Real Deal: Salvage Yard Finds

When times are tough, the last thing you need is for something to go on your car so the next time you lose your side mirror or your tail-light goes out you may not want to head for the dealer. Instead, take a detour for the nearest salvage yard and save yourself up to 80%!

In this economy, one man's trash is another man's savings. Robert Hollingsworth from Brookhaven, PA was at K & A Auto Salvage in Philadelphia looking for a grill to his 1986 Cutlass Supreme, "You can actually come to a salvage part, pick up a part that you need and put it on yourself and you're off and running. You went to a dealer you're gonna pay double or triple."

At K & A Auto Salvage in the Port Richmond you'll find parts for just about anything according to co-owner Mike, "You can get new parts off an old vehicle, the front end may be damaged, the back end is perfect. You got factory goods here, may have a ding or a dent but for a fraction of the price." Salvage yards can offer parts 50-80% cheaper than stores and suppliers. For example, Mike says if you went looking for a taillight, "Probably for the part itself you're looking at $150-$175 dollars, here I'd sell that for $40."

Some salvage yards, like K & A will guarantee the part for a certain amount of time but the mechanic may not, so make sure you ask. You don't have to go rummaging around the scrap yard to find what you need, you can search their online data base. They have a locator system that connects to with 2,500 other yards, so even if they don't have the part you need, they can probably find it for you. Check it out at www.kaautosalvage.com/