There are three types of junkyards where consumers can get used car parts to fix and restore their vehicles.
Self-Serve, Full-Service & Online Junkyards
Self-serve junkyards are usually the most affordable to get used car parts from; however, you’ll be doing all the work. The most common junkyards in Florida are called pull and pay salvage yards which fall under the self-serve category. These DIY junkyards usually charge a fee at the door to enter their yard, and it’s up to you to remove the parts you want and need from the vehicles stored on their lot. Depending on the part or parts you need, you could be on the hot junkyard property for hours, making full-service and online junkyards a much better choice for many people.
While full-service junkyards exist, only a handful in Florida will pull the parts from the vehicles, clean them, test them, and sell them to you. These full-service salvage yards have their mechanics and staff who carefully remove parts as they are needed. Vehicles in these salvage yards are also stored better than in self-serve junkyards because the cars are kept on racks rather than lying on the dirt ground.
The last and the most accessible would be online junkyards. These websites are usually owned by full-service junkyards who sell their parts online, making it easy for anyone anywhere in the United States to find and purchase parts. Most online junkyards offer a limited warranty. The downside to using an online junkyard is waiting for a part to get shipped. It could take several days for your part to arrive.
Which Junkyard Is The Best?
While we can’t say which type of junkyard is the best, we can tell you that each of the three types of junkyards is a popular choice for mechanics and hobbyists looking to fix their vehicles for less money. It’s up to you to decide if the money you saved by pulling the parts is worth it or if it’s just easier and faster to buy a part from a junkyard that has already been removed and inspected. You’ll spend the least amount of money at a self-serve junkyard as you’re doing all the hard labor removing the parts yourself.
Sell Your Junk Car To a Junkyard
Junkyards need to buy junk cars to keep their lots full of parts, and selling your junk car to a local salvage yard could quickly fetch you a few hundred bucks. If you don’t want to head over to a junkyard to sell your car, give a junk car buying tow company a call to find out how much you can get for your car, truck or SUV.