May 13 2008
Want to contribute to a greener world, but can't afford a new fuel-efficient hybrid vehicle? The answer may already be parked in your driveway.
“By requesting used vehicle parts for vehicle repair, consumers can have an immense impact on both the environment and their own pocketbooks,” says Joey Woodfin, founder and chief executive officer of EverDrive LLC, a leading supplier of recycled auto parts through both automotive aftermarket retailers and its online site www.EverDrive.com.
According to the Automotive Recyclers Association, based in Fairfax, Va., the business of automotive recycling has morphed beyond the wrecked- and smashed-car junkyards often pictured in television cop shows. Today, the industry uses sophisticated technology to recycle parts from more than 4 million motor vehicles annually in the United States and Canada. In part by reducing the mining and processing of natural resources and eliminating production of new parts, consumers who request used parts for vehicle repair already help save an estimated 85 million barrels of oil annually. A report from the Steel Recycling Institute in Pittsburgh says vehicle recycling in North America generates more than 14.5 million tons of steel annually, the equivalent of almost 13.5 million cars.
“Most consumers don’t know that automobiles are the most recycled consumer product in the world,” says Woodfin. “Greater awareness of the availability of quality, guaranteed used parts and increased use of these parts by consumers will contribute further to wise use of our natural resources. Virtually everyone faces the expense of car repairs. By simply requesting a used part almost every consumer can help the environment in a cost effective way.
“Quality used parts can be easily purchased at the thousands of stores operated by large auto parts retailers, such as O’Reilly’s, AutoZone and Pep Boys; online or from the more than 7,000 automotive recycling businesses in the United States,” says EverDrive’s Woodfin. “For recycling to have a broader environmental impact, it is important for consumers to have both easy access and confidence that they are purchasing a quality part that is the right part for their specific vehicle make and model.” EverDrive offers a vast inventory of used parts online or through its retail partners. The company’s preferred recycling partners, who supply EverDrive with parts, undergo a rigorous certification process that enables the company to include at no cost to the consumer a three-year unlimited mileage warranty on all its parts, whether they are sold through a retailer or direct to the consumer.
A Way to Save Money
As an extra bonus, installing a used replacement part is easier on the wallet. Because they are recycled, the used parts are Original Equipment Manufacturer parts, but can cost up to 50 percent less than a new part. The used part often comes with hardware and accessories not found on a new part, making installation easier and generating additional savings. “In a softer economy, consumers are looking for ways to save money,” says Woodfin. “Purchasing a used part versus a new part may save a few hundred dollars or several thousand dollars in addition to the positive environmental impact,” says Woodfin.