A car that no longer runs still has value. That is the message Lou Appel’s Auto Spares in Selby, Johannesburg is sharing with motorists this October, as households across South Africa start their spring clean-ups and take stock of the vehicles sitting idle on their properties. Some of those cars were written off after a collision. Others were caught in a flood, or simply broke down and stayed parked in the driveway while their owners weighed up the options. To help them decide, the business has explained step by step how it buys these vehicles.
A yard built on damaged vehicles
Lou Appel’s has dealt in second hand car parts under the family name for more than 90 years, and it is always on the lookout for accident damaged and non-running vehicles. Each car it buys is stripped on site, and the usable parts are put back into circulation for other drivers, mechanics and workshops.
Cars the business will buy
The yard takes vehicles in a broad range of conditions, including those with engine damage, water damage, mechanical faults or electrical problems. Whatever state the car is in, Lou Appel’s says it will offer a fair deal, and a damaged vehicle should not have to remain a burden for its owner.
Selling often makes more sense than paying for repairs that cost more than the car is worth, or watching it slowly deteriorate on the property. Even when a vehicle is uneconomical to fix, many of its components may still work well, and a yard that strips cars professionally can give those parts a second life.
How the sale works in six steps
Lou Appel’s has split its buying process into six stages, built to keep the sale quick and transparent for the seller.
Step 1: Getting in touch. Sellers reach the team by phone on 011 493 8260, by email or through the online form. A consultant replies within 24 hours, asks a few basic questions about the vehicle and requests photographs.
Step 2: Assessing the photos and details. The team works through the photographs and vehicle information to understand the car’s condition, then makes a preliminary offer. Lou Appel’s calls these offers fair and transparent.
Step 3: Agreeing and booking an inspection. If the seller accepts the preliminary offer, an in-person inspection is booked. It usually takes place the day after all photos and details have come in, at a time that suits the seller.
Step 4: Confirming the offer. An assessor examines the vehicle and confirms the offer. According to Lou Appel’s, there are no hidden fees or extra charges.
Step 5: Completing the paperwork. With the inspection done, the team handles the paperwork on site. Sellers can speed this up by having the following ready: proof that the vehicle licence is current, the original vehicle registration document, a certified ID copy of the owner or title holder, proof of residence dated within the last three months, and their banking details.
Step 6: Payment and collection. The seller is paid instantly, after which Lou Appel’s removes the vehicle from the property. The business recognises that parting with a car can be hard and aims to make this last step quick and respectful.
From damaged car to reusable parts
All the vehicles the business buys supply its stripping operation in Booysens Road, Selby. As one of the longest standing used parts yards in Johannesburg, Lou Appel’s keeps a wide range of makes and models at its Scrap Yard, where cars are carefully stripped so that every usable component is ready to be sold again. Where possible, parts are inspected and tested, and with new vehicles arriving regularly the stock of engines, gearboxes, body panels, electrical parts and other components changes often.
A large share of that stock is engines. A dedicated engine room holds local and imported second hand petrol and diesel engines and gearboxes, and the website listings cover brands such as Audi, BMW, Ford, Toyota, Volkswagen, Nissan, Opel, KIA and many more. Anyone after Engines for sale can browse by brand online or phone the team for advice on compatibility, specifications and installation requirements before buying.
This is how the two sides of the business fit together. A car damaged in a front end collision, for instance, may still have a healthy engine, gearbox or rear body panels. By buying that car, stripping it and testing the parts, the yard lets another Johannesburg motorist fix their own vehicle with a quality part instead of paying dealership prices for a new one.
Who buys from the yard
Private car owners, mechanics, workshops and fleet operators all buy from Lou Appel’s. Demand for used Engines is especially strong among motorists hoping to keep an otherwise sound car on the road after an engine failure, and among workshops that need a dependable replacement unit for a client. The business says each engine is inspected so that buyers receive a reliable product.
For all other parts, there is a request a part service. Customers share their vehicle’s make, model and year along with the part they need, using either the website form or WhatsApp, and the team responds with availability and pricing.
A family business across three generations
The story begins with Max Appel, a blacksmith who bought the land the yard still occupies. His son, Lou Appel, set up a second hand parts business on the site, which is thought to have first been known as Lou Appel’s Motor Graveyard. Lou Appel died in February 1982, and in January 1983 his son Raymond established Lou Appel’s Auto Spares TVL (Pty) Ltd to carry the business forward. Raymond sold a major portion of the business to his son in 2014, taking it into a third generation.
This history is part of why the business calls itself the home of a million spares, and why it has the infrastructure to buy, strip and resell vehicles at scale.
When to visit
The yard is open Monday to Thursday from 08:00 to 17:00, Friday from 08:00 to 16:30 and Saturday from 08:30 to 12:30. It is closed on Sundays, and customers should phone ahead on public holidays. To sell a damaged or non-running vehicle, request a part or look through the engine listings, motorists can visit https://louappels.co.za/.
About Lou Appel’s Auto Spares
Lou Appel’s Auto Spares is a used auto spares business on Booysens Road in Selby, Johannesburg. It sells second hand car parts, engines, gearboxes and body parts for most vehicle makes and models, strips vehicles at its own yard and buys accident damaged and non-running cars. Trading under the Lou Appel name for more than 90 years, the business is now in its third generation of family ownership.
Media Contact
Lou Appel’s Auto Spares
Email: info@louappels.co.za
Phone: +27 11 493 8260
Website: https://louappels.co.za/
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