If you want to keep your car on the road for as long as possible, you need to know where to source spare parts for repairs. However, you can’t just buy them from anywhere because you need to ensure quality and get a good price. There are a lot of different places you can buy spare parts and you should also think about whether you want to buy used or new. This quick guide will help you find the spare parts you need to keep your car on the road.
Buying Used vs New
Buying used spare parts is the cheapest option in most cases. When you buy used, you can often save more than 50% of the price of new parts. However, there are risks associated with buying used car parts because it’s harder to ensure their quality when they’re second hand. If you want to buy used, try looking on online auctions or in classified ads. If you want to buy new, then take a look at car part suppliers who have accessories for sale in-store.
If you have an old car and the manufacturer no longer makes spare parts, buying used is your only option.
Car Wreckers
Car Wreckers are another option. They often have large stocks of spare parts and they sell items cheaply because it’s more cost-effective for them to recycle car parts than it is to send them to a landfill site. However, contacting lots of different Wreckers and trying to source the parts you need can be tough. So, it’s best to go through a company like Fox-Listed wreckers who will do the hard work for you. These kinds of companies will have links to a number of different wreckers, so they can easily source the parts you need.
Buying Parts Online
Buying parts online is a good option if you know what you’re looking for. There are thousands of different sites selling car parts, so it’s worth doing some research to find the cheapest deal. However, be careful about buying from unfamiliar websites because if they aren’t legit then you could end up with low-quality parts or even parts that don’t fit your vehicle. Check out these tips for buying car parts online to avoid getting stung by dodgy dealers.
Swap Meets
Finally, Swap-meets are a good option for car parts. At these events, car enthusiasts meet up to swap parts or sell surplus parts. They’re particularly good for sourcing hard to find parts that you can’t get from a standard dealer. But, it can be hard to find a swap meet near you and they usually only happen a few times a year. Ideally, you should get to know your car and which parts are most likely to need replacing. You can then pick up spares ahead of time at a swap meet so if anything does go wrong, you already have the parts that you need.
As long as you can source reliable spare parts for repairs, you can keep your car on the road for years to come.