In the latest Trend Tracker* Report on the UK Body Repair Market, it was revealed as part of a bodyshop survey that ‘green recycled parts’ are being used by 41.7% of respondents as an alternative to OE parts, with 48.9% stating ‘no’ they do not use green parts.

Market analyst and Trend Tracker’s director, Mark Bull FIMI, states within the report: “It strikes us that bodyshops are becoming more accepting of green parts, which if correct, is all credit to the salvage sector in addressing early concerns around on-time distribution and quality of part received, thus building the bodyshops’ confidence in purchasing green parts.

“What could be the driver for this apparent increase in green ‘recycled’ parts? According to the 41.7% of respondents that use green parts, private customers – 41.7% – are the biggest driver, with motor insurers – 33.3% – being a close second reason. Several insurers have encouraged fitment of green parts via pilot schemes for many years for environmental and cost reasons and they appear to be paying dividend in both departments. Accident managers were recorded at 5.7% with ‘other’ being recorded at 19.5%.”

Two other driving forces are also increasing the pace of change for the acceptance of green recycled parts; the public may see green parts more favourably, and Brexit-linked shortages may encourage their adoption. These factors and that of the vehicle dismantling and recycling industry better presenting the benefits of re-using parts that have provenance to the public, insurers and bodyshops alike, are bearing fruit in an ever environmentally aware society.

Another boost to the increasing use of recycled parts is that of one of the UK’s leading insurers, Ageas; it is believed that the concept of green parts has reached a tipping point. Now that a leading insurer has gone to its roster of bodyshops and demonstrated the benefits of this approach, the whole thing will go mainstream and become the accepted way to source lower cost, OEM parts.

Robin Challand, Claims Director at Ageas, points to the environmental benefits as a key attraction. “These parts have been named green parts because not only do they save a car from being written off, using this type of part saves a new part from having to be manufactured. It is better than recycling, it is reducing demand for precious resources and giving new purpose to good parts that would otherwise be discarded,” he says.

“The most commonly replaced parts are front and rear plastic bumpers and headlamps. These are replaced on average in 25 per cent of repairs and so we can see a real opportunity to use this environmentally friendly solution in more than 15 per cent of repairs each year, keeping our customers on the road in their cherished vehicles,” added Robin.

The whole of the supply chain is now seeing the true benefit of utilising recycled green parts, which can make accident repairs more economical, reducing the customer churn that comes with a written-off vehicle, and also bodyshops are being encouraged to fit green parts in ‘shared savings’ schemes with insurers, boosting their margins. Everyone wins, including the end-consumer, who gets a repair done more economically and has the satisfaction of knowing they’ve done their bit for the environment.

* Trend Tracker Limited is a business dedicated to providing accurate and informed automotive industry research. It specifically concentrates on the UK car body repair and the UK motor insurance sectors, including their associated supply chains.

New insurance categories for total loss vehicles were introduced from October 1, 2017 to help keep dangerous crash-damaged vehicles off the road.

The new set of codes replaced the previous A, B, C and D write-off categories with new classes to reflect the increasingly complex repairs of new cars, according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), which coordinates the codes.

Complex repairs have made it harder for insurers and body shops to determine how to safely fix cars and the new classes place greater emphasis on the condition of the vehicle rather than repair costs, so that vehicles which should be scrapped won’t be sent back on to the road.

The previous A, B, C, D classes have been replaced by the following:

•  A: Scrap
•  B: Break
•  S: Structurally damaged repairable
•  N: Non-structurally damaged repairable

Category A

SCRAP only. These vehicles are deemed not suitable to be repaired and must be crushed, without any parts being removed, at an Authorised Treatment Facility (such as Allparts). A Certificate of Destruction is created to notify the DVLA with the information also recorded with the HPI.

Category B

BREAK for recycled parts. These vehicles are deemed not suitable for repair. Usable parts from these vehicles can be recycled, provided that the body shell is destroyed. Like Category A vehicles, only ATFs such as Allparts can handle and process vehicles in this category.

Category S

REPAIRABLE vehicles which have sustained damage to any part of the structural frame or chassis and the insurer/self-insured owner has decided not to repair the vehicle. These vehicles can, however, be sold on for repair and legally returned to the road, often at very attractive cost.

Category N

REPAIRABLE vehicles which have not sustained damage to the structural frame or chassis and the insurer/self-insured owner has decided not to repair the vehicle. These vehicles are typically sold for repair, and are understandably more attractive to potential purchasers.

Allparts specialises in sourcing repairable vehicles direct from insurance companies; our current stock of vehicles is listed here and can be inspected at our Recycling Centre in Exeter.

Even new tyres are part worn once fitted to a vehicle!

THE LAW:  Consumer Protection Act – Motor Vehicle Tyres (Safety) Regulations 1994

1. All our tyres are inspected for structural integrity and are not sold unless free from all defects.
2. All our tyres pass an inflation test prior to sale.
3. The law says tyres can be sold with a minimum tread depth of 2mm across the full width of the tyre.
   Our tyres are guaranteed a minimum 3mm tread depth.
   Our Gold Standard tyres have a minimum 5mm tread depth.

Our tyres fully comply with the law governing the sale of part worn tyres.

We also sell new tyres at unbeatable prices.

Free fitting as standard on all tyres.

Tyre markings explained

215  =  Section width of tyre in millimeters

60    =  Profile (height of sidewall as percentage of section width)

R16  =  Diameter of wheel rim in inches

91v  =  Maximum load and speed rating

For many years, countries around the world have ignored the environmental benefits of re-using vehicle parts, preferring to manufacture new parts and ship them – sometimes thousands of miles – to refit to a damaged or mechanically deficient vehicle.

Insurance companies in the UK always fit new for old when repairing an accident damaged vehicle. Whereas , in complete contrast, the USA has for many years advocated the use of recycled panels. So a five-year-old car will be repaired with good quality replacements from a similar vehicle either the same age or newer.

Now the French government is implementing a new law effective 1^st January 2017 described as “Energy Transition for Green Growth”. All professionals involved in the maintenance and repair of motor vehicles are required to offer consumers recycled or remanufactured parts.

Common sense dictates that to protect the Environment we all have responsibility to re-use product wherever and whenever we can.

Allparts has thousands of quality Green Recycled Parts in stock, with new inventory being added on a daily basis (see our current stock of Recycled Parts). We also have access to a large partner network. Call our experienced advisors on 01392 420 460 or email us with details of your requirements.

Green Recycled Parts are reusable, eco-friendly products, harvested in an efficient, environmentally responsible process from other motor vehicles that provide components for replacement or repair services.

Why use Recycled Green Parts?

There are many compelling reasons why you should select Green Recycled Parts. Here are a few:

• Recycled parts save an estimated 80 billion barrels of oil annually
• The amount of toxic oils and fluids safely reclaimed by auto recyclers is equivalent eight Exxon Valdez disasters every year
• Over 90% of the entire vehicle by weight is reused, re-manufactured or recycled. That’s a big impact
• You save up to 75% of the cost of a new part. We rigorously test and warrant our parts and, of course, the part is original equipment. A lot of parts we sell come from late, low mileage vehicles.

What makes them Green?

The innovative, environmentally-friendly recovery and reuse of quality parts from all motor vehicles for economical service and repair make these parts earth-friendly. By selecting Green Recycled Parts you can contribute to this philosophy.

Allparts has thousands of quality Green Recycled Parts in stock, with new inventory being added on a daily basis (see our current stock of Recycled Parts). We also have access to a large partner network. Call our experienced advisors on 01392 420 460 or email us with details of your requirements.

Allparts provides services to many large insurance companies, handling their customers’ accident-damaged vehicles.

Some we sell on for repair (see our current stock of Repairable Vehicles).

Others we dismantle for spare parts, known in the industry as Green Parts (see our current stock of Recycled Green Parts).

We also process end of life vehicles (ELV), which involves removing all the harmful fluids and toxic elements and disposing of them in an environmentally friendly way, and in accordance with the European ELV Directives 2003/2005/2010.

Allparts is an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) and licenced by the Environment Agency and local authority. We are contracted to most major car manufacturers to provide this service for them.

In 2003, the Vehicle Identity Check (VIC) scheme was introduced by the Department for Transport (DfT) to reduce car ringing (amongst other vehicle crimes) which cost the UK economy an estimated £3 billion annually. Car “ringing” involves passing off stolen cars as accident/damage repaired vehicles. This often led to innocent motorists purchasing a car which they later discovered to be stolen.

The VIC scheme meant that any vehicle written off by insurers would have a marker placed against it on DVLA records and the DVLA would not issue a replacement V5 (logbook) until the vehicle had been subjected to a VIC test and passed. This test proved the vehicle’s identity and allowed the DVLA to issue a replacement V5C. The VIC scheme applied to all Cat A, B & C vehicles destined to be returned to the road. (See here for more information about the ABI salvage vehicle categories).

Since October 2015, those looking to get Cat C vehicles back on the road no longer need to book a VIC test slot; they can instead proceed to secure a replacement V5 log book from the DVLA (free of charge) in the normal manner. It is no longer possible to obtain a V5 certificate for Cat A and B vehicles.

The abolition of the VIC scheme has made it cheaper and less time consuming to get a Cat C vehicle back on the road. It is no longer necessary to pay £41 for the VIC test, together with the costs involved in transporting the vehicle to and from the test centre. This, combined with the time saved transporting your vehicle and the potential for a waiting list of up to six weeks, has made it a much more attractive proposition to purchase a Cat C vehicle and get it back on the road.

Allparts specialises in sourcing repairable vehicles direct from insurance companies; our current stock of vehicles is listed here and can be inspected at our Recycling Centre in Exeter.

It’s never been easier to get a damaged vehicle back on the road legally.

According to Accident Exchange, one of the largest accident management companies in Europe, over one in ten collisions results in a vehicle not being repaired by the insurance company.

Data analysis shows that the number of cars treated this way annually now exceeds 257,000 at a cost approaching £2billion.

New car owners were found to be surprisingly susceptible; more than two percent of vehicles – over 5,000 – are less than 12-months old.

Not surprisingly, there is a clear summer-winter divide in the frequency of accidents, with the summer months of May, June and July seeing the fewest, but the final quarter of the year accounting for up to 30 percent of the annual total.

Cat C & D vehicles (see here for more information about the ABI salvage vehicle categories) can be repaired and legally returned to the road, often at very attractive cost. Allparts specialises in sourcing repairable vehicles direct from insurance companies; our current stock of vehicles is listed here and can be inspected at our Recycling Centre in Exeter.