My Favorite Hobby is Self-Service Car Junkyards
My Opinion of Self Pull Salvage Yards
I'm a regular at self-service car junkyards junk cars and for good reasons. These places are more than just salvage spots; they're havens where I can find parts that won't break the bank, indulge in some automotive history, and even sharpen my mechanic skills.
One big perk is affordability. Take for example when I had to replace my truck's tailgate. Buying new would have hurt financially but rummaging through the yard, I found one in decent shape for only $40! Now tell me that isn't worth a little dirt on your hands.
Navigating the lanes between totaled cars might not be everyone’s idea of fun, but to me it's thrilling. There was this time I needed an AC compressor – something you wouldn’t expect to find easily amongst piles of discarded metal – but after combing through rows with determination, there it was staring back at me like buried treasure!
My Junk Yard Tips:
- Pack Smart: On one occasion forgetting sunscreen turned what should have been a productive day into an unintended sunbath session - so bring protective gear along including sunscreen!
- Junk Yard Master: Sites like JunkYardMaster.com have infomation on local car junkyards and also online salvage yards.
- Vinyl Gloves Over Cloth: Oil and grime slice right through fabric gloves leaving skin exposed; always go with vinyl or nitrile gloves instead as these last much longer under stress.
- Come mid-week if possible - weekends tend to get busy and picked over quickly whereas weekdays offer calmer browsing opportunities without competition breathing down your neck.
- If you can spot clusters of newer cars together chances are higher finding useful parts as they've likely spent less time being plucked over compared older groupings spread throughout premises.
Socialize with fellow pickers! They often know tips about which models have interchangeable parts or where recent arrivals might be hidden away waiting discovery by savvy seekers just like yourself!