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Sell Junkyard Auto Parts and Make Money From Home

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A lot of people make some serious money from home selling junkyard auto parts. My husband’s been doing this for a while now and just loves it! I’m still amazed at how untapped this market is. Maybe because when you sell junkyard auto parts you’re not sitting at a computer all the time?

But working from home doesn’t always mean making money online or just from your computer, especially if you’re doing any type of arbitrage deals.

And there are thousands of people looking for cheap auto parts online. Why not get in the game and be one of their salvage auto parts suppliers?

This is business that you really don’t have be a mechanic or detail specialist to make some real money, especially if you’re just dealing with interior or exterior restoration parts or basic engine parts.

For example, a head rest is a head rest. Unscrew some parts and pull it out. Door panels are door panels. Unbolt them from the hinges and take it off. Engine components may be a bit trickier but you can always go on YouTube and find out what the parts are, what they do and even how to remove them.

But even in this type of a business, you may want to specialize in a niche. What do I mean by a niche when it comes to used auto body parts? Pretty easy. Here are some ways to drill down a niche just by specializing…

  1. … in a particular make and model of vehicle
  2. … in sports cars
  3. … in truck parts
  4. … in engine parts
  5. … in exterior body parts
  6. … in interior restoration parts

Just think about all of the parts that go into building a vehicle, whether it’s a truck or car. Some parts are even interchangeable between makes and models. For example, I needed a new front fender for my 2001 Mercury Villager. Did you know that the 2001 Nissan Quest has an identical body to the same year Mercury Villager?

They do! So my husband took the parts off of a junked Quest and replaced the fender and front light assembly on my Villager.

The cup holder assembly in my Villager cracked too. But instead of replacing that unit, he found a narrow console with built-in cup holders from a Dodge SUV that fit perfectly between the front bucket seats of our Villager. Same color and texture as the interior of our car; that console looks like it came with our van!

So now we have three “new” cup holders in the front, and two additional cup holders for the rear seat, from one $10 used Dodge console.

You will have to do some research on eBay before going out and spending money. You can’t just go out and buy any junkyard auto parts and expect them to sell. There are some steps involved to making this a profitable at-home business.

  1. First, get a price list from your local salvage yard. Look for the least expensive parts on the list.
  2. Look up the parts on eBay and filter by Sold listings. Take an average of what those parts are selling for and see what your profit margin is. For example, if it’s going to cost you $10 to buy the part and it’s selling on average of $85 or more, and there are a lot of them being sold, you’ve got a winner.
  3. Take into consideration how much time and effort you want to put into pulling the parts off the vehicles. Some parts are pretty easy and you’ll only need a couple of screw drivers on hand. Other parts can be rather tricky, depending on whether you’re dealing with interior, exterior or under-the-hood parts.
  4. Another thing to think about is the weather! Here on the east coast it gets really blustery during the winter. And in the spring, it can get pretty muddy out in the yard. So you need to make sure you’re dressing for the weather – be prepared for anything.

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Source by Karen S Musselman

Tips for Selling Your Year-Old RV

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Buying an RV often involves painstaking research, and despite all those hard done investigations, you may want to sell it after a while. How to sell your RV without taking a hit due to steep depreciation in the second-hand RV market? The question is enough to give you sleepless nights, but you are not alone in this. Many want to sell their perfectly tuned year old RV for a variety of reasons.. People often lose interests in RV-ing and want to liquidate their hardly used rolling homes. Some want to sell their RVs to meet their needs for cash due to unforeseen circumstances. It’s also quite common for travel enthusiasts to buy a vehicle but with time and experience, they realize that they may need a coach of different size and specs. If you want to sell your RV for any of these reasons or the other, proceed with caution, as depreciation rate of second-hand RVs is quite high. You can expect to get 10 to 20 percent less of your buying price; you must aim to get the best deal possible. How to go about it? Here are a few tips:

Locate Your Ideal Buyers

The people who know you and trust your upkeep of the rig could be your ideal customers. Local RV-enthusiasts will also be interested in your unit, as it will be extremely convenient for them to make the transaction with a local seller.. You can meet many other prospective buyers, at local RV events. Often these events attract people who want to dabble into RV-ing and are trying to gain the inside knowledge. Your year-old vehicle may attract some first time RV-ers.

Approach a Dealer

If you fall into the group of RV-ers who want to upgrade and are on the lookout for buyers for their year-old vehicle, contact a renowned dealer in the vicinity. These dealers may assist you to get an excellent compensation for your young rig. And why would they want to help you? They expect you to purchase the upgraded model from their showrooms.

Assess the Value of Your RV

Dedicated sites which provide valuation quote for new and used cars offer insight of your vehicle’s resale value. Always check with them. Your zip code, year and make of the rig, and mileage will be some of the determining factors for your RV’s appraisal.

Dash for Some Quick Fixes

To command greater value for your RV, you must make sure that every part functions smoothly and that should include wheels, engines, GPS, batteries, cruise control, power mirrors, heating and AC units et al. Also, check if exterior paints, rubber seal of the skylight, the surface of the skylight, windows are intact. Service compartment should be in good condition, and it should look clean and smell nice. Interior walls, ceiling, floor, plumbing should also be in top order. The clean furnishings and serviced equipment will add to the value. How to sell your year-old RV in the right price bracket? The question might have given you many sleepless nights; but not anymore. Just follow the above blueprint and you will surely clinch the deal quickly.

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Source by John Bell Carey

Benefits of Recycling a Car

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When a car is wrecked or damaged, what do you do with it?

Your options are repairing it and reusing it. Many a time this is not possible. In such cases, you can sell your car to an auto-dismantler. An auto-dismantler recycles the car for repairing other cars, selling used parts, etc.

An auto-dismantler removes all the functional and non-functional parts from a car. It also removes various fluids. The metallic portion that remains is crushed into a small piece and shred into pieces.

Recycling of wrecked cars has become a lucrative business option because the number of users of recycled car parts has increased.

Reasons for users of recycled car parts increasing:

• They are nearly half the price when compared to new parts.

• Manufacturers of car parts make these parts so that they are durable. This ensures that these parts last even after the car reaches its end-of-life.

• Used car parts have a good fit as they have been detached from original vehicles.

• Used car parts market caters to a wide range of cars.

• For cars whose models have been discontinued, the only option to look for spare parts is used car market.

• Vintage cars can find their spares in the used car market.

Besides these benefits, an auto-dismantler benefits the environment also. Imagine if cars were not dismantled and reduced in size, how much of waste we would generate? Cars also contain various hazardous and non-hazardous fluids which can impact the environment adversely.

Let us see what service an auto-dismantler provides to the environment:

1. Recycling of parts:

Various parts are removed from the car. Those that are intact are sold ‘as is’ in the market. Those that can be repaired are restored and sold. Others that cannot be reused as functional parts are used in other applications. This reduces wastage and saves landfill. It also conserves our natural resources by reducing the need to manufacture new parts.

2. Recycling fluids:

A car contains many fluids such as coolant, brake fluid, transmission fluid, etc. Some of these fluids are recycled and can be reused. While some other fluids can be converted into fuels, etc. and reused. This is beneficial to the environment because some of these fluids contain harmful chemicals. If they are released into the earth, they can be detrimental to the health of animals, aquatic creatures, and humans. Some fluids are inflammable and so cannot be released into the environment.

3. Recycling Steel:

Steel is required for a variety of applications. But its manufacture uses up valuable natural resources. Therefore, recycling steel reduces the need to manufacture fresh steel positively impacting the environment.

Hence, we see that dismantling and recycling a car is beneficial in numerous ways.

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Source by Kanika Saxena

Importance of Car Covers

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Nowadays, cars are very important especially when carrying out daily activities. Some people buy for luxury. For whichever reason that you are buying it is important to protect it in order to maintain its value. Protecting your vehicle should not be seen as a waste of time. It is important to have a cover that will be adequate protection.

Car covers are important for protecting your vehicle. Due to the present nature of economy it is important to have a cover that is strong enough. Quality covers should be able to protect your vehicle for a very long duration.Many people value their car as a great asset thus they can go to greater length to make sure that their car looks presentable. It is important to keep your car in the best condition possible. Cars require to be properly maintained. You should have a good cover for your car type.

When you are not using your car it is important to protect it using car covers. They help in maintaining the aesthetic value of your car. They give protection to your car from external factors. If a person writes on your car using a sharp object, you will incur cost while trying to repair the damage done however you can reduce these maintenance costs by using covers. Some people will scratch or damage your car willingly or unwillingly; however, the cover will prevent such cases occurring. Some people view these covers as an expense but they provide more benefits. For those who know the benefits of covers, they never fail to use them.

When you park your car for a long duration, it is important to cover it. Even if you have parked your car in a private car park, it is important to cover it as other cars will produce smoke that contains harmful products. When you have not covered your car, it will become dirty due to the smoke.

During a bright sunny day, there are usually ultra violet rays which are produced by the sun. Ultra violet rays are harmful to the car as they cause the car’s paint to appear dull. This will make your shiny beautiful car not to be attractive; to prevent this, you should use a car cover. When it is hot, the car absorbs heat and when people get inside, they become uncomfortable due to the hot temperatures inside. When there are extreme high temperatures inside your car, they will cause damage to your car seats’ covers. All these disadvantages brought by high temperatures can be reduced by using the covers. The covers will help in keeping your car cool even when it is hot.

When your car is not in use, dust usually accumulate on it. Some dirt particles accumulate in the car’s internal parts thus increasing its maintenance costs. It is important to reduce these maintenance costs by proper use of car covers. It is important to know how to use the cover properly so that you can realize the mentioned benefits.

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Source by Greg Mitchell

Strut Bar – Is it Really Needed in Your Car?

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Strut Bars are the evolutionary aftermarket addition to the normal McPherson Struts. Usually a favorite in car customization and an integral part of heavy trucks and SUVs, strut bars are now finding their place in the sun when it comes to normal small cars as well.

People consider additional struts especially horizontal bars as high performance additions to their cars. There is a general belief that McPherson Struts or independent suspensions can be unstable at higher speeds. As an additional feature to increase the stability, independent suspensions on either side of the vehicle are joined by a common horizontal bar called the Strut Bar.

The two suspensions on either side when connected by a common bar experience reduced flex between them and that provides much needed stability at higher speeds. This is an important feature in heavy and large vehicles and performance cars but what makes people think that strut bars can stabilize their small cars? Do smaller cars really need stability?

Well the answer is No. Unless you are traveling at really high speeds, which you anyways shouldn’t do with normal cars, you definitely do not require additional struts to support your car suspension. Auto experts believe that horizontal struts have been popularized as a high performance addition to cars in the name of car customization. There is no real need for normal cars to have extra struts but in case someone wants his vehicle to have one, there is no serious harm either.

At most, additional struts will make the suspension in your car stiffer reducing the drive comfort especially over rougher terrains. Since suspensions are linked together, there may be slight vibration on rough roads because of the reduced independent movement. Also the added weight of the strut may decrease gas mileage to some extent. In case you are hell bent on having additional struts fixed in your vehicle, make sure you ask an expert mechanic to do it or else there may be serious performance problems with your car suspension.

Most sports cars, heavy and light trucks, SUVs, 4x4s and ATVs are available with strut bars as a normal fitment.

So what kind of vehicles need a strut bar if they don’t have it as a standard fitment?

If you are optimizing your normal car to perform at higher speeds and exhibit greater accelerations or powering it with turbo-chargers and NOS (Nitrous Oxide Systems), then the strut bar will be a useful addition to the pack. If you own a larger vehicle and it does not have a strut bar as a standard fitment, you should invest in one. In that case, I would suggest to for used strut bars as they cost almost one-third of the cost of new ones.

To conclude, you are the best person to assess whether your car needs a strut bar or not. Although it is not a decision to ponder over but you can certainly weigh the pros and cons depending on the type of vehicle you own and the type of use you subject it to.

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Source by James Rodham

5 Benefits of Wheel Alignments – Why to Get Your Wheels Aligned Regularly

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Regular wheel alignments are an important part of conscientious car maintenance. Unfortunately, many car owners fail to understand the importance of good wheel alignment, and therefore don’t have their alignment checked often enough.

Here are five reasons why getting regular wheel alignments is good for your car, your bank account, and your peace of mind.

1: Better gas mileage. When your wheels are aligned properly, it cuts down on rolling resistance, which means that you car doesn’t have to work as hard or burn as much fuel in order to move forward. This is good news for everyone: Not only do you spend less money on gas, but you also get the satisfaction of knowing your car is responsible for less pollution.

2: More mileage out of your tires. Even the slightest problem with your alignment can have disastrous effects on your tires. If your tires have too much or too little toe-in (the degree at which they point in toward each other at the front, like a person who stands pigeon-toed), a narrow strip on each tire will wear down very quickly, causing you to have to get new tires sooner. By getting regular wheel alignments, you ensure that your tires wear evenly, making them last as long as possible.

3: Tire warranties still apply. The problem with your tires wearing from poor wheel alignment is that it usually voids your warranty on the tires. Most warranties only apply to the quality of the goods. In other words, if the tires wear out too soon because of something other than poor quality, then the manufacturer is not responsible. Failing to get wheel alignments often enough is considered to be negligence on the part of the car’s owner, and usually means that the warranty is voided.

4: Less wear and tear on other parts. Having the wheels out of alignment can be stressful on the rest of the car, too. It means that you continually need to put pressure on the steering system in order to keep the car straight, and when you brake you often feel the car pull even more sharply, indicating that the brakes are needing to work harder on one side than the other.

5: Easier to drive. One of the biggest advantages of having your wheels aligned properly is that your car is easier to drive. No annoying pull to one side or the other. It’s much easier and more pleasant to drive a car that has had regular wheel alignments.

As you can see, there are many reasons why a car owner should be sure to get regular wheel alignments. Not only does having your wheels aligned properly save you money on gas, tires, and other potential repairs, but it also gives you better peace of mind to know that your car is being cared for properly.

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Source by Andy West

The Benefits of Using the HKS SSQV BOV on a Turbo Car

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When you are purchasing parts and putting together a turbo system, the blow off valve is a fairly important part of the system. Not only does it release all the excess pressure built up in the intercooler piping after the intake manifold closes, but a turbo BOV also creates a unique BOV sound, which can make your car sound like it’s quality tuned and unique. The HKS Super SQV (SSQV) turbo blow off valve is a BOV every turbo tuner should consider purchasing, as this specific BOV has many benefits to its unique construction.

In 1994, HKS released the first blow off valve, the SSQV BOV, containing the “pull” valve design, which was unlike the usual “push” valved blow off valves turbo tuners have always used. The “push” blow off valves have been the traditional type of turbo BOV used and they allow pressure to build up until the valve spring cannot hold anymore pressure, or the valve reaches its threshold, and then pushes the excess pressure out of the valve.

HKS created a design with the “pull” valve system, found on the HKS SSQV BOV, which uses and alters the pressure to pull open a dual valve system. The primary valve is the smaller valve, which opens up during smaller pressure conditions. When heavier pressure conditions are encountered, the SSQV BOV will open the larger, secondary valve, which allows all the excess pressure out during heavier and faster driving conditions.

Having the pull valve system allows the HKS SSQV BOV to prevent leaking, even when the car is idling or under extreme conditions. This system also allows a cleaner, more solid BOV sound, as it releases all the pressure with a fresh tuned sound, once the valve is pulled open.

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Source by Christopher Kochan

Why Brands Are Important When Buying Used Cars For Sale Overseas

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Owning a car is very important these days to allow you to travel easily. However, buying a new car can be quite expensive. Thus, some buyers opt for used cars. Unfortunately, there are also instances when used cars are also expensive. Plus, there are instances when the car you are eyeing for is not available. So, the best option is to buy cars for sale overseas.

When buying cars for sale overseas, some car buyers commonly check their brand. This is an important factor since some car manufacturers create some of the best cars of all time. Apart from that, below are some of the reasons why brands are important in buying used cars.

Make purchases easier

First and foremost, more and more used car buyers look for specific brands in order to obtain certain features and functions that only such manufacturers offer. During the past and even today, car manufacturers push their limits to find new features for their vehicles to increase their sales. Thus, when buying used cars, some buyers look for these brands to ensure that their driving experience can be better.

Guarantee good car conditions

Another reason why car buyers commonly focus on brands when buying used cars since there are manufacturers that create cars that last for a long time. As of now, manufacturers make use of different materials in creating vehicles. These include plastic, aluminum, titanium as well as fiber glass. However, back in the days, most vehicles are made from steel. Thus, these vehicles are more durable and tend to last for longer periods of time. Sadly, these steel bodies can be damaged when left under extreme weather conditions.

Find high value vehicles

The next reason why car buyers look for certain brands of vehicles as an investment. Most of the time, individuals are purchasing vehicles to simply allow them to move from one place to another. Or perhaps to make their business better. However, there are cases when car buyer purchase cars to help them gain profit. This is possible since some cars are quite rare and popular. Because of this, its value increases gradually. In time, your simple investment can provide you with substantial profits.

Ensure easy car maintenance

Finally, choosing a car to purchase in terms of their brand is also essential to help individuals ensure that they can maintain their cars properly. Surely, you may have purchased a rare vehicle. However, repairs and replacements cannot be accomplished since the manufacturer has stopped creating replacement parts for such model. As a result, you need to opt for parts from the company which can be very expensive.

These are only some of the reasons why more and more individuals choose cars for sale overseas depending on its brand.

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Source by Maynard Fahey

Why Rust is Like Cancer to Your Car

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Rust can absolutely ruin the metal on a car. It is best to prevent the rust from ever taking hold on your car by washing it frequently. I recommend washing at least once a week, especially in areas that use salt on the road during the cold months. All that salt and dirt and grime that builds up tends to hold the moisture in and that leaves a perfect environment for rust to begin. It often will set up in a place that has been dented or the paint has chipped. Exam your car often for small spots of rust. It is much easier to repair the rusted area when it is just a small spot.

That’s really the key. You want to repair the area while it is only on the surface. Once the rust travels deeper into the metal it becomes a much bigger and more expensive repair job. My work restoring vintage muscle cars taught me early on that rust can be lurking underneath a shoddy patch job that has been painted over. You can do a check for this by simply going around the car and knocking on the metal.

That can tell you, based on the clear metal sound or the thud of putty work used to hide rust, if the car is solid or not. It is a test I do before purchasing any car, whether it is only a year old or is one of the vintage muscle cars that I will be restoring. You should also inspect underneath the car and check the wheel wells as well. Both are prime locations for rust to begin. Never buy a car that has been in an accident, even if it was just a small accident. They car likely received some sort of damage to the paint that will be a prime target for rust. Even if the person selling the car claims to have had the car repaired by an expert. Don’t purchase it. Even with an expert doing the repair, it is very likely that rust will take hold. Take the time to check out any car before you purchase. It could save you thousands of dollars in costly rust repairs, in the long run.

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Source by Bruce Hermann

Clutch Kits and Gear Shifts: How to Smoothly Change Gears

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Many cars have a manual transmission. These vehicles have a clutch that disengages the gearbox from the engine and the gear stick. To change gears smoothly you need to have the basic knowledge of how the system works.

What does it mean when the car is in neutral?

This means that there are no gears touching. Gears are connected to the crankshaft that is connected to the wheels. If your car is not in gear or is neutral it means there is no way you are going to move forward.

Why do we stall when we release the clutch too quickly?

Gas has to be applied in order to move the car forward but it also needs to be in gear. The car stalls because not enough torque is being applied. This also happens if you try to accelerate in third gear after being stationery. Remember that the higher the gear is the smaller that gear’s diameter will be, because of the higher speed it has to accommodate. A smaller in diameter gear has fewer teeth to grip.

When applying pressure on the clutch you have to take your foot off the throttle because you have to disengage the gear from the engine. Applying gas will force the crankshaft to turn. As soon as you have managed this step you can change gears. You need to use the correct gear at each accelerated speed. If you’re using fourth gear instead of third it will slow you down as the car gains speed. If you’re driving in second gear instead of third gear it will over rev the car. As soon as you have placed the car in gear apply pressure to the throttle and simultaneously slowly release the clutch. Releasing the clutch too quickly will make the car jump or jolt forward when you apply gas. This feels like a pull followed by a jump when the car is in motion.

Clutch burnout is a common problem for people who struggle to change gears smoothly. The more you use the clutch pedal the more worn it becomes thus causing what is known as clutch burnout. This is caused by the driver riding the clutch which means they are constantly pressing it down whilst driving when no gear has to be changed. Many drivers also use the clutch to slow down instead of using the brakes. This is known as engine braking which in the long run will save your gear box.

Your clutch should to be checked every six months or at the regular service intervals. When you take your car to a mechanic they will often check the clutch kit as a whole and replace it if it is necessary.

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Source by Paresh Gordhan