Once a car gets old and unwanted, selling it off to a salvage yard might be your best bet. Not only will you earn extra cash for scrapping it but you will also be saving the environment. However, there are many out there who don’t really understand how salvage yards function. Every salvage yard categorizes the cars that are brought in, based on the usable parts that these cars have. These categories help the experts their function better and give them a clearer idea of how to deal with each car, and what parts need to be salvaged.
Here are the most common categories that salvage yards often classify cars under:
Category A
Vehicles placed in this category have almost no salvageable parts. Most of these vehicles often getting scrapped instantly, sold as scrap metal, or simply destroyed in worst cases. Cars under category A are assumed to be totaled and damaged to the point where they’re really not worth anything anymore.
Category B
Under this category, the vehicles are damaged to a point where they can’t be driven but there are still some of those parts which can be salvaged. Generally, auto parts from category B cars are less expensive compared to parts from category C or D vehicles.
Category C
All the vehicles that are damaged but somewhat drivable, and have spare parts that can be salvaged, will fall under Category C. These vehicles are often in a reparable stage but the amount that is spent in repairing them is just not worth it, and hence they often end up in salvage yards. Incidentally, most of the salvage yards in Brisbane and other parts of Australia have cars that fall under this category. The car parts under this category are not as cheap as the ones from category B but are still fairly affordable.
Category D
Lightly damaged vehicles with salvageable spare parts fall under this category. Vehicles that are often considered as ‘insurance write-offs’ will fall under this category, and this is one of the second common categories under which most cars in Australia fall. Under this category, the spare parts that have been salvaged are a tad bit costlier than the ones from other categories, but they are in a better condition too.
Category X
This is one of the most desirable categories in the salvage yard. Cars which have little to no visible damage and are still drivable will be a part of this category. Most cars, which have been repossessed, or the ones which were stolen but never claimed, often end up in this category. Category X vehicles are very rare to find, and it would equal to finding a diamond in the rough.
If you are looking for spare parts or used auto parts for your car, then be sure to ask about these categories at the salvage yard. Based on the category of car that the parts are salvaged from, you can determine how much they will be worth as well.
