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Health & Fitness

Go green and save with rebuilt auto parts

Rebuilt auto parts can cost 25 percent to 50 percent less than new replacement parts, and they offer benefits to the environment, as well.

At CARS of America, we often get questions from clients about the pros and cons of using rebuilt auto parts. There are a lot of financial and environmental reasons for choosing rebuilt parts. According to the Automotive Parts Remanufacturers Association (APRA), a properly "rebuilt" automotive part is the functional equivalent of a new part and is virtually indistinguishable from a new part. A whole host of rebuilt auto parts are available, including alternators, distributors, fuel pumps, water pumps, A/C compressors, starter motors, radiators and suspension and transmission components.

When a part goes through the remanufacturing process, the part must be completely disassembled, cleaned and examined for wear and breakage. Worn out, missing or non-functioning components are replaced with new or rebuilt components. Electrical parts frequently need rewinding or rewiring. After all work is done, the part is reassembled and tested for compliance with performance specifications.

Remanufactured engine parts can cost 25-50 percent less than domestically made new replacement parts, according to APRA. At CARS of America, rebuilt parts come with a 90-day warranty.

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In addition to saving you money, rebuilt and remanufactured parts offer other benefits:

  • Landfill space conservation: Landfills are spared from the dumping of millions of tons of iron, aluminum, copper, etc., because of the monetary value the industry places on parts. This "core charge" ensures parts are returned to be rebuilt.
  • Air pollution reduction: Once again, keeping parts out of the resmelting process benefits the environment by reducing the air pollution that is generated by resmelting.
  • Energy conservation: Automotive and truck parts are kept out of the resmelting process longer because of remanufacturing. As a result, millions of barrels of oil or comparable forms of energy are saved.
  • Raw material conservation: Remanufacturing gives a product numerous lives instead of just one, thereby saving on raw materials. Rebuilders annually save millions of tons of natural resources such as iron, aluminum, copper, etc.

Brian Blohm is the Service Manager and Managing Partner - Operations CARS of America in Glenview. He is an ASE-Certified Automotive Service Technician and ASE-Certified Service Advisor with more than 25 years of automotive experience. A graduate of Triton College with an associate's degree in Automotive Technology, he has continued his training and education with the Automotive Training Institute and RL O'Connor. You can reach Brian via email at brianb@carsofamericainc.com or by phone at (847) 961-4363.

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