Owning a car isn’t a cheap affair. You have to pay for insurance, tax, and maintenance costs. With some cars, those maintenance costs are often much higher than your annual insurance and tax bills!
A lot of car owners are taking to carrying out some maintenance jobs themselves. DIY mechanic skills are valuable to those that want to save money on their car-related expenses. Things like oil changes, topping up fluid levels and greasing up locks and door catches can save car owners hundreds.
The one thing that all DIY home mechanics have in common is that they want to source spare parts for as cheap a price as possible. Most people might think the best source is a main dealer. But aftermarket parts can be just as good, and cost so much less than dealer prices!
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If you are a DIY home mechanic, today is your lucky day because this guide will show you where to look for cheap car parts! Here is what you need to know.
Do you still have the old parts?
For the most part, you might still have the parts that you want to replace. But don’t throw them away just yet, because they are still useful for one specific reason. On most car parts, there is usually a reference number printed or stamped on them.
That reference number is also called a “part number.”
Assuming that you have access to a computer connected to the Internet, go onto Google and type that part number in. In most cases what you find out will be shocking! A lot of car parts get used across more than one specific model. And, in some cases, they get used by different car makers!
Things like spark plugs, light bulbs, air filters and engine oil are not always model-specific. By typing in the part number, you can discover what other cars use the same part. Quite often, you will find the same part sold much cheaper for different models or marques.
Where to search?
According to Alan from Imperial Car Supermarket, there are loads of places that you can source car parts from.
The Web is the first place you would go to search for parts suppliers, using the method above (i.e. by typing in the part number into Google). There are scores of official and aftermarket parts suppliers online.
You should also consider going onto eBay. The online auction site has “stores” set up by many different car parts traders. But there is one surprising fact that you might not know. Main dealers also sell discounted parts through eBay too!
I often buy genuine car parts from main dealers through eBay. That’s because the prices can be as much as 85% cheaper than walking into the dealership and buying them in person! As crazy as that sounds, many dealers have old stock lying around that they want to sell.
They will usually reduce the price as they’d rather make a small loss than keep old stock around. Good luck with your search!