Breaking yard etiquette. Discussion debate personal views please

[Erin]

Whenever vehicles depreciate enough, the crackheads own them, because everybody needs transportation. Not too long ago you could score a GMT400 for a couple hundo. That attracts the kinds of people who just need a vehicle they can burn down for the next few months. I'm pretty sure WCJr was methed up. When I cleaned it out I found plenty of empty swisher sweets packages and a few unused (thank God!) condoms.

Yep. I saw one today that had a dually bed that clearly wasn't a dually truck.

 

[Boots97]

Whenever vehicles depreciate enough, the crackheads own them, because everybody needs transportation. Not too long ago you could score a GMT400 for a couple hundo. That attracts the kinds of people who just need a vehicle they can burn down for the next few months. I'm pretty sure WCJr was methed up. When I cleaned it out I found plenty of empty swisher sweets packages and a few unused (thank God!) condoms.

Yeah that's unfortunately what happens. I'm glad that you were able to rescue WCJr before it was too late. Looks like you caught everything in time. Thank god those condoms were unused.

 

[Boots97]

Yep. I saw one today that had a dually bed that clearly wasn't a dually truck.

Haven't seen anything like that yet, but I wouldn't doubt that it happens.

 

[Schurkey]

Yep. I saw one today that had a dually bed that clearly wasn't a dually truck.

Around here, they pull off the outside wheels for reasons I don't understand. Maybe to reduce wear on them when unloaded. Or something. Looks goofy until they put the outer wheels back on.

 

[Komet]

These trucks were known for their dependability, and now that they're coming up on 30+ years old, they were simply used to death. We're now past the lowest point in the depreciation cycle (typically this hits around 18-23 years past new) and prices are starting to rise as parts go out of stock and clean low miles trucks start becoming rare enough to sell for MSRP+ again.

I'm just glad at this point in time I don't have to check inventory for GMT400s in the yard, I just show up with my toolbox and there's 10+ to choose from. Someday this will not be the case, and things will be harder. I've heard I actually live in the GMT400 honey hole so perhaps it's already like that for you guys. I missed out on the time when 3rd gen Camaros / Firebirds littered the yards, now it's a rarity to find even one and they're picked over immediately. If these trucks trend like those cars, we've got a decade of junkin left.

 

[Tommy1234]

Whenever vehicles depreciate enough, the crackheads own them, because everybody needs transportation. Not too long ago you could score a GMT400 for a couple hundo. That attracts the kinds of people who just need a vehicle they can burn down for the next few months. I'm pretty sure WCJr was methed up. When I cleaned it out I found plenty of empty swisher sweets packages and a few unused (thank God!) condoms.

Definitely thank God
Always the case
The stop before the wrecking yard is usually the low rent gravel lots. (Seen a few of these lots on Western Ave and also on Cicero ave) sometimes private sellers.

 

[pressureangle]

These trucks were known for their dependability, and now that they're coming up on 30+ years old, they were simply used to death. We're now past the lowest point in the depreciation cycle (typically this hits around 18-23 years past new) and prices are starting to rise as parts go out of stock and clean low miles trucks start becoming rare enough to sell for MSRP+ again.

I'm just glad at this point in time I don't have to check inventory for GMT400s in the yard, I just show up with my toolbox and there's 10+ to choose from. Someday this will not be the case, and things will be harder. I've heard I actually live in the GMT400 honey hole so perhaps it's already like that for you guys. I missed out on the time when 3rd gen Camaros / Firebirds littered the yards, now it's a rarity to find even one and they're picked over immediately. If these trucks trend like those cars, we've got a decade of junkin left.

Here in South Florida, the '95+ trucks don't last a day. '94 down you have a prayer but either way, they get stripped very quickly and don't come in more than maybe 1-2 a month. Lots of 'parts trucks' on FB marketplace tho, so they don't even make it to the yards.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Here in South Florida, the '95+ trucks don't last a day. '94 down you have a prayer but either way, they get stripped very quickly and don't come in more than maybe 1-2 a month. Lots of 'parts trucks' on FB marketplace tho, so they don't even make it to the yards.

Most of the 400s down in the Houston yards last a couple of months on the lot. Most of the desirable stuff is gone in the first week to 10 days though. When we get into nicer weather, where you're not in danger of heat stroke just walking across the yard with your tool bucket, there'll be lots more people out there, on all the vehicles.

 

[Boots97]

We're now past the lowest point in the depreciation cycle (typically this hits around 18-23 years past new) and prices are starting to rise as parts go out of stock and clean low miles trucks start becoming rare enough to sell for MSRP+ again.

I missed out on the time when 3rd gen Camaros / Firebirds littered the yards, now it's a rarity to find even one and they're picked over immediately. If these trucks trend like those cars, we've got a decade of junkin left.

Agree on the depreciation cycle. The best time to buy these was from the late 2000s (cash for clunkers unfortunately) and up to the mid 2010s when these vehicles were seen as yesterday's news.

That being said, these trucks haven't seen MSRP value in my area. My truck's MSRP was $20,826.05 and was invoiced for $18,223.30. Adjusted for inflation from 1997 to 2023, that's $39,540.13 and $34.642.30 respectively. I've seen mint condition trucks in my area sell for 10k. A few I've seen a few 3/4 and 1 tons sell for $20k, but these trucks never move. What I really hate, and I mentioned this in my Introduction post to @HotWheelsBurban is that I'd gladly pay $7-10k for a nice clean like new GMT400 truck/suv, I HATE that people are trying to sell their JUNK for WAAYY more than it would ever be worth. You see it all the time on FB marketplace, craigslist, offerup, gunbroker (for gun stuff) etc...

No, I'm not paying you $5K for a GMT400 pickup like mine with 200K miles, rust on all the body panels of the truck, a 6 inch Rough country lift, "33" inch tires (just say the tire size, I'm so sick of that slang term), aftermarket tow mirrors, K&N filter that's never serviced, those god awful aftermarket headlights and taillights that all yee yee boys have, aftermarket radio, and torn seat cushions that are covered by camo seat covers. A lot of times the owners don't even bother to clean the truck before selling it. Dude, at least TRY to make your truck sellable, just because there's a SMALL COLLECTORS market, doesn't mean YOURS is valuable. Honestly, I don't even think mine's that valuable either (rust, no interior lights, cracked dash, floppy headliner held in by thumb tacks etc...)

In terms of parts, there's plenty of them online, the problem is, it's a real mixed bag of quality. Dorman is trash as far as I'm concerned, TRQ (1A Auto) is the minimum I'll go for, MasterPro (O'Reillys) and Duralast (Autozone) are good and am currently using Masterpro steering everything on my truck rn with no problems. AC Delco/GM Genuine parts are getting more and more scarce. I read an article about this and it's simply bc car companies are only legally obligated to make parts for vehicles up until their factory warranties expire. So in theory, if 1999 was the last year to get a 1/2 ton, and the factory warranty was 3 years, GM could've discontinued all parts in 2002. They could've discontinued parts in 2005 for 3/4 and 1 tons bc 2002 was the last year for the C3500. The only reason they were made that long was bc GM had contracts with companies that still wanted these trucks and needed to fulfill those contracts before seizing production.

As far as 3rd gen Camaros/Firebirds, maybe I'm too young to make a comment on this (I'm 22), but I NEVER see sports cars of ANY make or model in my local yard. You'll find plenty of GMT400s or GMT800s, Ford F150s of all generations (87-14 in my experience) and Dodge Rams (94-08 in my experience) and other Full size SUVs from those platforms. S10s, Dakotas, and Rangers are also common, but less so. Sedans are usually mid size 4 door sedans and they've typically seen a terrible wreck before coming to the yard.

EDIT: I say mid 2010s bc around 2014ish everything retro got super hot. It peaked around 2016/17 when everyone wanted old stuff. You especially saw it in the gun market. Brownells started selling reproduction M16A1 parts bc demand was getting so high. M16A1 parts kits were selling like hotcakes and everyone wanted wood furniture on their AK again. It's died down since about 2019, but there's still a niche for it if it's for you.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Agree on the depreciation cycle. The best time to buy these was from the late 2000s (cash for clunkers unfortunately) and up to the mid 2010s when these vehicles were seen as yesterday's news.

That being said, these trucks haven't seen MSRP value in my area. My truck's MSRP was $20,826.05 and was invoiced for $18,223.30. Adjusted for inflation from 1997 to 2023, that's $39,540.13 and $34.642.30 respectively. I've seen mint condition trucks in my area sell for 10k. A few I've seen a few 3/4 and 1 tons sell for 20k, but these trucks never move. What I really hate, and I mentioned this in my Introduction post to @HotWheelsBurban is that I'd gladly pay $7-10k for a nice clean like new GMT400 truck/suv, I HATE that people are trying to sell their JUNK for WAAYY more than it would ever be worth. You see it all the time on FB marketplace, craigslist, offerup, gunbroker (for gun stuff) etc...

No, I'm not paying you $5K for a GMT400 pickup like mine with 200K miles, rust on all the body panels of the truck, a 6 inch Rough country lift, "33" inch tires (just say the tire size, I'm so sick of that slang term), aftermarket tow mirrors, K&N filter that's never serviced, those god awful aftermarket headlights and taillights that all yee yee boys have, aftermarket radio, and torn seat cushions that are covered by camo seat covers. A lot of times the owners don't even bother to clean the truck before selling it. Dude, at least TRY to make your truck sellable, just because there's a SMALL COLLECTORS market, doesn't mean YOURS is valuable. Honestly, I don't even think mine's that valuable either (rust, no interior lights, cracked dash, floppy headliner held in by thumb tacks etc...)

In terms of parts, there's plenty of them online, the problem is, it's a real mixed bag of quality. Dorman is trash as far as I'm concerned, TRQ (1A Auto) is the minimum I'll go for, MasterPro (O'Reillys) and Duralast (Autozone) are good and am currently using Masterpro steering everything on my truck rn with no problems. AC Delco/GM Genuine parts are getting more and more scarce. I read an article about this and it's simply bc car companies are only legally obligated to make parts for vehicles up until their factory warranties expire. So in theory, if 1999 was the last year to get a 1/2 ton, and the factory warranty was 3 years, GM could've discontinued all parts in 2002. They could've discontinued parts in 2005 for 3/4 and 1 tons bc 2002 was the last year for the C3500. The only reason they were made that long was bc GM had contracts with companies that still wanted these trucks and needed to fulfill those contracts before seizing production.

As far as 3rd gen Camaros/Firebirds, maybe I'm too young to make a comment on this (I'm 22), but I NEVER see sports cars of ANY make or model in my local yard. You'll find plenty of GMT400s or GMT800s, Ford F150s of all generations (87-14 in my experience) and Dodge Rams (94-08 in my experience) and other Full size SUVs from those platforms. S10s, Dakotas, and Rangers are also common, but less so. Sedans are usually mid size 4 door sedans and they've typically seen a terrible wreck before coming to the yard.

Every once in a while, my local yards get a Camaro, Firebird or Vette in. But like the trucks, they usually get picked clean quickly.