Breaking yard etiquette. Discussion debate personal views please

[HotWheelsBurban]

Actually new love going to the wrecking yards. My buddy Joe found a few great yards that are self service. And it's weird when I see the wrecking yards they don't look like the classic yards that I always remember from media. Cars stacked on top of each other is like the image I get. But driving past them they look like parking lots unless you look really closely and see hoods up

My dad, back before he got where he couldn't get around well, thought it was cool to go hit all 3 pick a part yards in Houston, on one day. Not so much fun in weather like this time of year, but it was fun in the spring and fall, especially if we found lots of goodies. One yard had a "classic car" section for about a month, and I pulled a mint tilt column from a '65 Buick Riviera. Rare part in this area! It's going in my old truck.

 

[Tommy1234]

I remember reading that magazine in elementary school, back in the early 70s. Kinda surprised it's still around, but kids still need instruction....

Yes everyone's childhood memory.
I really like reading highlights.
I also remember leafing through in waiting rooms.
Highlights magazine and boy's life are the 1st 2 pieces of official mail I got with my name on it.
The excitement of young me when I got that mail (yeah I was dorky kid and still a dork)
Another bit of excitement is when my parents get catalogs and I leaf through it with them and got something for myself. My parents ordered this stuff of course but still the excitement of the wait

 

[Tommy1234]

I am a Goofus with the way I put up my tools

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

I am a Goofus with the way I put up my tools

Me too sometimes, depends on how much of a hurry I'm in.

 

[454cid]

Cars stacked on top of each other is like the image I get.

I think that's more like a scrap yard.

 

[RedneckWithPaychecks]

Man I remember Highlights magazine! We moved a little too much for magazine subscriptions, but every doctor visit Id leaf through them.

My junkyard tactic is: keep it nice for the next guy. That being said, I have had to go full ape on parts. I try not to, but in my younger years I’d go insane over parts. Still banned at a specific junkyard in West Indiana for being a little too possessive of some Caprice Classic rims with brand new winter tires. Just being an overall jackass, no wonder I’m not allowed there anymore.

 

[ralmo94]

I am a Goofus with the way I put up my tools

I have been really bad about that most of my life. About the past year or so I have tried really hard to ask soon as I'm done on a bolt, put the socket back wear it goes, and I say to myself, if you always put in it where it goes, you'll always know where it's at. It's very easy to not do a couple times though, then I spend a half hour looking for a wrench or socket then end up using something else and find it later, usually when I set down what I used instead. Lol

 

[ralmo94]

Usually when I go into a yard, I try to think about the next guy as if I was him. Try not to damage parts, let parts get to different vehicles, ect. That said, I have had my moments, my brother and I went around pulling OHC camshafts out of about 5 cars and didn't buy anything. All engines had already been tore into though.

 

[Schurkey]

There is, officially, no such thing as a "self-service" Treasure Yard around here. The big yards have actual staff that are supposed to retrieve the parts you ask for, and then the customer pays for the part...and the labor to remove it. I have watched his employees carve-up three parts in order to sell one. You want a rear axle, for example--they'll Oxy-Acetylene the shocks, brake hose, park brake cables, and control arms or leaf springs to get it away from the body.

IF the owner decides to take a shine to a potential customer, he'll let the favored customers "free range" with tool boxes and such for self-service. Bring the stuff back to the office for "checkout" and pricing. I love walking the yard, discovering good/rare parts. Still expensive, though.

So now I mostly deal with a one-man operation. The selection is limited; but the prices are dirt-cheap if he does have something I want; and he lets me remove the parts myself. One downside is having to check myself for ticks when I get home.

 

[454cid]

There is, officially, no such thing as a "self-service" Treasure Yard around here. The big yards have actual staff that are supposed to retrieve the parts you ask for, and then the customer pays for the part...and the labor to remove it. I have watched his employees carve-up three parts in order to sell one. You want a rear axle, for example--they'll Oxy-Acetylene the shocks, brake hose, park brake cables, and control arms or leaf springs to get it away from the body.

That's sorta like when I see salvage parts online..... lots of stuff cut. I remember my uncle telling me about the day he bought some seat belts for his 67-72 Chevy..... the yard flipped the truck (cab?) and torched the bolts from the bottom side. This was back in the 90's or maybe late 80's, so the trucks weren't worth as much, but here in MI still not supper common because, rust belt.

IF the owner decides to take a shine to a potential customer, he'll let the favored customers "free range" with tool boxes and such for self-service. Bring the stuff back to the office for "checkout" and pricing. I love walking the yard, discovering good/rare parts. Still expensive, though.

So now I mostly deal with a one-man operation. The selection is limited; but the prices are dirt-cheap if he does have something I want; and he lets me remove the parts myself. One downside is having to check myself for ticks when I get home.

My local most visisble yard is a You-pull-it, but expensive. There's another less visible yard that I haven't been to in years, I could try. Then there is another yard, that might be more of a scrap yard that I've never investigated. I should probably visit and see what I can see.