Used parts & where they come from
A used part is just that: a part that has been on an operating vehicle before. The primary source of used parts are cars obtained from insurance companies which take in autos assessed as totally demolished (totalled) in accidents and not worth the investment in repairing them. About 80% of our vehicles are purchased from insurance companies. The remainder are acquired from private owners or from public agencies which pick up abandoned & donated vehicles.
The important thing for a buyer to remember is that no matter what the overall condition of the car, there are still good usable components on it. An insurance company may rate a car totalled when the doors, windshield, engine, transmission and other parts still have long service remaining in them.
Dollar Savings
Supply and demand are the key elements of the pricing policies of the industry. You can expect to save between 30% and 70% of a comparable new part and often with a longer warranty than furnished by a new or rebuilt parts dealer.
Buying a used engine
(an example) The key component of any auto is the engine. It is possible to buy new engine serviceability without paying the price of a new unit. Taxicab and truck fleet owners regularly install used engines knowing they will get thousands of miles of service from them at a fraction of a new motor's cost.
A used engine is sold complete with heads, manifolds, water and fuel pumps, distributor, wires and coil, usually just as it was assembled at the factory. Since all components are already attached to the engine, it can be easily installed with less labor cost and less time out of service.
