his is not a reference to the British slang term for a sausage; here, we are considering the fate of an unusable motor vehicle. Some new vehicles become unusable by being damaged beyond repair and their remains get consigned to a scrap yard.
Others cease to be drivable due to fair wear and tear over a number of years. In the past, these cars would be sold off as “old bangers” due to their propensity to loudly backfire when anyone tried to drive them. These bangers were so cheap that kids could buy them with their allowance money and gain mechanical knowledge while learning how to fix them up and turn them into customized “hot rods”. Automobile safety legislation and changes in teenage fashion have somewhat put a stop to that “hobby” (although the concept survives in the more expensive pastime of restoring “collectable” automobiles – although, even when scrapped, these are not necessarily cheap anymore).
So What To Do With Your Automobile When It Is No Longer Drivable?
There is quite a lot of metal in a scrap automobile and dealers will pay you a per pound price for that metal but, will they come to you and tow the vehicle back to their junkyard? They may well offer this service but with a big string attached – in lieu of charging you the towing fee, they will not pay you anything for the scrap. Depending on your individual circumstances and what the scrap vehicle is; this could even be seen as a worthwhile deal. However, any no longer useful vehicle can have more value than just the weight of its metal. All the separate parts that make up the vehicle are, to some extent, capable of being salvaged and turned into spare parts for other vehicles of similar make and model. The fenders off an automobile with a dead engine may be just what somebody who has had a recent “fender bender” may be looking for. Additionally, when it comes to the more engineered parts like water pumps, starter motors, alternators, etc; many of these can be reliably refurbished and fitted into other vehicles requiring such a part.
You may think that you have a valueless Chicago Junk Car but to dealers like Aero Auto Parts over on Wentworth Ave it could be a source of re-sellable spare parts to an extent that they will not only collect it from you but they may even pay you something for it. The car is no longer an embarrassment on your driveway and you could have a few more dollars in your pocket – give it a try.
