Buying auto parts online is a daunting task for many car owners, especially those who have little experience with cars and car repairs. However, there is a lot of money to be saved by buying parts online rather than going to a dealership, so the impetus is definitely there if you’re looking to save yourself a few dollars.
If you’re looking to buy auto parts online to avoid the hefty prices car dealerships charge, not to mention finding yourself with the wrong car part, here are a few handy tips to help you get the right auto parts at the right price.
- Research
Research doesn’t entail heading to the local library and taking out a few books on cars (though that may prove to be quite an interesting read), it simply entails hitting a few websites to see what the going rates are for the parts you’re looking for. There are quite a few websites to select from these days, but as you will have to have the parts delivered to your home or workplace, it’s always best to focus your attentions on local websites.
After all, you may be able to get a better price in another part of the country, but once delivery fees enter the equation the costs will quickly escalate. As a result, look at local websites, so if you live in the City of Churches, look for local car wreckers in Adelaide when you’re in need of auto parts.
What’s more, bear in mind that websites for private sellers, like Gumtree, are often a poor choice because you’ll be buying the part as is, and you probably won’t have the option of returning it if there’s something wrong.
- Compare
Take a look at several websites and then compare the prices each has to offer, and don’t forget to look at the delivery costs as well because some will use different carriers and the prices may be significantly different even among local wreckers. Also, some may even be close enough for you to purchase the part online and then pick it up in person to save on delivery fees.
- Verify the part
Before you order online it’s always a wise move to give the wrecker or supplier a call to verify that the part you’re about to order is in fact the part you’re after. It isn’t at all difficult to get a serial number wrong or find that a part isn’t actually generic and that a specific part is required for your car, so make the effort to verify the part to avoid having to return it later. This can save you quite a bit of cash if you would have had to pay the return delivery costs.
Buying auto parts online is a great way to save money, especially when you take into account how much you can fork out if you purchased parts from the local car dealership. Bear these handy tips in mind to buy the right auto parts at the right price.
