Up until now, vehicle repairs have been much like trips to the dentist: painful but necessary. Today that landscape is changing and although auto repairs are still a necessary evil, there is a way to lessen the amount of pain i.e. money involved in the process. The way to do this is utilize the used parts industry.

Springing up all over the country in the past decade, auto recyclers are now in just about every city throughout the United States. They are the original recyclers and offer much to the communities they serve.

Once a vehicle becomes inoperable, it is usually of little use to the person or company that owns it. However due to the intricate and interconnected way in which an engine functions, many parts on an inoperable vehicle remain in excellent working order even though the whole engine no longer works. This is where auto recyclers come into the picture. While the automobile has no value to its owner because it no longer performs the function for which it was purchased – transportation- the auto recycler has another use in mind and will gladly compensate the owner of the car in order to obtain it. This arrangement benefits both parties and the community as a whole. The owner receives at least some money for the vehicle, the auto recycler receives an inventory of parts and the community does not have the economic or ecological strain of dealing with a large useless piece of machinery. This is one of the few win-win scenarios in the world today.

Once the inoperable vehicle has been purchased by the auto recycler, the vehicle is moved to its dismantling facility. Here the process begins. First, all hazardous materials must be removed from the vehicle. There are more than you might think. Once this is finished, technicians go over the automobile thoroughly to discover what parts are in good working condition. Once this has been assessed and the parts are removed, then the rest of vehicle is stripped of plastics and the vehicle is sent to the crusher or shredder. Here, the left over metal frame of the car is compacted and the steel that is left is then recycled back into anything from new parts to completely new vehicles. It has been estimated that since 1997, enough steel has been recovered from salvaged automobiles to build 13 million new ones.

Once the good working parts of a salvaged vehicle have been removed, they are now ready to be returned to use. Most auto recyclers today utilize direct access inventory systems that connect them with other auto recyclers, mechanics and consumers through the internet. When a particular part is needed, all one needs to do is a simple internet search. This system makes it easy to compare prices and in many cases, auto recyclers will compete for your business. If the part is located close enough one can even drive over, inspect the part, and pick it up that day. For parts located further than that, most auto recyclers are happy to ship even large parts right to the consumer or mechanics door. Most reputable auto recyclers provide at least a minimal warranty on the parts they sell, also. As for the actual savings to be had on used parts, it is estimated that most of these parts can be obtained at up to half of what the same part may cost new. Now everyone can enjoy that savings.