Scrapyards can be heaps of fun. Seriously!
It is a fact seldom mentioned, but not only is obtaining spare parts from a scrapyard cheaper, but it can also be a lot of fun.
In fact, one scrapyard in India has gained fame for allowing customers to make their own car in only four weeks.
The Soti Ganj scrap yard in Meerut is described as the “nerve centre” of a secondhand automobile market that supplies spare parts for “every vehicle in the world”.
Damaged cars and engines are sourced from insurers in North India and metal importers in Kolkata who in turn corral them from South Asia. Vehicles that are beyond repair are then sold to the Soti Ganj dealers at 70% of their original price.
There are so many warehouses stacked with spare parts that it is virtually impossible not to find what you’re looking for, and for this reason a customer is able to build their own car from the ground up within the space of a month.
South African scrapyards have long been meccas for parts-hungry petrolheads, particularly those who like to “soup up” their vehicles as frequently as possible.
Going through specialist body shops is always an option, but especially with the growth in popularity of reality television shows, these “celebrity” mechanics tend to be rather pricy. And while there is no doubt that their handiwork should be admired, there is just something fun about tracking down those hard-to-find parts by trawling these vehicle yourself.
What some may not know is that there are two types of scrapyards, those where you physically remove parts from vehicles yourself, and those where an item is requested, removed by a yard worker and delivered to you at a payment point on the premises.
What you should always bear in mind is that scrapyard dealers do this for a living, so while you may think there is little to no chance of you finding that elusive part, a simple query their way might yield astonishing results.
It is also worth mentioning that modern-day scrapyards are not the “hit-and-miss” fields of old.
These days dealers carry boards on which are listed prices and available items, making the search that much easier. Furthermore, some go so far as to match certain parts to certain vehicles, although this can take some of the fun out of the process.
If there is one warning, however, is that you should be vigilant when buying any electrical parts. Always make sure there is a testing station in the yard to make sure that the specific part works.