| When I was a kid I found myself driving from | | | | pictures will give me an idea of how big this |
| breaker yard to scrap yard to keep my old first | | | | organisation is. |
| car on the road at a price I could afford. Of | | | | Even when visiting most of the yards in my area, |
| course in those days, you took your own tool | | | | I still get the guy waiting to sell the part at a price |
| box and risked life and limb lying under cars, which | | | | he decides there and then, based on how much |
| looked like the tower of Pisa and any bolts | | | | he think he can get from me. Then he will charge |
| screws or rubber things, you got for free when | | | | me Vat on the full amount, when because the |
| you asked for a price of whatever you had spent | | | | unit is second hand and the Vat has already been |
| 4 hours removing fom that wreck. | | | | paid when the part was new, he should only be |
| Well most breaker yards have moved on, not | | | | charging vat on the mark up. |
| because technology has taken there, but more | | | | Of course not all breaker yards are this way, but |
| about legalisation, for safety and European rules | | | | they are certainly in the minority. There are some |
| for recycling and dismantling cars. Most breaker | | | | based in warehouses with computer controlled |
| yards will remove the parts for you, stick them | | | | stock. Many of these actually buy their parts in, |
| on a shelf in the hope, someone will want what | | | | sometimes from abroad, from places like Japan, |
| they had taken off the car, and then the right | | | | where car parts can be cheaper. |
| documentation is done to remove that vehicle off | | | | The final solution seems to be these car part |
| the road. | | | | request websites, where you fill in your details |
| But when I mention technology, things seem a bit | | | | and 200 breaker yards get your part request in |
| hazy. If you try looking for your local breaker | | | | seconds. Of course you may wait a few days to |
| yard on the internet, you tend to find everything | | | | get a quote and when you do, the delivery is |
| but. Plenty of national car part sites, which sell | | | | more than the part, but at least there is more |
| leads to these breakers yards, but trying to find | | | | security, they are competing for car part prices |
| the breaker yards own website seems almost | | | | and you do not need to go out into the rain, so |
| impossible in most areas of the UK. | | | | these locator services may be the future. |
| This is important in my mind, because before I | | | | So we end with a question. Will the breaker yards |
| ring up to ask if my part is in stock I want to see | | | | get in touch with technology, or will they all be |
| who I am dealing with, before I get in my car | | | | replaced with online warehouses? My money is on |
| with credit card or even cash. Can I get a refund, | | | | the latter. |
| has this yard been in business long and even the | | | | |