Idiots guide to scrap yards?

anewman

Never been to a scrap yard. Just wondering what to expect. Do I simply enter the premises and wander around looking for the correct car, and check to see if it has the part I want? Would I be expected to remove the part I want and would I be expected to have the tools to do it with me? Also how are prices usually agreed upon?

I'm looking for rear light clusters off a tailgate (they are just reversing and fogs), but if I could get a whole tailgate of the correct colour and type with the lights that would be much better as my tailgate has some rust holes in. Any ideas of the likely prices for both?

Thanks in advance.

Wig

It varies widely on business practice and costs, but most of the work is done on the phone before hand

"I need a xxxxx for '98 Vauxhall Omega"

"How much will that be?"

Round here we have loads of scrappies, one is infamous for overcharging, and they won't let you in the yard, and keep a lot of parts on the shelf.

Another is usually very cheap when compared to all others and he lets you in the yard to do your own thing.

I guess round here 6/10 will let you in the yard, but only obviously if they don't have the part on the shelf.

Don't buy electrical items without first getting a guarantee if it don't work you can return it.

I always take the tools I will need to get the bit I want off, but they usually let you borrow tools if you need them.

You will need an old pair of boots, and an old bit of carpet under your foot pedals when you get back in your car (or change your shoes before driving home).

harveybobbles

2nd hand light clusters would be about 20 quid. Ish.
Most scrappies have stuff like that on shelfs ready for the likes of you to walk in and buy.

What car is it for and where abouts in the UK are you?

anewman

Skoda Favorit Estate (it's possible hatch lights are the same) - Leeds. I know there's a scrappie in Cross Green industrial estate but never been there.

There's a searchable list including scrappies here http://www.recycleyourcar.co.uk/

Hopefully I can get the screws out without causing damage anyway, but good to know how I go about getting replacements should I mess up and destroy them.

harveybobbles

You may find that you could pick up a new one for not much.

Or http://www.crashrepairparts.com/

anewman

harveybobbles wrote: »

Or http://www.crashrepairparts.com/

Great thanks, bookmarked that they have some reasonably priced front wings but no lights unfortunately. Annoyingly I have a spare of every light cluster possible but these and it's due to the same problem with screws on donor car. May even have the same difficulties with rusted screws at a scrappie come to think of it.

Wig

I forgot to say make sure you know the cost of new, and the cost of pattern parts or OEM from motor factors, before you start to phonescrap yards then you will be able to say

"They're only £xx new"

I'd pay no more than 25% - 50% of the new price depending on what the function of the piece is, rear light cover upto 50%
Ignition coil up to 25%

Take the pen paint off with a bit of [STRIKE]thinners[/STRIKE] or petrol. Actually thinners would melt your light reflector plastic so best not to use that

mrbadexample

Well, about 15-20 years ago it went like this:

Hello mate, got any Cortinas in?
Yeah...there's one over there on top of that Cavalier; the one on top of the Montego.
I want the starter motor, how much?
A tenner if it's still there, help yourself.

Whereupon you climbed up and balanced precariously somewhere, contravening every health and safety regulation in the book, while you took the starter motor off (not forgetting to fill your pockets with spare bulbs and any small bits of trim etc. that were missing from your motor while you were there ).
Having retrieved the starter motor, you climbed down, dodged the oily alsation and paid the fella. Job done.

And everything was a tenner. Starter motor, lens cluster, alternator, you name it. They only had one price. Occasionally they might let you borrow a spanner if you looked like you couldn't outrun the dog.

I guess things have changed a bit.....

goldspanners

a lot of places nowadays will not even let you near the cars because of health and safety,public liability,insurance,etc...
you walk up to the counter ask what you want,they check thier computer,you sit and wait a guy goes off to retrieve your part if its easy enough to come off there and then if not you come back for it,then you get the part you want.
personally i prefer the old days when you could go and get the part yourself and help yourself to anything you could conseal on your person on the way out.:T

blue_haddock

Yep the secret when going to a scrappy is to wear trousers with big pockets and an overcoat in which you can conceal a starter motor, half a dozen assorted fuses, a wing mirror and the exhaust!

bartman

I guess things have changed a bit.....


Not at my local scrappy when I was there earlier this year! OK, the cars are only one on top of another, not 3, and there is the odd short ladder knocking about to make life easier.
The guvnor does like you to report in to his Portakabin first to tell him what you are looking for, rather than simply strolling in and rifling through his valuable collection, then he'll say something like "Fords 3rd row along, there's a Fiesta about 1/2 way down on the right, you might find a XXXXX in there......." and all the small stuff is a tenner! Don't think he's got an Alsatian though.....:D