3 Ways To Locate A Used Auto Part

Does your car need a new transmission, radiator, or other part? One way to save a lot of money on the repair is to buy a used part. Very often, cars are scrapped for collision damage or other reasons that don't affect many of their parts. That means you can get a perfectly functional used part at a fraction of the price that a new part would cost. However, it may not be easy to find the correct part, especially if you're not familiar with the used car part market. Fortunately, you don't have to spend days wandering around local junk yards. Here are three faster ways to locate your used part:

Call junk yards. Junk yards may look like disorganized piles of cars, but that's not really the case. In fact, most salvage yards are organized by type, make, and model of car. That helps the yard manager to know which cars they have in stock and which they don't. If you call a yard and tell them what part you're looking for and for what make and model, they'll likely be able to give you some indication about whether it's in stock. At the very least, they can likely tell you if they have that make and model. Some yards may have more advanced systems and can tell you if they have the specific part you're looking for.

Ask your mechanic. Some mechanics will install used parts and others won't. Work with a mechanic who installs used parts. He or she will likely be plugged into a network of salvage yards and used parts dealers. The mechanic can place a few calls on your behalf and see if he or she can track a part down. It may not always work, but it's worth a shot. If it's a large repair job, they'll likely be willing to invest their time into helping you find a part.

Use an auto parts locator. There are a number of websites and companies, such as Woonsocket Auto Salvage, that will track down a part for you. You enter information about the part on the website. Then, the website sends that information to their network of salvage yards. Some of the yards may be in your area and others may not. The locator services are usually free or inexpensive. In some cases, you'll get the findings and then it will be your responsibility to contact the yard. With other locators, they'll provide the findings and then also facilitate the transaction.

A quick search online will produce a number of locator services. Input the part information and get your search started.