End of an era or is it !!!!!!

[cath's mg]

With a heavy heart I have to announce that my local breakers and second home( B&T Salvage) have now changed their procedure.
The public are no longer allowed into the yard to remove parts
They now have the same procedure as most other breakers, where they will remove the parts for you.
While this is convenient for a lot of people, I will miss just going in, having a look around and purchasing the "just in case items" and of course it means the MGF/TF goodie box wont be as full as I like to keep it But I guess Cath wont have so many grubby greasy clothes to wash

Like the tile says
END OF AN ERA

[robbie1003]

i miss the days of rooting around a old scrap yard in a car that has another four balanced on top of it with fluids and allsorts dripping on your head, youngens today havnt a clue. progress,tish.

[talkingcars]

At least they are still open, most locals have closed completly.

[Mykel]

Ah, those were the days ... climbing the hills of automotive leftovers hunting after the odd fog lamp switch Long gone here as well - and for a reason! Eco-wise those puddles of oil and brake fluid on the bare ground deffo weren't a good idea, but I doubt this is the real issue. Nor is the chance to make better profit by dismantling a vehicle properly so all relevant parts can be reused and no valuables are torn off to simply get to a hidden cheap sensor or relay.

In fact scrapyard owners won't be able to get third party insurance for their business when they allow people to crawl around in barely stable piles of rust with broken glass, points and wires sticking out just waiting to rip up skin or poke eyes. In the eighties we all knew about the dangers and surely wouldn't have started moaning about a scratched forearm or so, that was the price to pay for a bargain. Today people would expect such places as clean and cosy as an indoor playground where you have to take your shoes off before entering. And woe betide the yard owner if there's an oily speck on the t-shirt!

[cath's mg]

Ah, those were the days ... climbing the hills of automotive leftovers hunting after the odd fog lamp switch Long gone here as well - and for a reason! Eco-wise those puddles of oil and brake fluid on the bare ground deffo weren't a good idea, but I doubt this is the real issue. Nor is the chance to make better profit by dismantling a vehicle properly so all relevant parts can be reused and no valuables are torn off to simply get to a hidden cheap sensor or relay.
In fact scrapyard owners won't be able to get third party insurance for their business when they allow people to crawl around in barely stable piles of rust with broken glass, points and wires sticking out just waiting to rip up skin or poke eyes. In the eighties we all knew about the dangers and surely wouldn't have started moaning about a scratched forearm or so, that was the price to pay for a bargain. Today people would expect such places as clean and cosy as an indoor playground where you have to take your shoes off before entering. And woe betide the yard owner if there's an oily speck on the t-shirt!

I think you are spot-on Mykel, I had quite a long chat with one of the managers yesterday. He told me that although, they had never had a claim made against them, their insurance premium has jumped so much over the years. Taking that into account and what they are now paid for scrap metal, the fact that they sell large items like engines, gear boxes etc through the internet, the profit in allowing the public into remove parts is not that great.
But to be honest I got the impression one of the main reasons is the damage people cause to vehicles these days just to get a £5 part.
I have seen it myself, people just ripping out a completely good dash just to get a dial or clock, cutting off connectors because its easier than unfastening, making the loom useless.
I had to get Seat Belt tensioners for Cath's car, after removing the seats to get them off I replaced the seats back inside the car. I went back to the yard 3 hours later with a friend who needs some parts and both seats where out of the car on the ground in the pouring rain.
My local breakers have like most a designated area they use for dismantling vehicles, which can at times be very messy and covered in oil, etc.
The area where the general public have access to the vehicles should in my view be relatively tidy in comparison......but its like a **** TIP.

I honestly (if somewhat naively) think that when taking parts from a car, you should do it as if it was your own. Not do hundreds or pounds worth of damage for a £5 part. I helped Rob Bell remove a front sub-frame at the breakers a while ago, and I can honestly say that not one other part was damaged in the removal.

I guess we (the general public) have to accept some of the responsibility for the demise of these yards.

I have lost count of the times I have gone the breakers with no intension of getting anything at all, and come back trying to smuggle an exhaust, radiator and the likes past Cath's eagle eyes into the shed (never managed to do it yet), for the just in case pile for myself or others.

Yes I do realise that there are many worse things going on in the world, and much more traumatic things happen to loved ones and friends, but I shall greatly miss my rummaging (hording Cath calls it).

[howstar]

I remeber going and the cars in the scrap yard where better than my car that i was trying to fix.That was sunday where for.

.

[john1964]

gutted for you Gary

[purplebargeken]

So they finally rolled up the red carpet and took the keys back. Damn, that stinks.

[Rob Bell]

Ah, those were the days ... climbing the hills of automotive leftovers hunting after the odd fog lamp switch Long gone here as well - and for a reason! Eco-wise those puddles of oil and brake fluid on the bare ground deffo weren't a good idea, but I doubt this is the real issue. Nor is the chance to make better profit by dismantling a vehicle properly so all relevant parts can be reused and no valuables are torn off to simply get to a hidden cheap sensor or relay.
In fact scrapyard owners won't be able to get third party insurance for their business when they allow people to crawl around in barely stable piles of rust with broken glass, points and wires sticking out just waiting to rip up skin or poke eyes. In the eighties we all knew about the dangers and surely wouldn't have started moaning about a scratched forearm or so, that was the price to pay for a bargain. Today people would expect such places as clean and cosy as an indoor playground where you have to take your shoes off before entering. And woe betide the yard owner if there's an oily speck on the t-shirt!

I think you are spot-on Mykel, I had quite a long chat with one of the managers yesterday. He told me that although, they had never had a claim made against them, their insurance premium has jumped so much over the years. Taking that into account and what they are now paid for scrap metal, the fact that they sell large items like engines, gear boxes etc through the internet, the profit in allowing the public into remove parts is not that great.
But to be honest I got the impression one of the main reasons is the damage people cause to vehicles these days just to get a £5 part.
I have seen it myself, people just ripping out a completely good dash just to get a dial or clock, cutting off connectors because its easier than unfastening, making the loom useless.
I had to get Seat Belt tensioners for Cath's car, after removing the seats to get them off I replaced the seats back inside the car. I went back to the yard 3 hours later with a friend who needs some parts and both seats where out of the car on the ground in the pouring rain.
My local breakers have like most a designated area they use for dismantling vehicles, which can at times be very messy and covered in oil, etc.
The area where the general public have access to the vehicles should in my view be relatively tidy in comparison......but its like a **** TIP.

I honestly (if somewhat naively) think that when taking parts from a car, you should do it as if it was your own. Not do hundreds or pounds worth of damage for a £5 part. I helped Rob Bell remove a front sub-frame at the breakers a while ago, and I can honestly say that not one other part was damaged in the removal.

I guess we (the general public) have to accept some of the responsibility for the demise of these yards.

I have lost count of the times I have gone the breakers with no intension of getting anything at all, and come back trying to smuggle an exhaust, radiator and the likes past Cath's eagle eyes into the shed (never managed to do it yet), for the just in case pile for myself or others.

Yes I do realise that there are many worse things going on in the world, and much more traumatic things happen to loved ones and friends, but I shall greatly miss my rummaging (hording Cath calls it).

Totally agree Gary.

Mind you they know you - can they make a special case for you (and you're good friend? )

We took ages taking that rear subframe out ensuring that everything useable was kept for the owners to sell on - but I agree, that doesn't seem to be the same approach many others take, spoiling it for the rest of us.

[cath's mg]

Had some good news yesterday
Got a phone call from the breakers to say they had a MGF just come in with a silver hard top, and was I interested in it.
To be honest I didn't as Cath already has one, but thought what the heck ill get it and offer it to a Register member for what I paid for it (£225) when I had cleaned it up a bit.
Well collected the hard top yesterday and asked if I could have a look at the car, No problem was the reply
It had red leather seats with black piping, matching door cards, red hand break, gear stick gators and red leather steering wheel. It even had red leather trim around the wind break. All in a pretty good condition
We agreed a very fair price (£150) for the lot, and they said I could go there today and remove the bits myself
Now this may not sound a lot but it was a big break through for me to be allowed back in the yard to remove them

Now for the bad news
Phoned them up today to see if I could pop over and pay for the items and remove them when it stopped raining
I was told by the yard manager that some idiot had crushed the car early this morning......he was bloody furious
I couldn't believe it, the interior would have looked great in a red MGF/TF

[purplebargeken]

Noooooooooooo! Stupid fecker. I hope he gave the prat who did that a bollocking. What a bloody waste.

[cath's mg]

Noooooooooooo! Stupid fecker. I hope he gave the prat who did that a bollocking. What a bloody waste.

It gets even worse Ken, I went up there at 1 this afternoon to pick up a part for my mate. They told me the blue MGF I have been waiting for almost 2 months for it to be released by the insurance company, had been cleared this morning and I could go and have a look.
Went down to find it, asked the forklift truck driver where it was and they had crushed it at 12.00

[purplebargeken]

Whoever gave the ok to crush them should be kicked. Hard!

[talkingcars]

Bet they either had a better offer or one of the staff bought it. I've heard of and experienced similar myself in the past.