Automotive Spark

Auto parts. Something we really don’t think much about. We buy our nice shiny new Honda or Jeep or Lexus or whatever and pray that it runs forever with no problems. And then if there is a problem we hope that the repair isn’t too expensive and that the parts can be found with relative ease.

Welcome to the REAL world.

Auto parts sales is one of the largest industries in the world. Makes sense since almost everyone in the world has an automobile except maybe in underdeveloped countries. Some auto parts wear out rather quickly such as oil filters. Some last a little longer like brake shoes and pads. And then you have parts that thank goodness don’t wear out very often at all like transmissions or cars would be impossible to maintain cost wise.

But there is more to an auto part than just the part itself. The make and model and year of your car will have a great impact on how much the part will cost to replace and how easy the part is to get.

Let us start with ease of obtaining. Obviously newer car parts will be easier to get than older ones. A friend of mine still has a 1975 Pontiac Lemans. To obtain parts for this car he has to literally go to junk yards and even online. No new car dealers keep parts beyond 10 years or so and even auto parts stores limit their inventory to cars under 20 years. A 30 year old vehicle is almost impossible to find parts for. Plus, if you can find the part, depending on where you get it, the cost could be anywhere from 20 to 100% over the original part cost. To say that late model car owners are taken advantage of would be a gross understatement.

But ease of obtaining is not just limited to the age of the car. Vehicles with a limited production are also hard to get parts for, especially if the vehicle is not a big seller. The reason for this is again obvious. Keeping inventory that is not going to be sold is expensive. So auto parts dealers keep limited supplies for these vehicles.

As for the price of auto parts, aside from the age of the vehicle there is the make and model. In this case foreign car parts are much more expensive than domestically made cars. Most people who buy foreign cars don’t realize this or even think about it until it comes time to get their vehicle repaired. Then they get hit with the bill and their eyes pop out of their head. For example, an oil filer for a 2005 Buick Century is about $2.98. The same oil filter for a Honda CRV is $3.98. It’s basically the same filter for the Honda but it costs $1.00 more. That comes out to a 33% markup on a relatively cheap part. Imagine that same 33% markup on a part that costs $60 for the Buick. You’d be paying about $80 for the same part for the Honda.

The best way to get the best price for auto parts is to shop around. Look on the Internet. Go to auto parts auctions. Go to junk yards, though you don’t want a used part for something critical like an engine. Some things like door handles and non functional items like those are fine. Most likely they won’t go bad for a while. But for items that keep your car running, if you can afford it, it is best to get new.

Auto parts is big business. Just don’t get caught up in the money pit it can land you in.

If you have ever put used auto parts on your vehicle, you might have stood in front of two rusty car parts trying to remember which one you just purchased, because they both look rusty and worn out. Certain auto parts are absolutely fine to purchase used, and in some cases may be your only option. There are a variety of parts that are considered regular wear auto parts and should not typically be purchased used.

Struts and Strut Assembly do not get these auto parts used. Once you have a strut is separated from its assembly you can test that strut. You should be able to depress and extend that strut, all the while, feeling a uniform pressure. Being able to do this demonstrates a strut works without load, however being able to tell how long that strut is going to operate is mostly a guess. Buying a used complete strut assembly, on the other hand, is even more of a guessing game. A junk yard will have these things removed from various vehicles, and they are often of unknown or fictitious mileage; and of course you aren’t able to test the strut when the spring has not been removed from the assembly.

Brake Rotors and Brake Pads are probably the most common automobile wear car parts. They can usually be purchased cheap enough that it is simply not worth your time installing a used set. Each brake pad has worn grooves into each side of the rotor and after that brake pad to brake rotor seat has been made, you don’t want to change any relative positions. Since brake rotors will rust almost instantly after they have sat for any period of time, it is very rare that anyone would be interested in installing these brake components used.

Hub Bearings and Hub Assemblies are another thing that is completely pointless to purchase used. You are either spending your own time installing the hub bearing, or paying a mechanic to install the hub bearing that may fail at any time. Time and mileage are both contributing factors to the failure of a hub bearing. It is difficult to tell if a hub bearing is ok before installing it, and virtually impossible to tell how long it will last. The longer the hub bearing has sat the more chances there are for that hub assembly to fail.

Alternators are another guessing game. A used one may last another 10 year… or not. The lifespan of a used alternator depends on a lot of factors. Mileage, age, how long it has been sitting, and how much corrosion it has built up. Are you willing to put up with a failed alternator? Will you install it yourself? Are you getting a great deal on it? Is a new alternative too expensive? These are all valid considerations; the issue is the unknown reliability of a used car part like this.

There are many Auto Parts stores specializing in the sale of these basic maintenance car parts. As the competition gets fiercer the prices on these basic maintenance auto parts get closer and closer to the price that a lot of junk yards are asking for used auto parts. We are currently seeing some of the cheapest replacement auto parts that are available for a wide selection of cars and these car parts are brand new. This has been the result of a variety of automotive distribution centers that are avoiding costly overhead and advertising costs associated with developing a brand and maintaining retail outlets.

When replacing auto parts on your car, generally, you want to use new auto parts, especially when it comes to basic wear parts.

Are you on the look out for the best sourced assistance regarding aftermarket auto parts and accessories? When you are striving to find good advice regarding aftermarket auto accessory and car parts, you’ll discover it a lot easier separating better advice from the foolish car parts advice or guidance.

Here are some tips to make use of when you’re looking for information related to aftermarket car parts. It is essential to keep in mind that the information I am offering you here in this article is only appropriate to internet advice about these parts.

A great tip to follow when you’re provided with information or advice on a car parts page is to verify the ownership of the website. This may show the identifications of the operator’s car parts. The easiest manner to show who is the owner of the car parts’ website is to take a look on the contact page and/or about this site information. All trustworthy websites offering content related to car parts will always have an about or contact page that will have the contact details of the site owner. The important points must tell many key indicators about the capability of the site owner. This allows you to make an informed assessment about the vendor’s qualifications and experience to offer advice on the matter of aftermarket auto parts and accessories.

You need to know that although such parts may be cheaper but they are not necessarily inferior. Most of the times they are up to 70% less costlier vis-?-vis the original parts, and can be in fact far better in quality.Do you believe that makers of cars produce their own parts? They certainly don’t. They would in all likelihood like you to believe so. However, this isn’t the truth. You need to know that OEM parts are made by the same maker as the original part you would get from your local dealer. To put it differently, quite often it is the same part.

Even though the aftermarket car parts are not made by the original manufacturer, they perform as well as the original. In majority of the cases, the companies find a way of improving these parts so that the customer gets a part which is of better standard.There is no cause for worry. These auto parts and accessories are made with the same machinery and materials as OEM and genuine parts. While the parts may have a few minor differences in look and feel, they mainly do the same work. The companies that make aftermarket car parts are trustworthy.