The U-Pull Junkyard is one of the first places mechanics & DIYers go for used auto parts. For decades this was one of the easiest ways to find a used auto part for a great price, however, as demand for scrap metal & parts grew, so did the services many junkyards would offer. This led to many junkyards becoming full-service auto recyclers like My Auto Store, which specialize in recycling auto parts.
Many customers of the classic U-Pull junkyard are auto mechanics that don’t have the time to pull their own parts. Couple that with environmental regulations to help regulate the safe disposal of all leftover fluids, increased demand for scrap metal, the grading of used car parts for insurance claims, and restrictions of u-pull-it junkyards altogether in some states has led to many junkyards becoming full-service auto recyclers.
While the U-Pull junkyard is still a popular place to go for used auto parts, the full-service auto recycler has become the first choice for used auto parts for most auto repair shops. That’s why in this My Auto Store blog post we are going to discuss some of the differences between the U-Pull Junkyard and a full-service auto recycler.
U-Pull Junkyard Pros & Cons
One of the main draws to the U-pull junkyard these days is the availability of the part & usually, it’s a lower price for the car or truck part because the customer pulled the part themselves. Pulling the part yourself means you can also have that part the same day you go to the junkyard.
Pricing for the spare parts on salvaged cars & trucks left in the U-Pull lot is usually by part type, meaning the same price for a used wheel, regardless of the year, manufacturer, & make of the vehicle. While this can result in higher savings for foreign or hard-to-find cars & trucks, the drawback is finding these vehicles in a U-Pull is rare, as many U-Pull junkyards have become full-service auto recycling centers that inventory these parts instead of letting them go to the self-service yard.
The biggest drawback to the self-service junkyard is that it takes your time to go pull the part, & then the safety risk of removing the part in the yard. While junkyards may take all the safety precautions in putting their vehicles out, you still never know what the person pulling parts before you did. It’s also hard to test parts for quality when you’re still in the U-pull yard.
Full-Service Auto Recycler Pros & Cons
With the full-service auto recycler, auto parts customers aren’t going to have to spend their time & risk safety to get a quality used auto part. In addition to pulling the part for the customer, a full-service auto recycler is also going to grade their parts, clean them, & test them for quality before selling them to the customer.
Many full-service auto recyclers like My Auto Store list their used auto part inventory online & also offer free shipping or local delivery. Popular replacement parts, engines, transmissions, & auto body parts are also inventoried in climate-controlled facilities, preserving the recycled parts from the outside elements.
Full-Service auto recyclers are also licensed by the local authorities to dispose of vehicle fluids & leftover waste from vehicle recycling. The only drawback to the full-service auto recycler is that the price is going to be slightly higher than that of a U-Pull junkyard for some parts. While still lower than new parts, full-service auto recyclers are paying a trained employee to pull, clean & inspect your parts for quality.
Time Value
One of the biggest things to consider when comparing the U-Pull Junkyard to the full-service auto recycler is time. Taking into account how much your time is worth is where you’re going to find why full-service auto recyclers dominate the used auto parts business now.
Going to the U-pull can be fun for teaching experiences & looking for old cars, but that’s valuable time for an auto mechanic. For just a fraction more of the price for the car part they need, they can save time pulling the part to go work on another vehicle.
Add in a local delivery or free shipping option as My Auto Store does, and it’s a no-brainer to pay a little more to have the part pulled & delivered to you. My Auto Store is also going to clean & test the part for quality.
So next time your looking for a used auto part, remember, to keep these pros & cons in mind. If time is your biggest factor in getting your replacement part, then a full-service auto recycler that specializes in recycling auto parts like My Auto Store is going to be the better option.
