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There are basically two kinds of salvage yards out there these days; they consist of “you get it yourself” and the “we’ll get it for you.” The major difference is cost. For example, a fog light at a pic-n-pull type salvage yard was priced at $75. The one I pulled myself was $15. Driver’s seat at a regular salvage yard: $100. Tear-a-part, pick-a-part: $25. One place was charging only $15 for bucket seats of any style. They had none that would fit properly and I wasn’t in the mood to fabricate adapters.

Most of the pic-n-pull type salvage yards, at least in my area, are very nice. The ground is covered with gravel (little to no dirt or mud) and the cars are secured high off the ground with welded steel wheel supports. In an odd,  romantic way, I found wrenching off parts alone under a car on a warm, sunny day, in a vast and quiet field of peacefully sleeping machines, quite enjoyable.

Luckily there was a Pick-A-Part about a half hour away with a ‘96 900S that hadn’t been there very long. Most everything was still on it. The Holy Grail of parts cars. I ended up removing a lot of stuff from that car and learned a great deal about how they were attached or installed, which made it easier to replace those parts on my car without causing undue damage.

Examples: Rear muffler and flex pipe: $10 for both.  Leather wrapped steering wheel with matching airbag: $20 for both. Stanchion arms and sway bar: $25 for all. All four practically rust free brake calipers: $40. Filter airbox: $15. Aluminum valve cover: $5. Distributor: $10. Passenger side motor mount: $5. Boge/Sachs shock absorber: $5. Passenger mirror: $15. Grill: $15: Driver’s seat: $25. All the little special clips, connectors, screws and other things you can’t buy new anymore even from the dealer, and if you could would cost 20 times what they’re actually worth, priceless.

The most expensive single purchase of a used part for the car was the center caps for the wheels: EBay at about $43 with shipping. It was more than all 4 calipers cost. Supply and demand.

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