Wrecking Yards 101: What You Need to Know

For a Nevada motorist looking for a way to save money on auto parts, a wrecking yard in Las Vegas can be a treasure chest. Whether you’re searching for new car seats or a replacement transmission, you may be able to find what you want here. There are certain guidelines, though, that can help make your quest easier.

The Two Types of Wrecking Yards

First off, know your limits. There are two types of wrecking yards: full-service and you-pick. At a full-service wrecking yard, staff members are willing to review their inventories and to help you locate the part that you are interested in buying. Once you’ve settled on a part to purchase, staff members will use their skills and the tools they’ve been provided to wrestle the part out of the totaled car in which it currently resides. You-pick wrecking yards, on the other hand, are Mad Max territory without a guide. Their costs are considerably lower, but that’s because you’ll be doing everything on your own. If you’re a competent home garage mechanic, a you-pick yard may be the way to go. If you don’t have a lot of personal experience repairing motor vehicles, however, you may be better with a full-service yard. A1 Auto Parts & Wrecking in Henderson is a full-service yard.

Specialty Wrecking Yards

Once you’ve identified the type of wrecking yard that will best suit your own skills, narrow the hunt down. While many wrecking yards carry vehicles in a wide variety of makes and models, a few specialize. If you drive a vehicle with a relatively small market share, you’d be better off dealing with a specialty wrecking yard. A wrecking yard that deals with high-performance German-made cars is more likely to carry that BMW hood emblem you’ve been searching for than a wrecking yard that carries many different types of vehicles. A1 Auto Parts has inventory from virtually all makes and all models.

Make Quick Decisions

Finally, it’s important to realize that wrecking yard inventories are highly fluid. Just because a wrecking yard doesn’t have the part you’re interested in one week doesn’t mean the part won’t be there the following week. Conversely, if you find a part you want, don’t dilly-dally. Buy it! There’s an excellent chance that someone else will snap it up if you wait too long.