As the cost of vehicle repairs seems to skyrocket, the salvage yards in Texas have a way to soften the blow. Quality used auto parts are available at these auto recyclers for just about every make and model on the road today, and the prices are reasonable. Anyone who has ever bought a new auto part at a dealership knows just how ridiculous those prices can be but thankfully, there is relief to be had.

Though used auto parts weren’t always such a great bargain in the long run, that has changed and the auto recyclers themselves are responsible for the change. Junk yards were considered as a last resort only because that’s usually what they had – junk. Today, the auto recycling business is a multi-billion dollar a year industry. These are serious business with quality parts to sell. The Automotive Recyclers Association is the trade association for these businesses and to be a member they must meet certain quality and environmental parameters.

Using salvage parts for auto repairs is a concept that most need to familiarize themselves with. Choosing this option for vehicle repairs is not only a way to save money, it also benefits the environment. The auto recyclers in the state of Texas and around the country have invested over $50 million dollars in equipment, training and computers to comply with stricter environmental laws. Industry statistics show that since 1997, enough steel has been recovered from recycled automobiles to build 13 million new ones. This has the effect of preserving precious metal reserves as well as the energy required to produce new steel. Recycling the usable parts from salvaged vehicles has this effect as well.

Today, most cars that find their way to an auto recycling facility are late model vehicles that have sustained damage in some type of collision, though a small amount are there as a result of mechanical failures also. The vehicles that have been involved in an accident have received damage to the point that insurance company has determined that the cost to repair the vehicle is more than the value of the car. Once the owner has been paid for the loss, the insurance company takes possession of the vehicle and in turn sells it at a salvage auction to recover at least some of its loss. Once the vehicle has been move to a recycling facility several things happen almost at once. The first thing to occur is the recovery and disposal of the hazardous materials contained within the vehicle. Once these have been removed, the vehicle is then assessed for all the usable parts still on the vehicle. These are then inventoried in a direct access computer system. When a mechanic or consumer needs a certain part, it is as easy to find as the click of a mouse. Once the needed part has been located, a visit can be made to the auto recycler showing the part. If the part happens to be located a longer distance away, most auto recyclers are happy to ship the part wherever it may need to go.

The savings involved in buy a quality OEM part over a new can be as much as 75%. This savings can sometimes be enough to cut the costs of the repairs in half. Now that is a bargain that everyone needs.