Whats your opinion on finding parts at the junkyard? For example, I was at the junkyard the other day and found 4 nice 16" wheels, that more then likely ill be going back to pick up. Like is it a good idea to pick things up from there? and also any body know who makes our exhaust...im trying to a new system and dont know where to purchase them from?


Thanks

Chris

Nothing wrong with a junkyard shopping trip, good way to get interior stuff, or upconvert a car, like a base model to a sport front clip.

Between the three what would look better on our cars...15" - 16" - 17"?

junkyards are fine, i love going to junkyards

17's look awesome, but, with HP and UHP tires, you have your hands full when you slip into the grooves in the street. 16's are a happy medium of performance, comfort and looks.

Cuz im looking through craigslist as well to see if I find anything and im finding a lot of 16s but ppl tell me I should go to a 15 to be sure... thoughts.

I'm going junkyarding this weekend with a buddy...  Looking for parts for his beater S-10. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thumbsup.gif)  Nothing wrong at all with going to one!  If you find parts for your car, go for it.

I'd look for stuff for mine, but there aren't any Accent MC's on the road, I go weeks without seeing one. Pure speculation here, but if I'm not seeing them on the road, I'm certainly not going to find any that have been wrecked.  Gotta sell them to drive them, gotta drive them to wreck them, none of that happens here so I'm out of luck. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/w00t.gif)

I've been searching salvage auctions, I want a US spec Sport for the rear discs and some panels

This post has been edited by TwitchAutoSystems: Mar 18 2009, 02:38 PM

Yeah, there is nothing wrong with that. And 17's are a pain in the butt but look the nicest in my opinion.

Junkyards are the bast places to find parts for your car -- was in there this past weekend actually! found nothing.. Ended up swimming in a shin high puddle though. that was well worth the $1 admission fee!
(puddle looked shallow and harmless. as I got further in it just consumed me) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I needed a diode for my Santa Fe and the dealer said they couldn't get it to me without a part number. I was in Denver for a couple days and after a meet up with byron, I called a local junkyard that had three Santa Fe's available for picking. I was able to get the diode off a wrecked green one for free. The only downside was the tools to get it free cost me $20. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blownose.gif)

Edit: When my factory steering wheel began to peel and loose its color, I contacted a junkyard in Portland after my dealer quoted me $1,200 for a new wheel, no airbag! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) The guy took me out to a Santy that had been absolutely mauled in a crash. The steering wheel had been removed and was sitting on the floor, covered in miscellaneous parts. It was dirty with a minor scuff but otherwise perfect. The guy originally charged me $200 but because of the scuff, he knocked off $75! I still have that wheel today. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

This post has been edited by lovemysantafe: Mar 21 2009, 11:34 PM

The wrecker is the place for a lot of descent & cheap parts. Wear an old pair of boots.

Watch the weather channel so you know what to wear, and bring the tools you think you will need plus some extras. Remember, there is no MSRP on used parts so you can haggle price. There's nothing wrong with reusing parts. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thumbsup.gif)

You guys are really lucky. I used to love going into junkyards for all the reasons you have mentioned. However, over here in England we can't do that any more because strict health and safety rules have been imposed.

Junkyards are still plentiful but they now dismantle the cars, stack the decent parts on inside racking and shred the remains for recycling. What you do now is go to a counter and tell the man what you want and he gets it for you. Not much fun now so you folks enjoy it while you can.......

Ah - but buyer beware! I still love junking. BUT, here's my story. I needed 2 new front seats for my car, which was getting up there in years. Being an old car I didn't want to spend any more than necessary, so we looked around the junkyard for a newer car with seats in good condition. We found the "perfect" seats. The car looked like it had been in a wreck while relatively young. The color would match and the seats were WAAAYYY better than mine. So for around $150 we took the seats and installed them in my car. Couldn't be happier. Much more comfortable ride! Then.....it rained. With the moonroof open. All over my new seats. Didn't think to much about it (other than "bummer"). Set some school papers on the passengers seat the next day - they came up red. And everytime the seat got wet - spilled water bottle or rain in the window - red. Red, red, red. I came to the conclusion that the "accident" must have been pretty severe. Whoever was in that seat must have really gotten it. I wouldn't let anyone sit in that seat after that. Ewwwwww! Could be my imagination, or was it???? Never had the nerve to take the cover off and look - didn't really want to know!

Just take the car seat out and either clean it yourself or get it cleaned the previous owner isn't going to mind you making use of the spare parts is he/she.
Probably enjoys coming out with you for the ride (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Itzaokbenefitingfromthedeadtheydonotcomplain (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Well that sux. Do they only keep the "A" quality parts, or do they price them by grade? The dismantlers I've seen trash alot of parts that are still useable, because they have a cosmetic flaw.

And how do you see if parts are close enough? After three different choices I settled on the Olds Alero wing that's on the car.

Are the seats red? And were they OEM for the car? You never stated. They could just have a poor dye job. Blood gets crusty when it dries and the police usually take anything with DNA on it. I've never seen a windshield with hair at a junk yard.

Well, the parts quality isn't too bad - they only take off the decent stuff and shred the rest. In the 'old' days when you could wander around you would come away with an armful of stuff - some of which you would use and some that would come in handy. That is where the fun was for me.

The first thing they do when a car arrives is to drain the fluids then take out the battery - I believe all this has to be done inside on a concrete surface to meet regulations. It is only then that the wheels and running gear are removed plus any decent interior and electrical stuff - leather trim, alternators, starter motors and so on. The doors and lids then come off, the wiring comes out and all the plastic is separated into whatever it is - polypropylene, vynil, polystyrene etc. One or two places crush the old bodyshell into a cube but most now shred it, ready for the furnace.

Gone are the days when you rolled around in the middle of a field dodging the puddles! Heh heh.....

...and stomping down the weeds around the car. An arm full of stuff and on occasion. A pocket full (IMG:style_emoticons/default/whistling.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grin.gif)