Many people tend to wonder where cars that have reached the end of their useful lives go to. Apparently, there are a lot of things that could happen to such cars. If you have ever wondered where cars go to die, then stay tuned.
They Become Classics
You may have a Peugeot 504 from the 1960s. This car may seem like it has been overtaken by technological advancement in the auto industry. However, you can sell it to a classic car collector and it eventually finds a new rank as a classic car.
Some cars are restored and their values shoot up. Therefore you can sell that classic car sitting in your garage even if you think it’s time it ended its life cycle.
It Becomes Totaled (written off)
A car that has been written off may seem like it has come to the end of its cycle and should head straight for the crushers. However, this is not always the case. A totaled car is a car that has been involved in an accident and is deemed damaged beyond repair.
In most cases, insurance company write off such cars because the cost of repairs is higher than the value of the car. However, a written-off car can still be repaired and sold.
It Goes To The Junk Yard
Most cars that have reached the end of their lives end up in junkyards. This is where the junkyard owners fish out the parts of the cars that are still in a good working position. The fished out parts are sold to second-hand auto shops or to car owners that are in need of them. At the end of the day, they make a good profit from these cars that have reached the end of their lives.
It Becomes A Movie TV Prop
You may have been asking yourself where movies and television productions get the cars that they destroy during the film. Well, now you know the answer. The cars that have reached the end of their cycles are used as props for explosions scenes especially when the car doesn’t need to be in motion. Using a brand new car during production is both wasteful and expensive. The cars that have reached the end of the life cycle are restored and used instead.
Into The crusher, To The Land Yonder
The moment dead cars are stripped of all their useful parts, they are put into a crusher and broken down into essential parts. Ultimately these crushed parts are turned into something new and functional, probably a new car. Isn’t it wonderful to know that your old car will be reborn as a new car somewhere?
Cars are the most recycled products in the world! Research shows that at least 95% of cars are reclaimed. Once the crusher is done flattening out the car, it goes through a shredder. From there it passes through a conveyor belt where all the steel bits are extracted using a magnet. From there the aluminium bits are harvested before what is left is either discarded or turned into different products. For instance, the carpet bits are used to make mats, air cleaner parts and even pedals.
Summary
If you feel your car has not yet reached the stage where it needs to meet the jaws of a crusher, you can still try and sell it as a private seller. On the other hand, you may choose to trade it in for a different car. However, if you feel its time it went to rest, you can choose to strip it down of the essential parts beforehand. It is totally up to you to decide where you want your car to go die.