You might not know this, but according to various reports, drivers spend approximately $2000 to $2500 on repairing their vehicles over a period of five years. However, this amount of money will only increase, especially if you need to purchase parts for your car. Because of this, many people choose to purchase used auto parts so that they can lower the expenses that they have.
However, if you’ve never purchased used auto parts before, you might be wondering what things you need to consider before buying any kind of second-hand parts. Luckily for all individuals that are wondering the same thing, our guide below can help. Here is our list of the top eight things you must consider before making a purchase:
1. The Parts Must Come From a Reliable Seller
The first, and perhaps, the most important thing that you must take away from this list is that the parts you purchase must come from a reliable seller, no matter if you purchase them online or in a brick-and-mortar business. When it comes to buying second-hand parts, this might be a little bit daunting, mostly because you’ll need to do some digging on the seller before making a decision of purchasing something from them.
The easiest way to determine if the seller is reputable and reliable? Check the reviews left by previous customers. Now, of course, you can do this on their official website, however, if you want the testimonials to be a little bit more transparent and honest, you should read them on independent sites, blogs, and platforms. Naturally, if there are more negative than positive posts, you should move on to the next seller and repeat this step.
2. Local Stores Are Always Better Than Large Corporations
Although you might think that large corporations are a better option for purchasing used auto parts, this isn’t entirely true. Why? Well, in most situations, the parts and products they offer might not be the best on the market, and also, the products tend to be more expensive mostly because you’ll also be paying for the brand. Hence, it’s best if you purchase the items you need from a smaller and more reliable business such as www.usedparts.us.
3. Know Exactly What You Need to Get
This might be quite obvious, but it’s still worth mentioning – you must know exactly what you need to get, meaning that you should learn the specific part number or model that your vehicle requires. If you have the manual somewhere, you should read it so that you can learn the codes of the pars that you must replace. If you buy an item that is expensive, even if it’s second-hand and it ends up not matching your vehicle, you’ll have to spend additional money for purchasing it.
Another thing that you could do is to bring the old part to the shop and show it to the representative. Doing this will ensure that you opt for the right component and more importantly, you’ll be able to compare it to the component they offer. Additionally, you could get the VIN of your vehicle and use it to search for the item you need online. No matter what you choose to do, it’s crucial that you know what your vehicle required.
4. Examine The Part Offered to You
If you don’t choose the right seller, they might not be transparent about the used car part that they’re trying to sell. Because of this, it’s crucial that you ask about the history of the item, and more importantly, you must examine it for any cracks or flaws that could end up damaging your car even more. Keep in mind that, even if the part looks completely new, it could still be damaged and if the shop doesn’t offer a warranty or a refund, it might be best to avoid doing business with them.
Some of the things that you might want to ask them includes, the age of the component, and its mileage (if applicable), and you must also ask whether or not it was modified, repaired, or reconstructed. If the seller doesn’t provide you with clear answers to these questions, you should check the cost. If it’s less than what other places are asking, it’ll be clear that it has been rejuvenated in some way, thus, it might be best if you don’t buy it.
5. Ask if They Offer a Warranty
When browsing through the sellers, you’ll most likely come across some that don’t offer a warranty on the products they offer. Because of this, it’s crucial that you ask them whether or not they offer it, and more importantly, you must ask them to give you a precise explanation of what it is and what it requires. Even if they offer a warranty, ask for the fine print of it so that you can read it and gain a better understanding of their return policy.
6. You Can Bring Help
If you don’t know anything about used car parts, you could always choose to bring help. What does this mean? Well, if your family member, friend, or colleague knows more about them than you, you should bring them with you when heading to a used car part dealership. Besides bringing someone close to you, you could also choose to bring a professional – such as your mechanic – with you, and by doing so, you can ensure that everything is okay with the part you’re thinking about buying.
7. Copies Are Common in The World of Second-Hand Auto Parts
Another issue that you might come across when browsing is copies and counterfeits of the parts you require for your vehicle. This means that even if you do have the VIN and even if the part is suitable for your car, it might not come from the manufacturer directly. Hence, it’s crucial that you learn to tell which parts are genuine and which ones aren’t. Look for words that haven’t been spelled correctly, flawed mottos and logos, and so on. Again, this is something a professional mechanic can help you with.
8. Match it With Your Vehicle!
Last on this list, but definitely, something that we must mention is that you must try to match the color and style of the component with your vehicle. Of course, if it’s an internal part, you won’t have to worry about this too much, but if you need it for the outside of your car, you should match it, mostly because repainting your car will end up costing a lot of money. Hence, when browsing look at the color, as well as the style of the item.
Conclusion
By following the tips we’ve mentioned in our article above, you’ll be capable of choosing a suitable used car part for your vehicle. Since you’re now well aware of what factors you need to consider, don’t lose time, instead, start with the first tip we’ve mentioned, which is finding a reputable and trustworthy seller.