DIY Car Repair: 3 Tips For Your First Trip To The Salvage Yard


With a little mechanical know-how, doing your own car repairs adds up to big savings when it comes to getting back on the road. Yet your first visit to the junk yard can be a little intimidating once you see all those rows of cars. Fortunately, figuring out your way to the right car isn't all that difficult, and you can ensure that your hunt for parts is successful by following these simple tips.

Call Ahead

Salvage yards all have specific policies in place that are designed to protect the safety of the guests and the quality of the parts that are available. Make sure you understand the rules by calling ahead to find out if you are allowed to drive your vehicle into the yard or if it is a walk-in and carry-out only type of place. Some yards will also pick the parts for you and have them waiting before you arrive. Understanding these policies before you go will ensure that you don't break etiquette and that the policy works with what you hope to accomplish.

Pack Your Tools

Pulling parts will require similar tools as what you need to get the current part off of your vehicle. A good rule of thumb to follow is to go ahead and remove your damaged part from your car, and pack the same tools since that is typically what you will need. You may also find it helpful to bring along a mat if you will be lying on the ground, along with mechanic's gloves, penetrating oil and a dolly if you will be pulling heavy parts.

Be Respectful

Those parts that are located in tough-to-reach spots may require you to dismantle other parts of the engine. However, it is always important to try to do as little damage as possible to free your part. Make sure to remove your part carefully so that the other potentially useful parts are retained for the next customer, and always clean up potentially dangerous things left behind on the ground such as sharp pieces of metal.

Working on your own car has many rewards such as feeling a sense of accomplishment and fitting repairs into your budget. Now that you know how to navigate your way through the process of visiting a salvage yard, get ready to discover a new way to make car repairs enjoyable since every trip to the land of junked vehicles is an adventure. To learn more, contact a company like A & B Truck Recycling.

About Me

Obtaining Better Fuel Economy

A couple of months ago, the car my husband drove to work died. Despite his best efforts, my husband could not get the car to crank. After this event, my spouse began driving his truck to work each day. Unfortunately, this vehicle didn’t get the gas mileage his car did. To improve his truck’s fuel economy, my husband shopped for an engine ionizer at a local auto parts store. After installing this simple piece of equipment on his truck, my husband is happy with the results. On this blog, I hope you will discover some interesting methods to improve your vehicles’ fuel economy. Enjoy!