For those UK readers not familiar with the concept, the self-serve junkyard is reasonably common in North America. I understand from English friends that such facilities have all but died out on their side of the Atlantic. The yards are all self service, meaning that you need to bring your own tools and remove whatever parts you want yourself. That can be both a challenge and a blessing, as removing parts outdoors in the middle of a Canadian winter isn’t fun, but I can also pick whatever parts I want and if they are delicate, I remove them carefully and take the time to unplug wires on electrical parts, whereas salvage operations that sell pre-removed parts often cut the wiring. Sometimes, the small trim clips and fasteners are what I want, and I won't get them any other way than by taking the car apart oneself.
I'm fortunate that my city has three of these yards and each hold between 1000-1500 vehicles,there is a large selection to choose from. Prices are set, so the charge will be the same no matter what the make or model that the parts originate from. Want an engine? It’s the same price no matter if it comes from a V12 Jaguar, Range Rover or a 3-cylinder Suzuki. It’s the same with every other component, the price is for the type of part, not what vehicle it comes from. In the case of the yards near me, the price for a complete fuel injected gasoline engine with all accessories is $270 (about £160). In the main, it’s a great arrangement to be able to buy Jaguar parts this way, as many salvage yards value their parts as a percentage of the new prices. That can make some parts very expensive, even when used. The downside is there are relatively few Jaguars at any one time so there frequently won’t be a car of the particular year or type that I may need. I have been going to these types of junkyards for about 25 years and there is a steady trickle of Jaguars through them, but not large numbers; perhaps a half dozen a year.
