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Your Guide to Buying Used Car Parts Online

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Whether it's for a repair or to upgrade your vehicle, you'll eventually need to buy parts for your car or truck. While some parts can be cheap and readily available everywhere, such as light bulbs and hubcaps, others like used original bumpers and seats can be quite rare indeed. However, looking for used car parts has become easier over the years especially when you have the internet at your disposal. You can now find almost anything from used truck trim molding to internal components no longer in production on the various online marketplaces and forums. So let's look at how to get the parts you need for your car.

Pros and Cons About Buying Car Parts Online

Buying used auto parts online is a great way to save money but there are some risks that come with it. For instance, you often get the parts delivered to you and therefore can't inspect them thoroughly. However, it's less worrying if you're buying nonmoving parts such as folding steps for trucks or side mirrors. Another con is that it can take months or sometimes years to find the part you need especially if it's rare. However, with the right approach, you can increase your chances of getting what you need.

There are some advantages though; you often save a lot buying used, and couple that with getting products online instead of at a physical store equals to even more savings. Another advantage that people don't think of is that buying used is better for the environment since you keep the parts out of the landfill and prevent unnecessary manufacturing.

Do Your Research

Before you start shopping for your car repairs or classic truck restoration, you should know what you need to buy. Be sure to know your vehicle's model down to the year it was produced and the specific part number of the item you're looking for. You can usually find the part number already written or etched on most items, but if unavailable you can sometimes find it in the owner's manual. Oftentimes, car manufacturers even have online archives of the parts used for all their vehicles.

When dealing with larger used car parts retailers, they can often help you look for the items you want. All they need is usually the model of your vehicle and its VIN number. So, be sure to get in touch with reputable sellers if you hit a dead end. If you decide to buy a used part that's not an exact match for your vehicle, make sure that it's compatible. For example, you can refer to a truck cap fit chart when shopping for a used truck cap.

Ask for Help on Forums

If scouring online marketplaces and contacting sellers fail you, you can always ask for help from your fellow vehicle owners. There are numerous automotive forums on the internet and many have sections dedicated to a specific car model.

You can often find owners who're looking to sell their vehicles and parts, and even fellow buyers who can direct you to the specific part you need. However, just like in any dealings be sure to get as much information as you can when you do decide to buy from a forum member. Helpful things to know are is their seniority and reputation on the forum, photos and condition of the parts as well as other charges you need to pay.

Verify the Parts

Getting the wrong parts is always a nightmare especially if you can't return them. Therefore, always verify that the goods you're purchasing are indeed the ones you need. That's why paying attention to the part number is crucial. Also, some engine and transmission configurations have unique parts, which in turn makes it more difficult to determine the component you need. These can include starters, alternators and sensors. A way to get all the parts you need and have less hassle verifying each one is to buy a parts vehicle that you can scavenge from. Just be sure to have a maintenance record such as a truck maintenance log.

Buy in Person

If the internet yields no results, you may have no choice but to get down and dirty by calling up and visiting workshops, junkyards and parts stockists. This often applies when you're fixing up an older model car or a vintage truck as the parts may be so rare. However, buying used parts in person can also save you a lot of money especially if u get the item you need at a junkyard. Plus, you get to inspect the item before you purchase it which saves a lot of headache if you're getting components like a cylinder head.

Checklist

Before finally spending anything on a part, make sure to have a checklist of things to examine:

Age. Be sure to check the age of the part as older items have been through more wear and tear. This is especially essential when you're purchasing moving parts as excessive wear can render it useless and hazardous to use.
Authenticity. Car parts can be duplicated, so always do a close visual examination to make sure that things such as the logo, spelling and color checks out.
Seller's reputation. Buying from a reputable seller could save you a lot of grief especially when you shop online, so get as much information about the seller as you can before you make your purchase.