Taking your vehicle to the dealer for repairs can result in what looks like a substantial unavoidable bill because your repair shop insists on OEM parts.

If you’re willing to explore other avenues, aftermarket or recycled car parts are viable options for different types of repairs and replacements.

Recycled Cars for Cash

You might also consider selling your car to junkyards or salvage yards. There are many different types of pick and pull places that would pay cash for cars to be added to their yard.

Drivable vehicles are going to command a higher price, but even if you have an old clunker that doesn’t run anymore, don’t count yourself out.

Your best buyers are going to be pick and pull places. They have rows of cars that have a variety of parts that others can pull to use in their vehicle.

Call around to local junkyards and pick and pull yards to see who can offer you the best money for junk cars before you make a decision.

How to Recycle Used Cars

There are plenty of ways to recycle used cars. It just depends on what you’re looking for when it comes to recycled car parts.

Car Battery Recycle

Car batteries have an excellent recycling rate compared to other recycled products, likely a result of the convenience. 

Old car batteries can also be scrapped at junkyards, which means you can get a few bucks for it. 

Depending on where you got the battery, you may also be entitled to a pay-out when you bring it back for a replacement.

Car Tires Recycled

Having car tires recycled can lead to so many different products. You might have even seen it without realizing as artificial turf or on your local playground.

Tires are extremely easy to recycle, too. Most auto repair places or tire shops will recycle the old tires as part of their replacement process. Many times, recycling is included in the fee.

Recycle Car Seats

If you have kids, you probably know that car seats expire. So, what do you do with them when that happens?

Most people end up throwing them away, but you have options that are better choices for you and the environment.

Trade-in programs often give you a discount on a new car seat, and the retailer will make sure the car seats are recycled responsibly.

Alternatively, you can recycle car seats yourself, but first, you need to dismantle the seat, padding, and harnesses as much as possible before the plastic is accepted for recycling.

Recycle Car Glasses

Did you know you can recycle car glasses? Automotive glass is different from a glass bottle. It is made from two layers of glass that have plastic sheeting in the middle called polyvinyl butyral, or PVB.

Previously, it was challenging to recycle windshields due to having to separate the PVB from the glass, but it has become possible with today’s technology.

Why Recycling Is a Good Idea

Wear on a part doesn’t mean the part doesn’t work or won’t work. It can mean you pay even less to keep your vehicle running for a longer time thanks to recycled parts.

Like with everything else, recycling car parts is good for the environment, too.

Environmental Benefits

Even though vehicles might reach the end of their lives, that doesn’t mean that components aren’t useful. Totaled cars can have plenty of pieces that have never been damaged as well.

When you buy parts that are from other vehicles, you’re going to save quite a bit of money, and they’ll match your vehicle once they’re painted.

Lower Cost for Recycled Car Parts

Recycled parts are different from new OEM parts or aftermarket parts. These parts are used and referred to as LKQ, or like-kind quality, parts. 

Recycled car parts come with different ratings. The best rating is an “A,” which means they are not damaged or minimally damaged.

Other ratings include “B” and “C,” which can save the buyer even more money, but they tend to have more extensive damage or wear. 

Perks Without the Pay

OEM parts are bare, meaning that those types of parts won’t come with any extra wiring or trim. If you were to purchase a door from a junkyard, it is going to have the extras.

By purchasing a piece from a salvage yard, you might end up with even more parts for a better price. You can find out what might be available by calling the vendor you’re considering buying from.

When yards buy junk cars, it can all work out by providing you with a service where you pay less for what you need.