Car salvage yards specialise in salvage vehicles which may have arrived at their premises for a variety of reasons. These include those which have been damaged in accidents, by fire, or flooding, or which have been stolen and later recovered. They may be sold to auto wrecking facilities by the insurance companies.

There are often special auctions for these kinds of vehicles which allow insurance companies to sell cars which are deemed to have been written off. Many of these vehicles still have plenty of life in them, and some may even be late models which are still under warranty. It is common for such cars to either be done up and sold to the public, or stripped for parts by auto junk places. The cars are classified as to whether they are junk or salvage by the vehicle junkyards. If they are done up to be sold on, then the seller must notify the buyer of any large mechanical faults that might void any remaining warranty.

Car salvage yards or body shops may also do up the cars and sell them to the public. Those that are not done up are stripped for parts by the car wrecking yard, which are then inventoried so that the public can search the lists. It is a very green way to treat cars as very little is wasted. In addition it can save the buyer a lot of money as used parts are significantly cheaper than new parts. Many of the parts from vehicle junkyards will have very little wear and tear, and could last a considerable length of time.

The auto salvaged facilities also ensure that all harmful pollutants are disposed of responsibly. All fluids are removed, as are batteries and tires. Anything that can be reused is recycled by the vehicle wrecking places. Once everything has been stripped out, the car is crushed by the car junk yard and the metal recycled into other products. Most car salvage yards will do their best to help a customer find the part they need, and many will ship to other parts of the country, or even contact other auto junk places.