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Used Parts: A Blog About Car Wrecking And Recycling


About Me

Used Parts: A Blog About Car Wrecking And Recycling

Hi there! I'm Dave, and I have a most unusual hobby. I love visiting car wrecking yards. As part of the research for my thesis on the effects of car waste on the environment, I like to watch the process of cars being crushed and pieces being salvaged for recycling. Recently, in China, I saw a state-of-the-art plant which could even separate out the coins that people had dropped behind the back seat! Most friends and family I talk to don't realise the amount of metal and other materials that could be recycled rather than putting old cars in landfills. I have started this blog to outline all the ways that car wreckers help our planet. I hope you find the topic as fascinating as I do. Thank you for smashing in.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Dying Car

If you've wrung every last bit of performance out of your car and have turned the clock back two or even three times, then you've got to face the inevitable. You're likely to encounter more downtime than anything else if you continue to drive this vehicle, as a variety of parts will continue to fail. As you begin to look around for a replacement vehicle, you may be wondering what to do with your 'old banger', and you may be able to get some money for it after all if you dispose of it correctly. In fact, you may be surprised how valuable some of the individual components can be. So what can be salvaged from an end-of-life vehicle like this?

Body

Even though your car may be quite old, the bodywork might be in relatively good condition, and the steel can be recycled quite easily without any fear of compromise. This is good news from an environmental point of view as well, so you should make sure that the body is recycled. The same may apply to aluminium, as this is found in increasing quantities in a car or truck.

Exhaust

If your exhaust is in reasonably good condition, then the catalytic converter should be as well. This can be recycled in order to extract some of the precious materials within, such as palladium or platinum.

Tyres

Too many tyres end up on a landfill and will take a great deal of time to decompose. They could be recycled instead and used for a variety of different purposes. Don't be surprised if your tyres end up beneath somebody's carpet as a rubber underlay or may help to keep everyone safe underfoot at a playground.

Fluids

All of the oils and fluids have to be handled carefully because they are considered hazardous. Therefore, the engine and transmission oils, brake fluid, coolant and refrigerant gas have to be sent to the appropriate recycling plant for processing.

Plastic

Many of the individual parts on a modern-day car are made from plastic, as this will stand up well to wear and tear, corrosion or impact. Many of these parts can be recycled and reused quite easily.

Cashing out

If you take your vehicle to a facility specialising in end-of-life cars, you should be able to get a reasonable amount of cash to help you with your next purchase.

Contact a company that offers cash for cars to learn more about disposing of your old car.