December 2005

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Dear Tom and Ray:

I've been having a debate with my boyfriend about the possible defects in parts salvaged from cars that have been totaled. We were thinking of buying front-end parts (tie rods, idler arm) from an old, rear-ended Firebird. The car had rear-frame damage, and I thought it might be better to buy new parts instead of getting cheaper ones off the totaled car, since they could have damage from the accident, or might at least have endured a lot of stress. He says this could not be possible. Who's right? -- Joley

RAY: Well, it's unlikely that a rear-end accident would damage front-end components, Joley. Those parts in the front are pretty tough.

TOM: Even if the car was hit from behind and got spun around so that the car pivoted around the front wheels, those front-end parts wouldn't necessarily be damaged by that. They're designed to take a pretty good shot.

RAY: On the other hand, if the car was pushed from behind over a curb, or pushed up over the hood of a Good Humor truck, then stuff upfront could have been bent. So, it's important to check the specific parts before you buy and not take anyone's word about the details of the accident. If any of the protective boots are ripped on the ball joints or tie rods, or if there are other obvious signs of bending or wear, keep shopping.

TOM: In general, deciding which parts are OK to buy used is a complex calculation -- factoring in the amount of money you'd save, how easy it is to assess the used parts before you buy them, and the amount of labor involved in replacing them AGAIN if the used parts fail. We've done the calculations on a number of parts, and have posted the Savings-Risk Matrix on our Web site (www.cartalk.com). You'll find it in our Guide to Junkyards. In general, front-end parts have low risk and high savings potential.

RAY: Right. On some cars, the control arms and ball joints are expensive, one-piece units. You can save a considerable amount of money if you can find good used ones. So, despite the fact that this idea came from your boyfriend, Joley, it's actually not a terrible one.

Back to the December 2005 index

© 2005 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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