The obvious question that arises with these parts is whether they are of high quality or not. The answer really depends on the old cliche’ of you get what you pay for. Some parts are not so great and some are much better than anything that came originally on your car. The dollar value of the part usually is indicative, but not always. Still, a classic example would be brake pads. All cars need new brake pads at some points. If you buy the cheapest option, you’re going to get squeaks and rough stops. If you spend the money on a top quality brake system like Brembo, you are going to have much better braking than you did when the car was first purchased. Again, you get what you pay for.

Some people have a misconception about aftermarket auto parts. They believe that, if a part isn’t made from the original manufacturer, then it’s cheap. Nothing can be further from the truth. In actuality, the aftermarket companies put a great deal of effort into making the parts. In fact, many of them specialize in making performance car parts, even more so than the original manufacturers!

Make a chart of the names and phone numbers of each junkyard auto parts store in your area. Call and get prices. It does not take long to get prices. Most of the stores will get you a price on the parts you need within minutes. Make sure you are comparing the auto parts properly. In other words, compare the same quality. I like to buy USA made parts as much as possible. It pays to get good quality when it comes to fixing your vehicle.

Contact the online seller and confirm the part numbers. Do this even if they have the car parts listed for your application (without the part numbers).

auto parts store If what you need is very expensive to by new, you may be able to buy a whole car for less than the part is worth. Car auctions can see a massive range of vehicles on offer, some brand new, some only worth scrap. If you find a car there that has the part you need, it might be so hard to find that you can buy the car just in order to get the part.

Junk yard jewels. I have a buddy who likes to go to the junk yard to find replacement parts for his vehicles. He doesn’t always find what he wants, but he has been able to pull several starters off from some of the junkers. Some work, some don’t while others may work for awhile and then crap out a few months later. If you have plenty of time and luck is on your side then this can be an option for you.