How Companies Renovate and Recycle Key Automotive Parts

Vehicle manufacturers are required to ensure that any new cars produced today can be (largely) recycled. This has created an entire industry, as millions of vehicles reach the end of their useful life and are repurposed each year. While some parts cannot be saved as-is and will find their way into an entirely different pool, manufacturers recover other parts that can be renovated and reused again. So, how does this process work?

Recycling Process

When a vehicle gets to the end of its life, it can find its way into a recycling facility. There, it will be carefully inspected to identify reusable, valuable parts before proceeding. Then, the recycling facility will have to remove all the various fluids, like transmission oil, engine oil, fuel, antifreeze, power steering fluid, brake lubricant, etc. Many of these are hazardous and need to be disposed of, but others could be reused once filtered.

Renovation and Re-used

Many of the parts on an older vehicle are salvageable and could be reused as-is. After all, the outgoing owner may have replaced an alternator within the last few months, and this part could be expected to last for some time yet. At this stage, all of these salvageable parts will be redirected to a dedicated facility, where they can be evaluated, serviced if necessary and brought up to an acceptable standard.

The original equipment manufacturer will have a process like this in place. Once they have accepted a particular part, they will ensure that it is renovated to a very high standard, which will enable them to offer it for sale in the open market. Other aftermarket companies will have a similar procedure in place to offer consumers an alternative to a full-priced new product.

Crushing and Smelting

Once all of these salvageable parts have been recovered from an end of life car, this will leave the body shell or frame, which will typically find its way into the crusher and shredder. These powerful machines will reduce the family car to the size of a suitcase so that it can be easily transported to a separate facility.

Your Better Option

So, if you're looking for some replacement car parts for your current vehicle, look for certified, recycled components rather than new ones. You can be sure that they've been through a rigorous renovation and checking process, and you can expect them to last for some time. Crucially, you should save a significant amount over the price of buying a brand-new piece instead. 

For more information, look into various options like Toyota spare parts

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