How to Extend the Life of Your Car’s Transmission

Posted on September 23, 2019 by gardencity

The transmission inside your vehicle is one of the most critical engine components. Without it, your wheels won’t move. In order to preserve your vehicle for as long as possible, it is in your best interest to maintain the transmission to the best of your ability. Otherwise, transmission troubles can quickly worsen, and even lead to entire transmission failure. Fortunately, transmission care is straightforward and easy. And in the case that your transmission blows, there is a pleasing recourse that might help you pay for a replacement.

Continue reading to learn more about transmission maintenance, including how to get payment relief for a new one.

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If you want your transmission to last a long time, plus withstand natural wear and tear along the way, be sure you add these priorities to your maintenance plan:

⛮ Transmission Fluid Monitoring

There are many variables that influence how to properly check a car or truck’s transmission fluid. It depends on the make and model of the vehicle, as well as, other more specific factors. For example, in most cases it is instructed to leave the car engine on while checking the transmission fluid. However, if you are driving a Honda, the engine needs to be turned off.

In a Dodge, the car needs to be in neutral while applying the emergency brake. With all the different rules and elements that apply to each make and model, it is strongly suggested to have a professional car repair and maintenance shop take a look for you. Most auto repair shops are willing to check car and truck fluids for free, so be sure to take advantage of this when it comes to changing fluids in your ride.

⛮ Transmission Fluid Leak Detection

Transmission fluid repair technicians advise drivers to have their car or truck looked at professionally because it can be difficult determining where a leak originated from in a car or truck. The technicians will start an inspection to find the source of the leak. Often times, this type of inspection is accompanied with a small fee, usually around $75 or so.

However, if you have the leak repaired at the same place it was inspected, the fee is typically waived. When an auto mechanic technician facilitates an inspection to seek out a transmission leak, they will check everything from the cooler lines to the differential cover. Somewhere in between they will typically find the leak and can assess its severity.

⛮ Never Drive With a Transmission Leak

Many people on the road have transmission leaks and don’t even know it. These minor leaks can go unnoticed to an amateur eye. This does not mean that it is safe to drive with a transmission leak or any other car fluid leak. Minor leaks typically do not impose an immediate danger when it comes to driving, but they will most certainly lead to more severe damages to other car parts. Corrosion and deterioration will occur to pumps, seals, and more. These damages are costly and can be avoided by having a transmission fluid leak repaired right away.

⛮ Learn About Transmission Rebuilds

A common question regarding transmissions is about rebuilds. Rebuilding transmissions is a costly repair that can be avoided prematurely through regular service, maintenance, and care. However, there always comes a time in a car or truck’s life when the transmission needs rebuilding or replacing.

A few telltale signs that a transmission is on its last leg are as follows: if the gear is slipping in and out, if the engine is revving high when the vehicle is moving moderately or slow, if it will not go in reverse, and many more. If any of these are happening when driving your truck or car, call a professional auto repair company in your area, and have it inspected right away.

⚠ If your transmission fails, and you need to buy a new one, scrap your old one for some instant cash! Then use this cash to pay for your new auto part!

Where to Scrap Old Auto Parts in Indiana

Call Garden City Iron & Metal at 1-888-586-5322 to scrap used auto parts in Indianapolis, Indiana. We pay cash on the spot for all metal and metal commodities, including vehicles, car parts, appliances, construction equipment, farming equipment, and much more! Collect all the scrap metal you can, and then sell it to us for the highest profit in town! Request a free estimate or information, today.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Metal Recycling

Posted on September 9, 2019 by gardencity

Preserving our planet’s natural resources is something that should be at the top of everyone’s priority list. After all, our planet is our only home, and we must take care of it and sustain it for as long as human kind exists. One of the most positively influential initiatives that help our global societies meet these goals is metal recycling. You see, metal is 100% recyclable, and can be reprocessed and reused over and over again, indefinitely! By recycling all junk that contains metal, we can help reduce the need to mine for new ores, and much more!

Are you interested in recycling metal in your community? If so, you will be pleased to learn how easy it can be! Continue reading to review some frequently asked questions about metal recycling, and get the information you need to get started on the right track.

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What are the Full Benefits of Metal Recycling?

As mentioned, the metal recycling enterprise allows us to mine less for new ores to make metal, which preserves our natural resources and reduces air pollution and waste runoff. But metal recycling also stimulates the economy in many ways, such as providing jobs, common spending, and more. Now, here comes a surprise benefit: metal recycling can also make you cash. That’s right; you can sell your scrap metal and get paid cash on the spot for it, according to the current market values.

Which Metal Can Be Recycled?

As mentioned, all metal is 100% recyclable. The most common types of metal scrapped are ferrous and non-ferrous metal. See our blog, “The Discerning Attributes of Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metal” to learn the difference between the two. Iron and steel are the most commonly recycled ferrous and nonferrous metals. Other metals to recycle include copper, brass, aluminum, and precious metals.

What Makes a Metal Precious?

Precious metals are rare, naturally-occurring, and retain high economic value. They are mostly used for currency, jewelry, and industrial applications. Common precious metals include gold, silver, platinum, palladium, zirconium, tungsten, and cobalt.

What Things Contain Metal and Can Be Recycled?

There are literally hundreds of thousands of commodities out there that contain recyclable metal. If you are looking for some items to get started with, look no further than your pantry for aluminum soup and soda cans! Other recyclable items with metal include electronics, appliances, cars, boats, power tools, construction equipment, and more.

Where Can I Sell Scrap Metal?

In order to sell scrap metal in Indiana, you must first locate a trusted scrap metal recycling center. There are many fly-by-the-night businesses that will not offer you a fair payout for your materials, so be sure to do your research and find a scrap metal buyer that has been in business for some time and has good customer reviews.

Which Scrap Metal Buyers Will Pay Me the Most in Indiana?

Call Garden City Iron & Metal at 1-888-586-5322 to sell scrap metal for cash in Central and Southern Indiana. Our Indianapolis scrap metal buyers pay cash on the spot for both ferrous and non-ferrous metals, including junk cars, automotive parts, appliances, construction equipment, motorized farming equipment, and more.

Our scrap metal recycling services divert hundreds of pounds of metal waste each year, thus helping to reduce landfills and support the initiative to maintain a healthy balance of trade and resource sustainability in the United States. Our commitment to this meaningful enterprise is just as strong as our commitment to providing outstanding service for our clientele.

Most Valuable Metals in Junk Cars

Posted on August 19, 2019 by gardencity

You will soon learn that the number one way to get paid for a junk car is to visit a local scrap metal yard, or metal processing center that retains the proper equipment and tools to strip it themselves. By choosing a junk car salvager that does everything in-house, you are cutting out the middleman, which in return, puts more money in your pocket.

Continue reading to learn which metals junk car buyers are interested in acquiring, and how to get started on selling a junk car in Indiana.

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If you were to strip a junk car of all its parts, and then sell them to a scrap metal yard piece by piece, you have an opportunity to make some great cash. That is because junk cars are full of all sorts of metal constituents, all of which can be recycled and reprocessed over and over again. But if you can’t dismantle your junk car on your own, don’t feel defeated; you are not alone. In fact, it is quite rare for a person to dismantle a vehicle without technical training and specialized equipment.

Scrap Metal in Junk Cars

Almost 95% of a vehicle can be recycled, and almost 65% of all vehicles are made from metal components. Car parts that contain platinum, rhodium, or palladium mostly include catalytic converters. Other metals are found in parts like the chassis, frame, tail pipe, engine, muffler, wheels, car frame, chassis, radiator, cylinder heads, pistons, starters, alternators, electrical wiring, and more.

But most metal recycling centers don’t just buy junk vehicles; they also buy any and all motorized commodities, including motorcycles, scooters, mopeds, golf carts, construction equipment, farming equipment, boats, jet skis, tractors, lawn mowers, forklifts, watercrafts, airplanes, and anything else that ran on fuel. If it has or used to have a motor, they’ll pay cash for it based on the current market prices for metal.

Here are some of the most commonly sought-after metals found in junk cars:

✅ Platinum
✅ Rhodium
✅ Palladium
✅ Iron
✅ Steel
✅ Aluminum
✅ Copper
✅ Lead
✅ And More

How to Sell a Junk Car in Indiana

Call Garden City Iron & Metal at 1-888-586-5322 to sell a junk car in Indianapolis, Indiana and its surrounding regions. We pay cash on the spot for all scrap metal and metal commodities, including appliances, vehicles, construction equipment, building materials, and much more! Collect all the scrap metal you can, and then sell it to us for the highest profit in town! Request a free estimate or information, today.

Top Rust Prevention Tips

Posted on August 9, 2019 by gardencity

Ferrous metal is prone to oxidation, which in turn, creates what we know as rust. In order to prevent that orange-brown discoloration we communally detest so much, you must take certain precautions when choosing, storing, and fabricating your metal commodities.

Continue reading to learn the top industry tips for rust prevention.

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☑ Know the Cause of Rust Formation

Rust is simply a form of iron oxide. You see, it takes two very specific elements to produce rust: moisture and oxygen. Upon such exposure, the properties in metal will begin to interact with the properties in water and oxygen, which in turn, causes the iron in metal to corrode. In cases of salt water, the corrosion rate is even faster. In order to prevent rust formation, you have two primary choices:

☑ Maintain a Proper Environment for Metal

Keep your metal away from any type of water or moisture. This means you should not store your valued metal commodities in areas that get wet, or that experience condensation or humidity. If you must store your metal commodity in an environment that is prone to these conditions, you may need to consider the next option.

☑ Use Anti-Corrosive Metals

Another way to prevent rust formation on your valued metal commodities is to simply stick with metals that are non-ferrous (no iron content), or metals that retain anti-corrosive properties. Metals that are galvanized, powder-coated, or resistant to corrosion, such as stainless steel or weathering steel, are better-suited for wet or moist environments. Common types of nonferrous metals include copper, aluminum, lead, nickel, zinc, and brass.

✨ Stay tuned this month for our next blog about the most common types of corrosion-resistant techniques for metal!

How to Profit From Your Scrap Metal

Call Garden City Iron & Metal at 1-888-586-5322 to sell scrap metal for cash in Central and Southern Indiana. We pay cash on the spot for both ferrous and non-ferrous metals, including junk cars, automotive parts, appliances, construction equipment, motorized farming equipment, and more. Request a free estimate for your scrap metal, today.

5 Fundamental Categories of Metal

Posted on July 26, 2019 by gardencity

If you are entering into the world of scrap metal recycling, it will help to learn which metals you will likely come by and how their particular properties can affect your overall profit. Although there are various kinds of metals and metal alloys, most can fit into one of five basic categories. The top five fundamental categories arguably include ferrous, nonferrous, precious, base, and noble metals.

Continue reading to learn some facts about each category, as well as, how to get started with earning money for your scrap metal.

❶ Ferrous Metals

The word “ferrous” translates to “of iron”, so ferrous metals are those that contain iron. Iron retains magnetic properties, which means that magnets will attract to commodities that are primarily comprised of iron. However in some cases, the concentration of iron is too weak to attract a magnet, so additional equipment would be necessary in determining its true composition. The most common types of ferrous metals include wrought iron, cast iron, mild steel, carbon steel, and stainless steel.

❷ Nonferrous Metals

In contrast to ferrous metal, non-ferrous metals do not contain any iron content. If a magnet does not attract to an item, you can safely assume that it is nonferrous. Common types of nonferrous metals include copper, aluminum, lead, nickel, zinc, and brass.

❸ Precious Metals

Precious metals can be either ferrous or nonferrous, as they are any metal that retains high economic value and is a rare, naturally-occurring element. Common precious metals include gold and silver, but others high in value include platinum, zirconium, tungsten, cobalt, ruthenium, palladium, iridium, osmium, and rhodium.

❹ Noble Metals

Noble metals are still a debated category, as they are not always well-defined. However, for those who side with the categorization, noble metals are best defined as those that filled electron d-band. Under this definition, examples of noble metals would include gold, silver, and copper. Others suggest noble metals are those that resists oxidation and corrosion in moist air, which would exclude copper, but add in certain precious metals, like rhodium, palladium, ruthenium, osmium, and iridium.

❺ Base Metals

Base metals are metals that cannot, and are not, noble nor precious. In fact, a base metal is the opposite of a noble metal. On the other hand, silver could be an exception to this rule since it is sometimes used as a base metal for gold and platinum coatings. See our blog, “What are Base Metals?” to learn more about this category of metal.

Looking for a Scrap Metal Buyer in Indiana?

Call Garden City Iron & Metal at 1-888-586-5322 to recycle scrap metal in Indianapolis, Indiana. We buy and recycle any and all scrap metal and metal-containing commodities, regardless of condition. Whether it is covered in rust or not, we will accept anything with metal, including appliances, vehicles, auto parts, farm equipment, construction equipment and materials, boats, watercrafts, scooters, motorcycles, RVs, and more! Request a free estimate, today.

Why are Scrap Metal Prices Lower This Year?

Posted on June 24, 2019 by gardencity

If you sold some scrap metal last year for more than what you just sold some scrap metal for this year, there is a good reason why your profits are less. Continue reading to learn some possible causes for the drop in the scrap metal market, as well as, where you can still get a fair payout for your scrap here in Indiana.

Fluctuating Scrap Metal Prices

Back in the day, China’s economy was in the midst of rapid economic growth, which put steel, copper, aluminum and other metals in high demand. As a supplier of such metals, the U.S. was doing well in their own national metal markets. More currently, China’s growth has slowed down, which subsequently has caused the price of scrap metal to plummet over the last few years.

But China’s economy is not the only reason why scrap metal prices have dropped in the last 2 years. Other factors, such as time, market demand, and stock exchange price also affect how the values of scrap metal change. For this reason, what you would have been paid for your scrap metal years ago is much less now, in 2019.

How to Get the Most for Your Scrap Metal

To make sure you get the fairest deal for your scrap metal, be sure to choose a reputable scrapper in your city. There are many places that will take your scrap metal, and most even pay cash, but it is important to choose a trustworthy and experienced company that specializes in salvaging scrap metal.

Contact a local Indianapolis scrap metal buyer who has been in business for many years and retains a good-standing reputation among past clientele. They are likely to do the best business in terms of flexibility, convenience, honesty, and profitability.

Once you have chosen a reputable scrap metal recycler, just follow call the office and request a free, over-the-phone estimate. Upon accepting their offer, schedule a time for them to pick up your materials. They should come right to you and pay you on the spot. If they cannot do this for you, they are probably not the most established or thriving company in your area.

If you are unsure about accepting the offer, ask them for their location details and a time to have your items assessed on-site. They should have innovative weight scales to provide accurate measurements. You will need to drive your materials to them in this case.

Where to Begin

What are Base Metals?

Posted on June 7, 2019 by gardencity

Base metals are basically any common metal that is not a noble metal nor precious metal. Still confused? Not to worry; continue reading to learn what all of these terms mean, as well as, some examples of each.

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Base Metals

As mentioned, a base metal is any common metal that cannot be categorized as noble or precious. Silver may be an exception to this rule, as it is sometimes used as a base metal for gold and platinum coatings. Furthermore, they are generally the most readily available and inexpensive metals. Base metals are also more prone to corrosion, oxidation, and tarnishing. Examples of base metals include lead, copper, tin, aluminum, and zinc. Brass and bronze are alloys of these metals, making them base metals as well.

Another interesting fact about the properties of base metals is that they produce hydrogen gas when diluted with hydrochloric acid. This practice is primarily used for galvanizing applications.

Base metals have a second definition as being the primary metallic element in an alloy. For instance, the base metal of bronze is copper. Similarly, the term base metal can take on the definition as the metal core underlying a coating. For example, steel may be the base metal of galvanized steel. And as mentioned, silver is sometimes coated in gold or rhodium, making it the base metal of those commodities.

Precious and Noble Metals

Precious metals are rare, naturally-occurring elemental metals with high economic value. Throughout history, they were used as currency. Even today, there are still sold and traded as investments, as well as, among private buyers and sellers. Examples include gold, silver, platinum, tungsten, zirconium, cobalt, palladium, rhodium, osmium, and iridium.

Noble metals are a grouping of metals that resist oxidation and corrosion in moist or humid air. Common examples in order of increasing atomic number include ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, osmium, iridium, platinum, and gold. However, there are multiple “list” for noble metals, as some contain mercury while other may include rhenium. Some lists include gold, silver and copper, but leave out all others.

How to Profit From Scrap Metal in Indiana

Call Garden City Iron & Metal at 1-888-586-5322 to sell scrap metal in Indiana. We pay cash on the spot for all metal and metal commodities, including vehicles, car parts, appliances, construction equipment, farming equipment, and much more! Collect all the scrap metal you can, and then sell it to us for the highest profit in town! Request a free estimate or information, today.

Are You Looking for Scrap Metal to Sell for Cash?

Posted on May 15, 2019 by gardencity

Local scrap yards and metal recycling centers generally pay you to turn over your scrap metal and junk metal items. In fact, it is a great hobby that not only helps the environment and contributes to the economic health of the local town, it also puts some extra cash in your wallet!

Best of all, countless commodities are made from or contain metal, all of which are 100% recyclable. And finding such commodities to sell for cash can be easier; you can start in your very own home! From there, enter the neighborhood, visit the city, and even go store to store asking for their junk donations.

Continue reading to learn where you can find scrap metal around your home and within the community, including where to sell it for an instant profit!

Home and Office

There are plenty of items that you can be dismantled for their metal constituents, and therefore, can be sold for a profit to a local scrap metal buyer! Some of the most common items to add to your search include kitchen cutlery and appliances, gardening equipment, automotive parts, power tools, and even whole cars or boats. Anything electronic or motorized is a prime item to sell, such as computers, Mopeds, golf carts, jet skis, cell phones, tablets, stereo systems, GPS navigation, and more.

Community

You can also reach out to your local community in search of scrap metal to recycle. In fact, many people, especially business owners, would be glad to hand off their junk without having to pay for the service. Start by creating an online ad requesting all junk metal commodities. Then go to local businesses to ask for their scrap metal. Some businesses to consider include gun ranges, farms, ranches, hospitals, retail stores, clinics, and even dumpsters and construction sites.

Additional Metal Items to Recycle:

Basically, anything made of metal can be recycled, and therefore, sold to a local scrap metal buying company.

Who to Trust for the Best Offers in Indy

Call Garden City Iron & Metal at 1-888-586-5322 to recycle scrap metal in Central and Southern Indiana. We pay cash on the spot for all metal and metal commodities, including vehicles, car parts, appliances, construction equipment, farming equipment, and much more! Collect all the scrap metal you can, and then sell it to us for the highest profit in town! Request a free estimate or information, today.

Comparing 409, 439, and 430 Stainless Steel Sheet Metal

Posted on April 24, 2019 by gardencity

As discussed in our last blog, in order for stainless steel to have magnetic properties, two essential elements must be present: iron, which is a ferrous metal (or metal with high amounts of ferrite), and a crystal composition arranged in a ferritic or martensitic structure. Also mentioned were the 3 primary types of magnetic stainless steel are ferritic, martensitic, and duplex, each of which have their own set of grades.

In this blog, we will discuss ferritic steel grades 409, 430 and 439. Continue reading to learn about each of these three common ferritic stainless steels, and where you can sell scrap steel at the highest profits in town.

Ferritic Stainless Steels

Ferritic stainless steel has large quantities of ferrite in its chemical composition, and contains the grades 409, 430 and 439. Below is a brief explanation of each stainless steel grade, and how they compared to one another.

Ferritic Stainless Steel Grade 409

The 409 stainless steel grade is defined by its 11% chromium content. It is typically the cheapest option in the ferritic stainless steel group, and mostly admired for its oxidation or corrosion protection properties, especially compared to carbon steel and similar coated steel alloys. In additional to moderate oxidation resistance, this grade is quite malleable, and can be formed into various shapes, cuts, and dimensions. When compared to 430, 439, and even 304 grades, 409 stainless steel is less resistant to corrosion due to its chromium makeup, but still a better option than mild carbon steel in terms of corrosion. It’s most common applications include automotive parts like exhaust systems, heat exchangers, silencers, catalytic converters, and furnace liners.

Ferritic Stainless Steel Grade 430

This grade of stainless steel is a non-hardenable grade that must contain at least 16% chromium. For this reason, it is often applied to indoor applications, like appliances, food equipment, roofing, automotive parts, flue liners, and more. Similar to 409 stainless steel, grade 430 has a decent resistance to corrosion and rust formation. Because of its chemical makeup, it also retains good malleability and can be annealed.

Ferritic Stainless Steel Grade 439

Similar to 430, to be this grade, stainless steel must contain at least 17% chromium. Because of this content, 430 grade steel is also resistant to corrosion and can be easily formed, rolled, bent, or stretched into custom shapes or cuts. For this reason, its most common industry applications include heating units, evaporator tubes, and automotive exhaust components. Compared to 409, this grade is actually more resistant to both corrosion and oxidation.

Where to Recycle Scrap Steel for Cash

Call Garden City Iron & Metal at 1-888-586-5322 to recycle steel in Indianapolis, or in Central and Southern Indiana. We pay cash on the spot for both ferrous and non-ferrous metals, as well as, junk cars, automotive parts, appliances, construction equipment, motorized farming equipment, and much more! Get rid of your junk and make some fast cash at the same time.

3 Types of Magnetic Stainless Steel

Posted on April 10, 2019 by gardencity

In our last blog, we discussed which attributes make stainless steel magnetic, and how to determine if your stainless steel is ferrous or not. In this blog, we will show you the 3 common types of magnetic stainless steel, and give you a brief description of how they compare to austenitic structures, which are not magnetic at all.

Magnetic Stainless Steels

In order for stainless steel to have magnetic properties, two very important elements must exist. First, it must contain iron, which is a ferrous metal (or metal with high amounts of ferrite). Second, it must have a crystal composition arranged in a ferritic or martensitic structure. In fact, the 3 primary types of magnetic stainless steel are ferritic, martensitic, and duplex, each of which have their own set of grades.

❶ Ferritic Stainless Steels

⚙ Ferritic stainless steel has large quantities of ferrite in its chemical composition. It contains grades like 409, 430 and 439.

❷ Martensitic Stainless Steel

⚙ The martensitic steel group is ferromagnetic, as it contains an abundant amount of iron in grades like 410, 420, and 440.

❸ Duplex Stainless Steel

⚙ Duplex stainless steel contains a mixture of austenite and ferrite, mostly austenite, making it slightly less magnetic. This group contains grades like 2205.

Austenitic Structures

Stainless steels that have austenitic structures are those with higher quantities of austenite in them. This also makes them mostly non-magnetic. For instance, stainless steel grades like 304 and 316 retain high amounts of iron in their chemical composition, but their austenite structures renders them non-magnetic, or non-ferromagnetic.

Does it Make a Difference?

You might be wondering why ferromagnetic properties matter in terms of stainless steel. Well, in various industries and applications, the level of magnetism is highly influential. For instance, magnetic steels can cause a lot of problems in processes like metal fabrication, welding, building construction, and more. Electrical currents are also effected by magnetic steel. Other times, magnetic properties are required, such as in metal sorting, electronics, and more.