U-Pull-R-Parts ToDoTC.com To Do in the Twin Cities Restaurants

U-Pull-R-Parts

Date: Sept 29, 2026

20418 Highway 65 NE.

East Bethel, MN 55011

Phone: (763) 434-5229

www.upullrparts.com

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U-Pull-R-Parts
Date: Sept 29, 2026 20418 Highway 65 NE. East Bethel, MN 55011 Phone: (763) 434-5229

The world is ever changing, someday say not necessarily for the better. Twenty years ago, when something broke on your vehicle you had several options. They included: go to the local parts store. The problems with that are many times you would hear the phrase: “That is a DEALER item, we don’t stock that.” Then you go to the dealer, IF there was one in your area. If you DID find a dealer for your vehicle many times if you needed a knob or a minor item it was usually $50 or more and you might need to wait two weeks, IF they could still get it, which was usually not the case. Your LAST option was a salvage or Junk yard, my Favorite.

For a vehicle I drive a Ford Explorer, some call a Exploader. I typically get a vehicle that is ten years old. I typically pay $5K for a nicely, broken in vehicle. My current SUV is a 2010 I bought four years ago. It had 170K miles on it. I then drive them for 4-5 years and start the entire process over. My vehicles cost me about $100 a month and the dogs always are in my vehicle which we take into the woods and dirty places. This is a great system if you have a backup vehicle, which we do.

This is a great system and has worked fine for decades. The caveat is you need to know when to get rid of your vehicle and buy a replacement. I once taught teenager baseball. The pitchers would run out of energy and throw the pitch in the dirt. That was a sign they needed to be replaced. There is no such sign for an aging vehicle.

If you take a vehicle and park, it outside at a given time that vehicle will no longer start. Things deteriorate whether you use them or not. The trick with holding on to a vehicle is to sell it before it starts to nickel & dime you to death. Nickel and dime means little things failing.

The other day on the way to the Veterans Administration for blood tests I had a radiator hose break. It was a time thing. I repaired it and we got through the day for under $100. It was a sign.

The other day my sun visor broke when I pulled it down. It was a clear sign the minor things were failing. This vehicle was starting to Nickel & Dime me to death.

We now have a new option for parts. It’s called E-Bay. I have used it often. E uses Amazon I use eBay. E has more class than I do. So, I looked up a visor for my Explorer. They had some for $100. I’m not paying $100, I’ll put on sunglasses. Oh and I’ll hold up the visor.

Time to Make a Move! Time to look up John’s Auto Parts of Blaine, Ground Zero for gently used parts. Sorry all Junk yards in the metro were bought out and closed, save two: U-Pull-R-Parts. It’s a family run operation in East Bethel, that’s ten miles NORTH of Blaine and Lakeville. It’s on 204th Ave on 65/Central. So, on a dreary Monday I started my Trek!

About halfway there it started to sprinkle. When I got to about 200th Ave it started to rain. Not a sprinkle rain. The type you get your underwear wet on the walk into the house. But I was there and on a Mission.

So, I looked across the freeway as I drove north. U-Pull-R-Parts a big sign across the 65 freeway. I drove another mile north, crossed and pulled in! I MADE IT.

I entered the first door. Only to be told I needed to go to the next. I entered the second door only to be told I needed to go to the thirds. But at least the workers agreed I got to the correct spot. I was there for a 2010 Ford Explorer visor.

I was shown the computer screen where I had to sign-in to say I’d be good and not sue anyone, the reason other lots closed, and I’d pay $3 to start my search.

I was asked what I was looking for and they typed it in the computer and told me the line numbers I might find a visor for a Ford Explorer.

Now it says in their rules you cannot bring your own tools. But experience in engineering told me to take mine off my truck first, it was a learning thing and determine which tools to bring. I had a #6 Star screwdriver and a dykes to cut the wire. All I needed.

At U-Pull-R Parts they say everyone must use their tools. But I dressed like I knew what I was doing, so they allowed my screwdriver and noted it in the computer. Years ago, I was a a salvage yard and a guy walked in with a beret. The owner looked at the guy and said all the foreign cars were at the back of the lot. No one blinked. Wear blue jeans and an old T-shirt at U Pull-R-Parts you will look in Vogue and be accepted.

I have worked engineering for forty years. We only changed things if we really needed to. That in my pocket told me I had the correct tools. Until I found my part. Turns out on the 2010 explorers they went with a #6-star screw, previous years had a #4, my screwdriver didn’t fit.

Undaunted I went on to the next vehicle. I saw a similar situation. Wait once, that was a Dodge. Most people don’t realize Ford makes few of its own parts, they simply ASSSEMBLE their design. Turns out someone has a business making visors and sells them to multiple manufacturers. Means there was more on the lot.

I went up and down three rows of trucks in the pouring rain. I found a lot of visors, but I didn’t have the tools. I could have gone in and asked for the correct too, but REAL MEN don’t ask for stupid mistakes they have made.

So, using logic I asked about where the Ford CARS were. A Visor is aa Visor same for trucks and cars right. I had a whole new area passing Girly men that didn’t like getting wet. Finally, after car number five my star screwdriver worked and I came out with my booty, a working visor. It was not Exactly the same, but the screwdriver worked.

I went to the counter, the checkout lady looked at me and the visor and said $20. Had I had good clothes and a beer it could have been $40. Success I was on my way!

All went well and the people at U Pull could not have been nicer! I’ll be back!