You can't just leave your car grounded because you are on a budget. That's not acceptable especially when there are cheap auto parts available. For the same reason, you can't just let your vintage Mini or a 1982 Ford Mustang GT rust in the garage for the lame excuse that their parts are either ridiculously expensive or hard to find.
These cars are too valuable to abandon, and there’s absolutely no reason to because high-quality parts are abundant in the used car parts market. But do you know what to look for when buying secondhand auto parts? Perhaps not. If so, our guide below will be useful to you.
Guide on Buying Car Parts Online
1. Identify the used car part you need - Knowing the exact auto part you need will save you time, and more importantly, it will save you money. Once you identify the part that needs replacing, confirm the car's model and year of manufacture. The year of manufacture helps identify a suitable part because some models undergo a significant overhaul in design and mechanics in different model years.
2. Have the VIN - The vehicle identification number (VIN) is a unique code used to identify a car. No two cars will share a VIN. If you present your car's VIN to an online auto parts store, it becomes easier to identify your vehicle and find model-specific car parts.
3. Buy from a trusted source - There are a lot of scammers. If you value your money (which I assume you do), buy from a trusted platform like Carpart.com.au. They have the best innovation in the online automotive market, the request-a-part tool. This feature allows you to request car parts, receive the best prices from dealers and wreckers, and negotiate the best deals.
4. Always ask for warranties - As a purchaser of a used car part, you are protected by consumer laws. The law requires the seller to offer a warranty or give the buyer the option to buy a warranty. As a buyer, it is your lookout to ensure that you are protected by a warranty to avoid frustrations after the purchase.
5. Go over the return policy - Do your research as a buyer and find out if the seller has a return policy. If yes, find out the period within which returns are allowed after the date of receipt. Read through the fine print for the circumstances under which the seller may refuse to take back the returned auto part. If the return policy isn't appealing to you as the buyer, then move to the next seller.
6. Get an expert to assist you - Assuming you are not a mechanic, what do you do when you want auto replacement parts? First, you may not know the exact part that needs replacement. Unless they are the regular issues that you can quickly sort like coolant refilling, you need a mechanic to pinpoint the exact problem. They will inform you about the problematic part, advise you what to look for, and caution you about fake or faulty used parts.
Conclusion
There’s no doubt about it—buying used car parts is easier now with online marketplaces, but more so with the car part finder at Carpart.com.au. It’s a straightforward 2-step process. It gives you access to 500+ auto part sellers nationwide. And, get this, using it is free! If you’re buying an auto part, type Carpart.com.au on the browser, fill out a request, and ask for a quote! It's so simple you don't have a reason not to try it.
By Eric Anyega