lkq had a w12 VW phaeton and said they "couldn't sell me the vehicle ". The W12 can fetch a pretty penny. The Denver pull-n-pay junked a perfectly straight Audi S8 with the V10. I was trying to borrow a truck and find someone to help me pull the engine. At least half of the stuff they get should be required by law to be repaired and put back on the street.

 

[justalubetech]

When I say "inventoried" I'm still talking about self-serve. Just that you're able to look up the year and model of the car and see what they've got before you go. And then when you get there, they can tell you what row to go to.

The thing I don't understand about self-serve junkyards is the wheels. Most of the cars don't have their wheels. I don't know if professional pickers nab any decent wheels as soon as the cars hit the yard? Or if the junkyard itself pulls the wheels for ebay or whatever.

A lot of the steelies they nab to make more "stands" to put the cars on, and any good tires a lot of the yards here take off and put them in racks for sale.

I do wish they would leave more on the cars though, back when I had my beater Oldsmobile I'd just go pull another decent wheel & tire for like $10 when I needed a new tire lol

 

[flanso]

I'm really peeved on how many nice perfectly good running vehicles pull-n-pay dispose of. Lkq had a w12 VW phaeton and said they "couldn't sell me the vehicle ". The W12 can fetch a pretty penny. The Denver pull-n-pay junked a perfectly straight Audi S8 with the V10. I was trying to borrow a truck and find someone to help me pull the engine. At least half of the stuff they get should be required by law to be repaired and put back on the street.

Perhaps the junk yard does not have titles for the cars they refuse to sell.

 

[Cruisin'n5thgear]

Love the walkaround types. Found a bunch of old Ford trucks in a big rural Oklahoma yard, pulled a few OEM AM radios for my shelf even though I don't need them. Lol

 

[SaberOne]

I order stuff via an online junkyard, and they ship the part to me. Besides, my tetanus shot is out of date.

 

[Nukeman7]

The thing I don't understand about self-serve junkyards is the wheels. Most of the cars don't have their wheels. I don't know if professional pickers nab any decent wheels as soon as the cars hit the yard? Or if the junkyard itself pulls the wheels for ebay or whatever.

Most of these junkyards will pull matched sets of factory alloy wheels and fancy aftermarket rims and sell them to local independent tire and wheel specialists for a better price than they can get from the public at the yard. The indy tire dealer will subsequently resell them for up 3 or 4 times what they paid for them.

 

[Soft Cars]

Pick-n-Pull is the only one I go to. I want to pull my own parts.