As many as 3 million cars in Canada have been involved in accidents over the past five years. Many of them are written off by insurance companies even though their parts are perfectly fine.
Now, more drivers are searching through wrecking yards to save money on used auto parts.
David Gold, Vice President of Standard Auto Wreckers in Scarborough said "people need to keep their cars running to get to work and here we can offer them quality used auto parts at a reasonable price. We can save people 50 to 75 per cent or more depending on what they are looking for."
When a late model luxury car comes in such as a 2010 Infiniti, the auto wreckers will pull up to 60 parts that can be taken off the vehicle and resold to the public, but for most cars the number of parts pulled will number between 20 and 40 -- depending how badly it was damaged in a collision.
Gold says he has noticed a 20 per cent increase in people buying used auto parts over the past year. The yard has also set up a tire centre to sell and install used tires and rims.
"Many of the tires that we take off vehicles are in great shape and they can save consumers a lot of money," Gold says.
Some of the most common items that people buy at a scrap yard include doors, windows, bumpers, mirrors and other similar items that may get banged up in minor accidents. A brand new door from a car dealer could cost as much as $700 while one from a wrecker's yard could sell for $100.
Then there are the big ticket items such as engines and transmissions. To rebuild an engine could cost someone as much as $3,000 -- but to buy a used one with low mileage from a wrecking yard could be $800. Gold says to make consumers feel more comfortable about buying used auto parts they can also purchase a warranty to cover not just the parts, but also the labour to reinstall it.
There are really two groups of people who are going to scrap yards for parts. The do-it-yourselfer backyard mechanic who enjoys working on their car and then the local mechanic or body repair shop who is getting parts from a wrecking yard to try and save their customer's money.
For example the starter for a 2006 Chevrolet Impala can be $700 new from the factory -- the yard we visited had seven of them for sale for $75 each.
Gold says "There is no doubt people are searching for ways to save money and we expect the growth in the sale of used auto parts will continue."
"It's also environmentally friendly as it's about reducing, reusing and recycling."
There are certain items relating to safety and the functioning of the car you should not buy used such as seat belts, air bags, brake parts, and electronic sensors that monitor system problems. If you don't want to visit a scrap yard you can now also search for parts online. For more info check
