Any luck at junkyards?

[Nate047]

anything small enough to fit in your pockets is basically free

That's bad karma bro lol

I've gone a few times with my friend who has an older E class Mercedes, I have never found something useful for my own cars but it's always a fun day.

One thing that actually is kind of helpful about junkyards is you can practice taking stuff off on another car, and if you accidentally break something, it's not a big deal. Not saying you should TRY to break the cars for no reason. But yea.

[Thoglan]

That's bad karma bro lol

I've gone a few times with my friend who has an older E class Mercedes, I have never found something useful for my own cars but it's always a fun day.

One thing that actually is kind of helpful about junkyards is you can practice taking stuff off on another car, and if you accidentally break something, it's not a big deal. Not saying you should TRY to break the cars for no reason. But yea.

I try to be reasonable with it haha, sensors and stuff sure, but extra clips/connectors/bolts etc I just stuff in my pockets. My local yards sometimes overcharge on dumb shit so it's my way of getting some value back lol.

[bavarian3]

There are e46's non M's at my local pick n pull, but the prices are a ripoff

[Obioban]

Sure there is; literally time, patience, and energy all of which are far more valuable than a few bucks. That is, unless you don't value those things then I suppose it's worth it.

There are also forum classifieds and ebay so I can't imagine the need for anyone to ever visit a junkyard. In fact, this thread is proof positive that there is no need because clearly people are surviving without doing so.

I love going to the scrap yard, and have had all sorts of projects result:
-got a full set of immaculate zhp trim for my M3 wagon
-got the manual sedan (extra belt mount point) sliders I’m using with my cobra Nogaros
-factory e46 seat heater pads (which you can’t buy separately) for my Nogaros
-retrofitted the factory backlit door handles from the e38 to my e39
-got a full manual swap for my e39 530i (trans, diff, driveshaft, accessories) for <$300!
-extra headlight housings for my e39 M5, which I used for my projector lens swap so I didn’t have to take it offline
-I’ve pulled all sorts of electrical connectors I couldn’t hope to find on realoem

If you’re the kind of person that likes working on cars, just walking the lot and looking at how they’re built and how crash energy is dissipated is fun. It’s probably the closest I get to window shopping 🤣

Just wandering around inspires projects I otherwise wouldn’t have thought of.

[bmwfnatic]

I love going to the scrap yard, and have had all sorts of projects result:
-got a full set of immaculate zhp trim for my M3 wagon
-got the manual sedan (extra belt mount point) sliders I’m using with my cobra Nogaros
-factory e46 seat heater pads (which you can’t buy separately) for my Nogaros
-retrofitted the factory backlit door handles from the e38 to my e39
-got a full manual swap for my e39 530i (trans, diff, driveshaft, accessories) for <$300!
-extra headlight housings for my e39 M5, which I used for my projector lens swap so I didn’t have to take it offline
-I’ve pulled all sorts of electrical connectors I couldn’t hope to find on realoem

If you’re the kind of person that likes working on cars, just walking the lot and looking at how they’re built and how crash energy is dissipated is fun. It’s probably the closest I get to window shopping 🤣

Just wandering around inspires projects I otherwise wouldn’t have thought of.

I used to like it for the same reasons, and also have been able to get some ‘simply cant get them (separately) from BMW’ kind of parts that way.

But I haven’t gone there in a while due to some degenerate behavior I experienced the last time.

- Someone stealing my M12 impact gun which was lying on the engine while I was underneath removing some stuff around the transmission.

- A group of teenagers barely old enough to drive purposely trying kick a dent in every single door on the lot.

Just makes me sad, but nothing strange considering the current state of the world in regards to morals…

[Obioban]

I used to like it for the same reasons, and also have been able to get some ‘simply cant get them (separately) from BMW’ kind of parts that way.

But I haven’t gone there in a while due to some degenerate behavior I experienced the last time.

- Someone stealing my M12 impact gun which was lying on the engine while I was underneath removing some stuff around the transmission.

- A group of teenagers barely old enough to drive purposely trying kick a dent in every single door on the lot.

Just makes me sad, but nothing strange considering the current state of the world in regards to morals…

That is sad-- especially as junk yards are THE most efficient way to end old cars that I can think of. Any part of any further use/value gets harvested/reused.

[bigjae46]

im in Houston area….that’s a pretty stern warning…can you elaborate a bit more? Any recommendations on where to go (even if it’s just regular e46’s)

A guy bought a rebuilt diff, and I made a trade for a couple of parts - a ZF320, a PS pump, and an E46 M3 diff. The PS pump wasn't even off an E46. WTF. The ZF320 5 speed was a Getrag 250 - didn't know there was a difference. And the diff was charred inside like it was on fire at some point. I've dealt with him 3 times. His own car looks like a train wreck. I had to pickup him up to go to his storage to get parts because he didn't have a car...I was desperate for a brake booster (he had an MK20, I needed an MK60...didn't know the difference). And he always tries to trade. He had 2 E46 M3s and both were falling apart. He's a dumpster fire.

Jay Zusa or something...the only one I'll buy from but he is flaky in responding.

90% of the FB and CL ads for parts either than a ridiculous amount because its an M3 or the part is in terrible shape. Someone was selling an E92 M3 hood for $600...the only problem was it flew open while driving and smashed the hump in the hood in. Only $600 for that!

I travel to Chicago a lot, that's where I look for parts.

[usdmej]

You drive a car that is so commonplace you can find parts for it at a junkyard and you're looking for parts at the local pick a part?

ftfy

[Ramps]

I got a spare GM5 module at a local wrecker from a 330ci for $20CAD (that's like $15 USD) and it worked great while I was replacing the relays in my original one. I got the dash trim and shifter trim from the same car for $10, in rough shape but figured for playing with wraps, paint, or CF etc it's worth it having.

[jet_dogg]

I try to be reasonable with it haha, sensors and stuff sure, but extra clips/connectors/bolts etc I just stuff in my pockets. My local yards sometimes overcharge on dumb shit so it's my way of getting some value back lol.

So what you're saying is that you're a thief??!! 😂

I love going to the scrap yard, and have had all sorts of projects result:
-got a full set of immaculate zhp trim for my M3 wagon
-got the manual sedan (extra belt mount point) sliders I’m using with my cobra Nogaros
-factory e46 seat heater pads (which you can’t buy separately) for my Nogaros
-retrofitted the factory backlit door handles from the e38 to my e39
-got a full manual swap for my e39 530i (trans, diff, driveshaft, accessories) for <$300!
-extra headlight housings for my e39 M5, which I used for my projector lens swap so I didn’t have to take it offline
-I’ve pulled all sorts of electrical connectors I couldn’t hope to find on realoem

If you’re the kind of person that likes working on cars, just walking the lot and looking at how they’re built and how crash energy is dissipated is fun. It’s probably the closest I get to window shopping 🤣

Just wandering around inspires projects I otherwise wouldn’t have thought of.

That could possibly be the case if cars were my only hobby.

[George Hill]

I love some junkyard adventures, but its been way to hot this summer. My time IS valuable but sometimes there is value in a junkyard trip.

I recently got some NLA shock washers for an E39... I was going to have to buy COMPLETE shocks just to get this one little part. At the same time I got an M50 NV head and intake which made it worth my time.




Or How about a set of E30 sport seats for $80




Or a pair of touring slicktop headliners ($50 total) and misc black trim, the whole pull was less than $250.




Or this mostly complete ZHP 6MT swap, with black headliner bits, muffler and 712 rack for (IIRC) less than $400.

[Obioban]

Yep.

Junk yard is awesome.

And efficient.

And fun.

[usdmej]

my local junkyard is large rock gravel based, and the cars are supported by literal steely wheels

are you guys really getting under and pulling large items out from under them?

[EthanolTurbo]

my local junkyard is large rock gravel based, and the cars are supported by literal steely wheels

are you guys really getting under and pulling large items out from under them?

It's different here in CA, they have them lifted up and it's safe + easyish to pull parts from them. Sometimes someone pulls tbe parts for you on their way to grab other stuff off the car. My brother found 2 manual trans off an E60 530i and something else that were already lying on the ground and pulled. He bought each trans for $300 each and sold them for $1k+.

[liam821]

Here in the PNW, it's pretty easy to find non-m e46 parts in junkyards, craigslist, facebook etc. M parts, just like everywhere else, are a bit harder. They're just worth too much money to end up in a junkyard.