How to Source Parts for Second Hand Cars

When it comes to your car, scrapes and bumps are sometimes inevitable, and you may have to replace a part on your car at some stage. Scrap yards are the best option if you want a cheap part, and quickly. By looking on an online scrap yard database, you can see where the nearest place is to get the part you that you are looking for.

It is then advisable to get the part sent via a courier service. This depends on the weight of the part, however, so make sure that you check maximum sizes and weights first. Getting a part from a scrap yard will cost about half the price as it would going through a dealer. However, going through a dealer will ensure that you get an official, branded part for your car.

You can also opt for a reconditioned part, but these are more expensive than scrap yard parts, as a reconditioned part is almost as good as new, and are considered an alternative to new parts. Bear in mind that the more suppliers that the part has gone through since being sold originally at the manufacturers, the more expensive it’s likely to be. Therefore, do some research to find out the original price of the part to make sure you’re not paying more than you should.

Reconditioned parts are usually easier and quicker to get a hold of – new parts may need to be sourced from farther away as garages aren’t likely to store many parts. However, be aware that reconditioned parts don’t usually have a very long guarantee – so it’s best to ensure that the part has been properly tested.

Another way to source car parts is aftermarket parts, which are spares from a third party. These parts are not made by the original manufacturer, and can differ in quality. Sometimes the parts can actually be better in quality than the original part, so it really depends on what price and quality you’re looking for – for most parts you should have a good choice available to you. Again, be warned that sometimes aftermarket parts can be sold without warranty.