Spares Focus – 3 Ways To Save More of Your Money
As you hopefully now should be aware, I am fond of a good opportunity to save some money. All of us can apply this across the board. I have bought many heavily discounted hockey sticks. Several of us probably found nicely discounted smartphones in a Christmas sale. I don’t even bother paying for haircuts anymore, because why can’t I have a go myself? But before you all start secretly wondering how awful my barnet must be, we must get onto the issue of spare parts. If we do keep our vehicles for any length of time, some parts may be replaced. This could be out of choice or necessity. What type of business has arguably the most focus on spare parts? The breakers yard! As we focus on spares, let me share three main ways for you to save money, and explain what a breakers yard is:
(Before we get into the details, don’t forget our 10% Referral Refund Scheme, for anyone who sends a customer to Motorkwirks Finder and Consultancy Services. Could you be the next to benefit?)
What is a Breaker Yard?
The breakers yard is a place where cars are broken down into their component parts. This could be for a number of reasons. There could have been an accident, or the car may simply have been old and the owner given up on it. As cars get older, it can become more difficult to get parts for them. They have been superseded by newer models, and the manufacturers are no longer giving them their full attention. From a main dealer viewpoint the cars are seen as past their best and not worth the time or effort. This is where we can step in, step up and be alert to the potential money saving opportunities.
Buy Genuine Parts
Generally when it comes to replacing parts, we have two main options. We can get pattern parts, which are aftermarket and might fit our vehicles reasonably well. We can buy OEM parts, which have been built by the vehicle manufacturer and are all but guaranteed to fit the vehicle. Fortunately, breakers yards tend to major on parts made directly by the manufacturer. This means that as long as the parts are in good condition, they should fit the car without complaint. I have had a couple of pattern radiator grills snap because the dimensions were not quite accurate. I’ve bought one grill for my Focus from a breaker’s yard, and it still fits great.
A concern you may have is whether the parts are fit for purpose if the vehicle being broken up has been involved in an accident. This is understandable, and clearly I wouldn’t recommend a bonnet or bumper in this instance. But a rear tailpipe, or rear lights? If they are in good working order there is huge opportunity to save money here, without compromising on safety. For this reason, safety critical items, such as brakes or tyres are not something I would necessarily advise.
Enjoy A Personal Service
If you’re fortunate enough to go to a breakers yard that happens to specialise in your vehicle, you could also receive some excellent advice on keeping your vehicle going. You could also land some discounted servicing costs. I know I have, particularly when a relationship is formed between seller and customer. With most of the parts being second-hand, they may need a bit of a clean. To me, this is worth the savings, and certainly worth considering if we do want to run our vehicle as economically as we can. If we go for the servicing, it is a source of reassurance that the people working on our cars are those that specialise in our cars and know their quirks. Not all main dealers provide this level of service, and yet they charge us more. We do indeed live in strange times.
Lower Your Costs
The pattern parts cost me £40 for a grill. The breakers yard charge me £10, and all I had to do was clean it. The wheels were £500 from the manufacturer, but £150 from a breakers yard. In both cases I had to purchase new tyres, so there is no advantage there either. I don’t tend to replace grills and wheels too often, admittedly . But that’s still a £380 saving, and I’ve not yet mentioned lights or bumper trims, or the like. Items which can be used again if in good enough condition, and some breakers yards will get new OEM parts for the customer at a discounted price in any case!
I have bought whole sets of wheels from breakers yards, and they’ve been excellent. It’s also been particularly satisfying spending £100 on a set of wheels rather than £500 if I was to buy them direct from the car maker. The only difference is that I purchase used wheels. This does not make them any less safe, especially if the donor car has done fewer miles than our own one.
Conclusion
The breakers yard really is a god-send when I get spares for the Focus. But are you keen on the idea of visiting a breaker’s yard for parts? Would you be comfortable saving a bit less for parts that are just as good, or buying new? Most of the items I purchase from breakers yards don’t need replacing under normal ownership. Treating them like an independent garage means that we might get slightly cheaper new parts for items that do need regular replacement. It’s a complete win for the consumer! But I want to know your thoughts. Have you considered a breaker? Have you had a bad experience with one and will never go back? Let me know in the comments, and feel free to join the family and save more money together! Thanks for reading!