Keeping the Car – Make a Virtue Out of Necessity

Keeping the Car – Make a Virtue Out of Necessity

The post credit crunch landscape is not looking pretty. Many of us face an uncertain future yet we have responsibilities that cannot be ignored. Society has built an environment that requires a motor car. Shopping and the school run require a car for many of us. The gentle stroll to the local shops after walking the kids to the local school belong to a different era.

We need the car for day to day use. In the days of easy credit the car could become so much more – a status symbol, a passion and an indulgence. Now we seem to be moving towards an era of austerity it may pay to view your car in a more practical way. It is going to need to last longer before replacement, and cost less to maintain.

The car will need replacement car parts as well as minor repairs through wear and tear. Paying top dollar for brand new parts might stretch the household budget. What to do? Well a lot of households are getting into recycling – from allotments and composting to self repair.

Used Vehicle Parts

There are a few factors that may be in our favour when it comes to used parts. The recent scrappage scheme has provided car dismantlers with many more cars earlier in their life cycle, so providing a wealth of newer than expected used parts. The EU is actively encouraging the recycling of car components, not just the materials. The next factor is the internet. It has given us access to vast amounts of data and services. One of those services is parts location. The ability to source car parts from up and down the length of the country at the touch of a button was only available to large companies with specialised systems until relatively recently. Now we can all make use of these services.

The thing is that we can make a virtue out of necessity here. We need to economise and as a society we need to be less wasteful. Why dispose of so many car components when they have service life left and we need them?

Find a part from up to 255 breakers and scrap yards – you may help the planet and the household budget.