Title: Finding a salvage car part? Post by: MahrinSkel on November 13, 2011, 11:53:31 AM I need to find a replacement passenger side mirror for a white 2008 Jetta wagon. The new ones aren't that expensive ($80-90), but they require painting to match, and the "white" isn't plain polar white. How would I go about finding a salvage part that would be the right color white? Used to be I'd just ask my uncle (a mechanic) and he'd find it through his contacts, but that's not an option.
--Dave Title: Re: Finding a salvage car part? Post by: IainC on November 13, 2011, 12:18:32 PM I need to find a replacement passenger side mirror for a white 2008 Jetta wagon. The new ones aren't that expensive ($80-90), but they require painting to match, and the "white" isn't plain polar white. How would I go about finding a salvage part that would be the right color white? Used to be I'd just ask my uncle (a mechanic) and he'd find it through his contacts, but that's not an option. Go to a breakers' yard ask if they have any white Jettas in. Take whatever tools you'll need to remove it with you.--Dave Title: Re: Finding a salvage car part? Post by: Abagadro on November 13, 2011, 01:27:11 PM A lot of salvage yards are posting their inventory on the net these days so you can see if they have the vehicle you need before crawling all over the yard. Google the ones in your area. Also look to see if other VW (or Audi) models share the same part.
Title: Re: Finding a salvage car part? Post by: Selby on November 13, 2011, 02:43:42 PM Modern US salvage yards have a computer system that can tell you the interchange (Hollander) and other yards have computer databases of what's in their inventory. Find a salvage yard that is near you and give them a call to see what they have or if they can point you to where one is. Also an option is to go to a body shop as some of them have access to the same thing and have contacts in the yards that can provide them parts.
Title: Re: Finding a salvage car part? Post by: sinij on November 13, 2011, 06:25:48 PM First, ask nicely your dealer what years and models had that mirror. Then call your local junk yards and ask if they have any on the lots. If they do,bring your tools and remove it, make sure you know how to do it and what tools you need before you start. If nothing available locally - ebay, it will cost about as much as getting non-local junk yard remove and ship the part to you.
Title: Re: Finding a salvage car part? Post by: angry.bob on November 13, 2011, 06:36:13 PM A lot of salvage yards are posting their inventory on the net these days so you can see if they have the vehicle you need before crawling all over the yard. Google the ones in your area. Also look to see if other VW (or Audi) models share the same part. This. The software they use will even show all compatable parts from other makes/models, the color, the condition, etc. THe one thing to keep in mid is that the mirror probably isn't going to be as cheap as you think it will be. It will probably be just as cheap/cheaper to buy both sides in aftermarket black and replace them both or buy a new aftermarket one and have it painted. Title: Re: Finding a salvage car part? Post by: Nerf on November 14, 2011, 12:35:56 AM This is not a troll.
Car-parts.com If that doesn't turn anything up, it's back to the old standby of googlemaps/yellow pages+salvage yards+phone, but a *lot* of yards are on there. Title: Re: Finding a salvage car part? Post by: rattran on November 14, 2011, 05:38:30 AM Is your uncle the pedestrian you swiped with the mirror? And yeah, angry.bob has it right. When I needed a new mirror on my ranger, junkyards had plenty, but wanted more for any in decent shape than replacing both with plain black aftermarket. I cheaped out, and just had one black mirror.
Title: Re: Finding a salvage car part? Post by: MahrinSkel on November 14, 2011, 08:54:38 PM I'll see what I can do. Unless I replace *both* mirrors, I need the colors to match, and it's starting to look like a primed mirror assembly and $20-25 for a can of the right color paint are my best bet. I found a few salvage yards with 2005-2010 white Jetta mirrors, and they all want at least $150 (which is nearly as much as replacing both with black).
No side-swiped pedestrians, I just came out from eating to a shattered mirror, apparently got hit by someone in the parking lot. It's the wife's car, so I'm in trouble. --Dave Title: Re: Finding a salvage car part? Post by: sinij on November 14, 2011, 09:06:02 PM 150$ for used mirror is excessive, you need to go and remove it yourself instead of asking for a cost of parts. If scrap yard has to actually do anything price will easily double if not more.
Title: Re: Finding a salvage car part? Post by: NiX on November 21, 2011, 07:42:50 AM 150$ for used mirror is excessive, you need to go and remove it yourself instead of asking for a cost of parts. If scrap yard has to actually do anything price will easily double if not more. Depends on the yard. My brother's yard bases everything off of their database and nothing more. Of course they don't sell a single side mirror over 60, so sounds like a shitty yard in general. |