The purchase price is only the initial investment that you will make when you buy a car. Throughout ownership, you will invest a significant amount of money in gas and maintenance for the vehicle as well. In addition to the costs of fueling and maintaining your car, however, you might be faced with repair expenses at certain times. In general, automobiles are built to be durable machines. Your vehicle can last well over 100,000 miles with proper care and maintenance before needing significant work. However, your car will need replacement parts and engine work at some point. Depending on the problem, repairs could come with a hefty price tag. One way to mitigate these costs is to consider purchasing used parts.
Many car owners perceive that used auto parts are not reliable or usable. In fact, many drivers may spend hundreds of dollars on new parts to avoid the perceived risks associated with used parts. However, these misconceptions can significantly inflate the repair costs to fix your car. New aftermarket or generic parts built for your car might not perform any better than a used and refurbished part originally manufactured for your vehicle.
Used car batteries and other auto parts could save you a significant amount of money if your vehicle is in need of repairs. Let’s take a look at how used car parts could prove to be a budget-friendly solution.
Does a junk car also have junk parts?
Unless a fire or explosion completely destroyed a vehicle, there are probably still several usable parts available in a junk car. Every day, hundreds of old cars are taken to junkyards and salvage yards all across the United States. While many of these cars are ultimately crushed and reduced to scrap metal, many of them are disassembled before being destroyed. As an example, if an SUV was rear-ended and deemed “totaled” by an insurance company, it might be sold for salvage. Because the vehicle sustained rear-end damage, the used battery and other parts of the engine and front end can be taken out.
The used parts that weren’t damaged or worn out from a totaled car can still have plenty of mileage left on them. In some cases, you might even find that these vehicles have new batteries or other parts that were replaced just before the accident. Just because the parts are from a junk car doesn’t mean that they are junk. These parts can lead to significant savings.
How much money can you save?
One of the big questions with used auto parts is cost versus performance. In other words, is a used battery or another car part worth the price that you will pay for it? In some cases, it might be a better option to buy a new auto part. For instance, if a particular car model is known for a sensor wearing out or a part going bad after a certain mileage, it might be more advantageous to buy that specific part new. However, purchasing a used car battery or other part will be worth the investment in most cases. The majority of salvage yards and junkyards inspect used parts for quality and even refurbish car batteries and other parts. Some locations might also offer a warranty on used parts. It is estimated that you could save as much as 50 to 75 percent on used auto parts and still get the quality performance and longevity you need.
If you are looking for a used car battery, tires, or other auto parts, it might be beneficial to check out a salvage yard or junkyard before heading to the parts store. These places have a wide selection of quality used parts for cars, trucks, SUVs, and other vehicles in most cases.
