Dismantlers and surplus yards are an invaluable source of spare parts for anyone with a mind to upgrade or replace worn-out bits in their pride and joy. They are two different things though: components sold by dismantlers (or breakers) have already been used; retailers of new, old stock (surplus) buy up end-of-line items from manufacturers and sell them to workshops, dealers and members of the public.
Dismantlers take insurance write-offs, or just old ’vans that private owners no longer want, strip them for parts and sell them on. Using
a reputable firm means that you can have confidence
in recycled parts and, subsequently, peace of mind.
Dismantlers’ warehouses look like a bewildering jumble of parts to the untrained eye, with door handles, gas lights, blinds, windows, kitchen sinks and the like. But the parts will cost you less than buying new, and you’ll often find that if they haven’t got the part, then they’ll know another dismantler who has.
Many dismantlers, such as Hunmanby Caravans, in Filey, North Yorkshire, will put parts in the post, so call them before you go – but make sure you’re talking about exactly the same part. Some even offer a spare parts fitting service – be sure to ask if you don’t feel confident doing the work yourself.
But what about surplus yards? O’Leary Motorhomes is a good example. The premises are tucked away off the busy A1174, north west of Hull.
As we entered O’Leary’s, the phone seemed to be ringing almost constantly. “It doesn’t stop,” warned manager Russell Heath. “Have a look around while I take this one…”
Although O’Leary’s also stocks various cleaning potions and other accessories, the bulk of its business is tracking down parts for ’vans that dealers or workshops have failed to find.
The majority of items for sale have been bought by the firm as surplus stock from the many motorhome, caravan, and holiday home manufacturers in the surrounding area.
Inside O’Leary’s premises, you notice that telephone enquires about products and stock take place with little reference to paperwork, computers or much else. Russell and his colleague Kev Golby answer most queries instantly and have the majority of the inventory information available from memory.
One of the big problems for a parts business is ascertaining whether the customer at the other end of the phone is talking about the same item that the guys at O’Leary’s have in their hand. Russell says: “Most of the time, we know what part they are after almost before they do, because we’ve come across the enquiry many times before. Once we’re satisfied that we’re both talking about the same part, we can box it up and send it.”
It’s not an approach that works for smaller items, though. “For trim, clips and other little bits, we ask people to send us the item that needs replacing, or to email us a picture,” explains Russell.
“It minimises the chances of sending out the wrong bits.
“With some older motorhomes we sometimes have to make the best of what’s available. If we haven’t got the right part we are often able to suggest an alternative.”
As for stock availability, Russell reckons that most people will find what they are after as his stock volumes are considerable: as well as the shop there is a warehouse, and shipping containers packed to the gills with spares.
O’Leary’s even has a website but Russell says the problem is finding time to put the latest products online: “We get a lot of enquiries so we can’t keep the site as up to date as we’d like. The best advice is to phone.” And, as he said that, someone did.
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