By: Arthur Cooper
Submitted: 2010-07-27 12:02:11 | Word Count: 664
From ’94 on, the Dodge Ram series of pickups has been one of the biggest successes of the Chrysler lineup, and the same goes for its mid-size counterpart the Dakota. With a good offering of body styles, engines, drivetrains and options, Dodge trucks have proven themselves equally capable as work vehicles or light-duty daily drivers. That means that as a Dodge truck owner who doesn’t want to pay full price for OEM parts, you’re in good shape when it comes to looking for parts! There are plenty of Dodges that have been wrecked or salvaged, languishing in salvage yards and auction lots, with plenty of used parts to help out a Dodge owner like you.
Don’t just assume, though, that this means the gamble of the old days where you go to a junkyard and wait for a parts puller to find a part, yank it off a wrecked truck and bring it back. There are parts networks out there now that put Dodge salvage parts through an inspection process that can assure you that the part (whether it be an engine or driveline part, a taillight, a trim piece or a body panel) is as good as a new part from a dealership or parts house. No more wondering if that part you just installed is going to hold up, or whether it’s at the end of its service life.
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Bigger assemblies such as whole engines or transmissions are also available on the salvage market, through dealer auctions on Copart. Reputable salvage parts dealers will offer quality assurance on used engines and transmissions, backing up their reputation and giving you some satisfaction and peace of mind. Unfortunately, only dealers can bid on these auctions. To get the full listing of available dodge parts, register to bid through an registered Copart broker, like AutoBidMaster.com. With AutoBidMaster, you can get salvage parts from dealer auctions, and even have independent inspectors check them out.
The Internet has been another game-changer in the salvage parts market. Gone are the days of going through the yellow pages and making phone calls to various yards to try to run down a part; now there are entire networks of auto recyclers that keep databases of parts and vehicles. If a part you need for a Dodge truck isn’t available locally, chances are it can be found regionally in an online auction and can get to you in a day or two’s time. And it’s not just a matter of hoping that a part fits. For years now, manufacturers have made slight changes from year to year and a 2002 part may not work on a 2006 vehicle (unlike in the Sixties or Seventies). Used part and salvage part auction sites have taken the guesswork out of that end of things.
There are plenty of great recycled and salvaged Dodge truck parts available for as much as 50% less than a new part, with warranty and delivery.
In light of all this, there’s only one question still standing: Why would you go ahead and pay full price for new parts for a used vehicle?
