Get the Most out of Your Parts Breaking Session

The breaking session is the most important part of a CAT B purchase and could even save you time and money if done well. Below, with the help of BreakerBid4U team member and breaking expert Elliott Lambeth (pictured), we’ve put together some top tips to ensure you get the most out of your BreakerBid4U breaking session:  

What should I do before the breaking session?

Research Part Prices

Chances are that you’ve bought a CAT B vehicle for the repair of another vehicle and aren’t looking to sell the parts straight on. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider the resell prices of parts from the vehicle you are breaking.

This research would give you an idea of the top-selling parts, and if you have time after you’ve taken the parts that you need, you’ll know where to focus your attention to make a good profit.

Parts which sell for the highest prices, usually include:

• Engines
• Gearboxes
• Rear axles
• Engine control units
• Airbags

Know Your Travel Route

If you’re travelling a long way to your breaking session, make sure you familiarise yourself with your route. Plan when you need to leave, to arrive at the facility for the beginning of your session.

Arriving late may mean that you are unable to dismantle the car in the time given and could see you paying extra for an additional breaking session.

What happens on the day of the breaking session?

As a BreakerBid4U customer, you’ll need to report to reception at 8:30 AM on the day of your pre-arranged session to sign in, be made aware of health and safety procedures and sign a disclaimer. The BreakerBid4U team will then come to greet you and escort you to your booked breaking bay.

Remember to:

• Take all tools and equipment with you as your vehicle will remain parked in a visitor bay for most of the day. You will be able to move your vehicle towards the end of your breaking session for ease of loading your dismantled parts.
• Wear steel toe capped shoes, a high visibility jacket and appropriate clothing such as long trousers. This is a health and safety requirement and failure to wear these could result in you being asked to leave.
• Bring plenty of fluids and food to keep you going through the day.

What essential tools should I bring?

Tools are not provided by Copart, so you must bring your own. The tools you need will always depend on the parts you want to break, but as a rule, we recommend you bring the following:

• Socket and ratchet spanner set – remember to bring all the different sizes
• Screwdrivers
• Allen keys
• Impact gun – a fantastic time-saving tool for undoing wheel nuts

Can I bring power tools? Yes, but they must be battery powered and fully charged before entering our premises as electrical points are not available on site.  

Is there a recommended breaking procedure?

Our breaking experts recommend that you:

• Start inside the vehicle – The inside is usually the most time-consuming part of the process so factor your limited time in and complete this first. Start by taking out bigger items like seats and then move around other items such as dashboards and doors.
• Work around to the front - Dismantling the bumper, headlights and anything under the bonnet.
• Finish at the rear - Once the bulk of the work has been completed, finish your breaking process at the rear of the vehicle by taking the tailgate, rear bumper and other parts.

Time-saving tips

1. When breaking the front, dismantle the bumper first and other parts such as the headlights will come off in one piece.
2. Decide if you want the engine, gearbox and rear axle before the session. We can organise for our team of breakers to dismantle these parts from the vehicle while you’re loading your transport with parts. One less thing for you to do!
3. If you’re planning to dismantle, move or load big parts, let the breaker team know and they’ll bring a forklift over to assist you.

Other Recommendations

Make sure your car or van is large enough to load all the parts that you need.

Bring boxes for smaller items such as nuts and bolts, and covers for larger items like doors. This will prevent them from being damaged during your journey home.

Have any further questions? Don’t hesitate to contact the BreakerBid4U team.

Feeling ready to take on your next breaking session? Submit your BB4U bid now.