Buyer Beware: Look for These 5 Things When Buying a Used Engine

January 8, 2021
Parts

Buyer Beware: Look for These 5 Things When Buying a Used Engine

It’s a bad day when you discover your vehicle needs a new engine.

You must decide if your car is worth fixing. Sometimes it is. Other times it makes more sense to take the money you’d spend on a new engine and invest it in a replacement vehicle instead.

Only you can decide which option is best for you.

If you do decide to fix it, you don’t have to pay full retail price for a new engine. You can save a bundle of money by buying a used one. That’s because used car parts cost much less than new ones. Buying a used engine can help get you back on the road without spending as much in car repairs.

But, if you buy a used engine from a shoddy salvage yard, or purchase a random one from Craigslist, you may end up in a worse situation than before.

If the used engine you buy doesn’t work, you’ll be out the money you spent, and your vehicle still won’t work. Then you’ll have to start the process over, while trying to deal with getting your money back for the junk engine you purchased.

So if you’re going to buy a used engine, make sure it’s a good one.

Here are five specific things you want to know before purchasing. These will help reduce your risk when buying a used engine. 

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Should You Sell The Parts Off Your Junk Car?

January 8, 2021
Parts, Selling your cars

Should You Sell The Parts Off Your Junk Car?

Are you thinking of parting out a junked car?

It can be tempting to do so! You might see dollar signs flashing before your eyes as you think about how much money the engine, transmission, and all those other parts could bring in.

But, deciding to part out your vehicle shouldn’t be a decision made hastily. It’s a huge undertaking, so make sure you understand what you’re getting into.

To help you decide if parting out your car makes sense for you, here are eight questions to ask yourself.  

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10 Easy Ways to Repurpose Old Tires and Wheels

January 8, 2021
Creative Ideas, Parts

10 Easy Ways to Repurpose Old Tires and Wheels

Tires wear out. And when they do, you have to replace them.

What do you do with your old tires and wheels? Well, you could recycle them. But, you can also upcycle them!

Here are ten easy ways to repurpose tires around your house and yard.

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4 Common Customers You’ll Find at Tear-A-Part

January 8, 2021
Creative Ideas, Do it yourself, Parts

4 Common Customers You’ll Find at Tear-A-Part

Who actually buys auto parts from a salvage yard?

Turns out, lots of people!

After all, used auto parts cost just a fraction of brand new ones. Especially if you’re willing to get your hands dirty by pulling the part yourself.

At Tear-A-Part, our client base is large and diverse. To give you a better idea, here are four types of customers we frequently work with.

(Psst… They’re all in the market for used parts. And saving money. Because everyone’s in the market for that, right?)

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How to Know If You’re Pulling the Right Part

January 8, 2021
Do it yourself, Parts, Understanding your vehicle

How to Know If You’re Pulling the Right Part

We know, your car has lots of parts.

And many of them look alike. Or some assemblies have multiple pieces and you only need to fix a single piece.

It’s easy to get mixed up – especially if you’re new to pulling parts. Or when you’re in a salvage yard working on a car that isn’t yours.

The last thing you want to do is get home and realize that the part you pulled won’t fit. Or that you pulled the wrong one.

The good news is that if you pulled the part from Tear-A-Part, you can take advantage of our 30-day exchange policy – easily returning the unwanted piece. But you’d still have to make another trip, blowing another part of your day.

And you’ll have to spend more time in the lot pulling the right part when what you really want to be doing is just fixing your car. It can be a time waster for sure.

To avoid this situation, follow these four tips to ensure you pull just the part you need – every time.

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5 Car Repairs You Can Easily Do Yourself

January 8, 2021
Do it yourself, Parts

5 Car Repairs You Can Easily Do Yourself

Car repairs can be expensive – especially if you’re hiring a mechanic to do the work for you.

Besides shelling out money for parts, you’ll also be paying a premium for labor. Each hour that the official books say the repair should take will be added to your invoice. And that adds up quickly!

But, there are several car repairs you don’t need a mechanic to do. These repairs are straightforward and don’t require a ton of specialized tools.

So roll up your sleeves and prepare to get your hands a little dirty with these five basic car repairs. Your wallet will thank you!

1. Change Your Air Filter

An air filter ensures that debris and dirt don’t make their way into your car’s engine. It’s important to change it out regularly.

How? Pop your hood and look for the large plastic housing unit. It’s often along one of the sides. Once you’ve found it, you’ll want to examine it to see how it’s connected.

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Going Parts Picking? Bring These Tools Along!

January 8, 2021
Do it yourself, Parts

Going Parts Picking? Bring These Tools Along!

Close your eyes and picture a mechanic’s garage.

Now hone in on the tools.

Are you seeing them? Lots and lots and lots of tools.

How do they know which to use?

Well, they’re professionals and have likely received education, training and certifications that you have not.

For example, you already know you’re saving a ton of money buying your car part from Tear-A-Part. But, you might be a little unsure what tools you need to bring.

After all, there are tons of tools on the market for taking parts off cars… And for putting them back on again.

Are you supposed to bring your entire tool collection on-site, just in case? Won’t all those tools get heavy to lug around?

Don’t worry. There are several strategies to find out what tools you should bring.

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7 Ways to Stay Safe in the Salvage Yard

January 8, 2021
Do it yourself, Parts

7 Ways to Stay Safe in the Salvage Yard

Buying auto parts at a salvage yard is a great way to save money and help reduce pollution.

But buying used auto parts isn’t as simple as walking into an air-conditioned store and pulling what you need off an organized shelf. I.e. At the salvage yard, you’ll be using your tools to remove your new (to you) parts from a car out on the yard.

You’ll be getting your hands dirty. You’ll be exposed to the elements.

That means you’ll also need to be careful, and follow all of the safety rules. To help you accomplish that, here are seven ways to stay safe the next time you’re pulling your own parts.

1. Choose Your Clothes Carefully

You might not win any fashion awards with your part-pulling attire, but choosing the correct clothes and shoes will help keep you safe.

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What If Tear-A-Part Doesn’t Have My Part?

January 8, 2021
Parts

What If Tear-A-Part Doesn’t Have My Part?

Tear-A-Part’s inventory is massive.

We literally have acres of vehicles for you to access. Even so, occasionally you’ll need a part from a make and model that’s not onsite.

It doesn’t happen a lot, but we have you covered regardless! We are dedicated to helping you save money and quickly find what you need.

Here are three different ways we can work with you to help you track down the exact part you’re looking for when it’s not housed on our lot.

1. The Interchange System

Did you know that many auto parts are actually compatible with several makes, models and manufacturing years?

It’s because each auto manufacturer makes a variety of vehicles. And in order to keep their production costs low, they use the same parts across their line whenever possible.

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