Picking auto parts at the salvage yard: What to look for?

[markmopar]

Recently my brother picked up a 99 Grand Prix that didn't run. Needed a MAF sensor it turned out. It's a very common problem on the 3.8 engine used in those cars(along with Camaros, Impalas and others). A new one is over $100 bucks. Good used ones go for $40 and up on eBay regularly. It took some looking but I found 3 at a U-Pull-It. 15 bucks each! Put one in the car, one in the glove box and sold the last one for enough to cover the cost of all 3.
So, sensors, switches(power door locks, power windows, power mirrors, etc) and computers are all good items. The hard part in a u-pull-it is verifying that they work. Try to stick to smaller, easier to ship items to make it easier on yourself.

 

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[tamrock]

The nice thing about the yard that I go to is that it is a very large, high volume yard, which means inventory comes and goes very quickly and there's tons of it. Tauruses, for example, they probably have 20-30 of them at any given time. Also their prices are standardized, so they won't charge more for a bmw headlight than a taurus headlight. I figure if I can learn some good stuff to look for I could score from time to time. Whatever I do it will be very small time, I don't want to go buy 10 taillight assemblies, sell 3 and have the rest sitting around forever. I'll probably only do 1 or 2 things at a time just to test the waters. I already have a good thing going with what I sell already, I just want to see if I can monetize my occasional junkyard trips.

You know one thing I find myself doing at times is looking at the auto parts listings on Craigslist. I've seen some items that I thought would have some good potential. They'd be things like speed parts such as an old Hurst shifter, or tri-carb manifold for a small block Chevy. I'd then take a look to see what the sales of the same item would go for on ebay. Some parts would sell higher and some of the listing on CL would even mention that their item has sold for more on ebay. Some people just want to get a good amount out of something, but don't want to deal with the listing and shipping stuff on ebay. They just want some quick local cash and will take less for rather then sit and wait for an ebay sale. I look in the antique section of CL also, but most items in the Antique stuff is way over priced on CL.

 

[packerbacker]

I sell hood and radiator emblems occasionally. One Plymouth hood ornament I sold for $360 on ebay buy it now. It wasn't even listed for an hour and it was bought and paid for.

 

[jamey]

owner manuals are good on the high end cars.

 

[Baltimore]

Well I went to the yard, and I had a great time. There were tons of great cars to pick parts from and make a few bucks on, and I will definitely be going back. I already made a sale, bought a tail light assembly off of a '95 BMW 535i for $14 and sold it today for $39.99 +$10 shipping to a guy in Texas. I'll keep this thread updated as things sell!

 

[Baltimore]

Overall I was pretty surprised at how many pretty nice cars I saw that would have been worth picking parts from. Highlights included a 2005 BMW 745 Li that had some very expensive parts that I kicked myself for not buying once I got home (there are sold listings on ebay for $400-$500 per headlight assembly, for example). I found a jeep wrangler which surprised me, I thought there was always someone willing to buy those for more than scrap. There were a couple of 60's-70's caddys, an '82 lincoln continental coupe, and some other interesting vintage detroit iron. In terms of cars with valuable parts, there were a handful of accident victim mid 2000's volvos that had decent parts, a couple toyota hilux and 4runners, some sporty 80's honda fastbacks, a 2007 chevy equinox, and probably many more that I missed or had no idea were valuable.

One thing that surprised me was how clean many of the trucks in the yard were. I used to own a '99 ford ranger, and whenever something rusted off I would go to salvage yards to find replacements. The entire time I drove it I never found one that wasn't completely trashed and/or rusted out. This yard had probably 7-10 shockingly clean rangers, including an almost flawless (except for the front end collision that put it there in the first place) early 2000s ranger that got dropped in the yard as I was leaving. It looked like it had been painted a week ago. Most of the other trucks were in good shape too, I guess people in Baltimore don't beat their trucks into the ground like they do in Vermont, and the rust definitely isn't as bad.

Overall I was pleasantly surprised by how good the pickings were, next time I go back I'll report again!

 

[inspectorgadget]

I have a really good friend who deals in parting out non running & or wrecked Mustang fox bodys (79 to 93). He started doing it in about 99 & a few years later he gave up a job he had making right at $50K (to start). He was making bank on the side selling this stuff on eBay & he ended up quitting his job & going full time at buying these cars & parts for those cars & reselling them. He did very very well up till everything crashed & scrap price went thru the roof. Now people could scrap their car for 2 to 4 times what he was paying for non runners/crashed Mustangs. Even after the crash there was no lack of buyers however there was a lack in obtaining the parts to sell. So he started playing the junk yard method of getting parts to resell. He ended up doing just fine but of course his profits were down. The past couple of years he has been buying whole cars to part out again but now its not 99% Mustang focused, he deals in whatever he can make money off of. He also still makes $200-$500 a week from a day of junk yard stops once a week. If you know your stuff it can be done! I believe he averages about $75-$80K profit per year the past 15 years selling parts on eBay. He affords his house mortgage + taxes & utilities & mortgage + taxes & utilities on a 3500ft2 building zoned industrial that is also somewhat of a storefront as well. He takes a couple vacations per year & isn't ever hurting for money. Tho let me tell ya he works a lot (70-80 hours a week), he does his eBay listings at night & finds & strips cars by day, his phone rings off the hook everyday with people looking for parts. Most larger parts like doors are sold local only. It is too much work IMO but he doesn't punch a clock & he obviously loves doing it the way he does it. So again it sure can be done but you almost gotta dedicate your life to it.

 

[Baltimore]

Wow, that sounds like quite the operation! I'm really just doing it casually and because I like exploring junkyards, I definitely don't have the level of commitment that your friend does. I think I might make it a regular-ish habit though, I have lots to learn and the best way is through experience!

 

[pkb]

Check the BMW's trunks for their tool kits mounted underside of the trunk lid. Get the carrier too. And BMW's used to have wheel choks for when you had a flat. Those sell also.