Heiman said his father, Glen, who opened Al's Foreign Car 30 years ago, would have never dreamed that the industry would be so largely handled via computers over the Internet.

"The computer in the salvage industry was a tough change," Heiman said. "Typically, people in this industry are very stubborn and set in their ways. It took my father a long time to warm up to the idea to working on the Internet."

Heiman said that not having a presence on the Internet is not really an option anymore for a successful recycler.

"I would say that if you are not online, you will not be around much longer," he said. "I get insurance quotes now directly online with price and part numbers, along with a damage analysis already written down." 

 
Although Heiman said he is not set up to order parts directly through the Web site, he said customers can send e-mails, request information including pictures of parts, and order a part via instant messenger service.

"You can buy and sell parts and not have to talk to anybody," he said.

Heiman, a member of the Missouri Auto & Truck Recyclers (MATR), said he sells parts for most foreign makes and models, and specializes in Japanese cars. He said the inception of the Internet on the used-parts industry has not all been positive.

"It is good and bad thing," he said. "It is good for selling parts that you don't usually sell, but it has driven up prices on our inventory and lowered prices on things we can sell."

Regardless, Heiman said www.car-part.com has been a great computer system to work with, which led him to get involved with a second computer system part finder called Hotline. "If you cannot find a part you are looking for through one of those two parts finders, you are not going to find it anywhere," he said.

Wholesale customers make up about 65 percent and retail 35 percent at Al's Foreign Car, Heiman said, adding that 20 percent of all retail customers come from the Internet.

 
Two delivery drivers service the wholesale customers in the St. Louis area; any parts that need to go outside the metro area are sent UPS, he said.

Heiman said he leans more towards collision parts because he buys late-model cars, so the motors and transmissions typically sit on the shelf for awhile.

Doors are a big seller, he said, adding that his doors come complete with glass, molding, and clips, unlike new doors from the dealer that are a bare piece of metal.

Many of the parts that Heiman said he used to throw away are now some of his top sellers.

"Computers and brain boxes used to go in the core bin and garbage pile," he said. "We used to sell a lot of motors and transmissions, but now it is computers and interior pieces."

 
Heiman said that car auctions for recyclers have also seen drastic changes. For one, he said many auctions are now accessible online, and a large number of vehicles are being purchased and shipped overseas, which drives up the cost.

"Vehicles are being purchased at auctions and shipped all over the world," he said. "They put them in containers, convert them over to right-hand drive, and send them off to Dubai." 

 
Heiman added that since more wrecked cars are considered total losses, insurance companies are able to make money at both ends.

"They are cutting out business from the body shop on one end and robbing me on another," he said. "I am buying the cars that they are deciding not to fix and then trying to sell the parts back to them. That is the name of the game."

A 90-day standard warranty is offered on parts, Heiman said, adding that for an extra charge, he also offers a silver and gold warranty that is for parts and labor for six months or one year, respectively.

"The silver and gold warranty is a plan we designed with 10 shops in St. Louis," he said. "They are shops that we have been doing business with for a long time, and they are responsible for the parts labor, and the costumer has to take it to one of those shops for the warranty." 

Heiman said he is not only involved with automotive repair shops, but also other recyclers in the area as part of a round-table group, which is setup through www.car-part.com.  The 12-person group allows salvage yard owners to share ideas and evaluate each other's business practices, he said.

Thanks to his father, Heiman said he has a good idea of what it takes to run a successful automotive parts recycling business.

"I am fortunate enough to see how my dad handled everything," he said. "I haven't had to change much because he set a good foundation before I stepped in and filled the position."