A good way to find affordable but very useable car parts for when you need repairs on your car is to work with an auto wrecker. This is a salvage yard that gets junk cars and then resells the parts that are still workable. Because the parts are used, they're very affordable and they may still have years of life left on them. Before you start calling auto wreckers for the car parts you need, note a few tips for working with them successfully.

1. Note if you need to pull the parts yourself

Some salvage yards will bring in cars, strip them of all their useable and sellable parts, and then have the metal body of the car recycled or sold as scrap. They may even wash down those used parts and check how well they work, making minor repairs if needed.

Not all salvage yards and wreckers work this way, however. Some may bring in old cars and catalog them, but not remove the parts. This means you would need to bring in your own tools to pull the part from the car and then inspect it yourself. Doing this can be the cheapest way to get the parts you need, but it also means extra work for yourself. If you see a wrecker that says 'Bring your own tools', be prepared to remove parts from the car on your own.

2. Be ready to negotiate

Most auto wreckers will have set prices for certain parts, depending on their age and wear and tear. However, this doesn't mean you can't negotiate for a better price and especially with wreckers where you need to pick apart the car yourself. Wreckers that expect customers to remove parts may be more willing to negotiate a price in order to help the car get stripped so they can eventually get money for the outer body or shell. They may also take into account the work you need to do to pick apart the car yourself, as well as clean and even make minor repairs to the part before it can be used.

When working with an auto wrecker of any sort, like Toyota wreckers, be prepared to negotiate. Ask for a price over the phone but once you arrive in person, make them a counteroffer. You may be surprised at the money you save, and even if it's just a few dollars, it can be worth it to at least ask if that's the best price they can offer.

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