Mention recycled auto parts and you might conjure up images of having to rummage through old hulks with your tool box looking for whatever you can find. The truth is, although the old u-pick lots still exist for those who want them, the auto recycling industry has evolved far beyond that. It has become a very sophisticated sourcing network for anyone who wants to save money on repairing their vehicle, while doing something good for the environment too.
“These days, we can literally source a part for any vehicle in an instant,” says Steve Fletcher, Managing Director of the Auto Recyclers of Canada association. “All of our members have a warehouse full of quality recycled parts, all cleaned, tested and ready to go. Their entire inventory is tagged with a stock number and tracked by computer, so whether it’s for an individual or a repair shop, all it takes is one call to any recycler and with a click of a mouse, they’ll know where the part is located.”
Using a recycled part to repair a vehicle can save a lot of money. Most recycled parts average about half the price of a new part.
So if it’s so easy to find quality recycled parts, why don’t all auto repair shops offer consumers this money-saving option?
“We find that some shops still shy away because of old beliefs about how customers might perceive recycled parts, and how that might reflect on their image. The more progressive shops understand that there has been a significant shift in public perception,” offers Fletcher. “The new reality of the modern auto recycling industry resonates with a lot of vehicle owners. They appreciate being offered a less expensive, more environmentally friendly option when they bring their vehicle in for repair and the forward-thinking shops are recognizing that. They see it as a customer service issue, so in some cases they are actually making it part of their quoting system. Where it’s appropriate, they’ll automatically show the customer the difference between a new part and a recycled part and give them the choice.”
Even if your auto repair shop doesn’t actively promote the use of recycled parts, almost all of them do offer the option whenever a customer requests it. In fact, most of the auto recyclers today do the vast majority of their business with auto body and auto repair shops, not with people fixing their own cars.
To find your parts to keep your vehicle on the road, go to www.autorecyclers.ca/2024-/parts-locator.
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