Auto Repair: Filling Your Toolbox

People tend to be a bit worried about sourcing parts or things that they can’t fit themselves, or they think that if they were to try to save money by supplying a car part to their local garage for fitting, that they would offend the garage. One way to look at it is the analogy of taking some fresh fish round to your local restaurant and asking them if you can dine there for less if they cook the fish you brought in.

It seems to be a bit absurd to have all of these websites featuring multiple Yamaha ATV parts at significant savings. It’s a mad grab for the best price with the most significant savings. I have been going through a lot of these sites looking for great deals. I prefer to do this instead of going to dealerships and junkyards looking for the best deals. I would rather go to a specialist site than have to deal with Amazon or eBay although those sites are options to consider. My personal experience has shown me that I have had better luck dealing with specialist sites. The reason is because I can ask questions when dealing with a knowledgeable sales person. As a sports junkie I have a lot of specific questions.

Being cheap about car service just isn’t a good idea. Any problem can be lethal with a car, and as all drivers know only too well, near misses are usually a result of both cars being able to perform. It doesn’t take a lot to turn a shopping trip into a trip to the hospital, and that’s definitely not cheap.

Every junk yard is a little different with regard to pricing. And the amount you can expect to save will vary based on the type of item you’re looking for. For example, car seats may carry higher savings than fuel pumps. As a general rule, you should expect to pay 40% to 50% less than you would for a comparable new unit. A brand new “straight-from-the-box” alternator might cost $200. At a junkyard, you should expect to pay $100 to $120 for the same brand and model.

junkyard parts locator This can save you a lot of money when you are not sure exactly what is wrong with your car. Generally there will be several parts that you know could be causing the problem, so you will have to start with one.

Auctions: Auctions are fantastic places to find parts that are gently used. People strip their cars down for parts all the time (for various reasons) and many people sell those car parts online to the highest bidder. The best way to find auctions for the parts you are looking for is to search for the car part itself. If you do a car part auction search, the number of results you will get will be incredibly overwhelming. So first locate the part you want and then check out the auction sites listed for it. It will save you mountains of time.

There are a lot of people who prefer to get their replacement tail lights and other auto parts from local dealers. If you are going to shop locally for these parts, you can use a local company to find the part. Sometimes, they may have to order the part and other times they may have it in stock. If you can’t find the part there, other people will use the local junk yard to find what they need. The junk yard is great because you will pay a fraction of the cost since the part is used. Visiting both options may be smart if you are looking to shop locally.

You usually go to the car mechanic when there is a problem with your car or a car part in particular. A good mechanic will charge you for just fixing up the problem. You usually leave your car at the mechanic for about a day or two. But a bad mechanic won’t entirely fix the problem, and they will end up overcharging you. That is why it is good to look into mechanics before you have an issue with your car.

Okay, what are OEM parts? “OEM” stands for “original equipment manufacturer”. In practical terms, this means the party that made the original part for your car be it the muffler, bumper, clutch or whatever. Isn’t this part just the car company selling the car be it Ford, BMW or whomever? Nope. Most car companies outsource much of the car part manufacturing to smaller companies.