Ordering Car Parts on the Internet– 5 Things to Consider
The internet lets you buy anything and everything. You’d easily be able to purchase car parts online. But make sure that you keep a couple of things in mind – they’d help you not get scammed, and not spend too much cash.
Look Around
When buying car parts online, you have the ability to work with sellers that normally would be too far away. This is an advantage, as auto parts can be expensive, so you could find someone that sells the aluminium tubing you want for not much.
Buy the parts from a seller abroad. Their currency may be weaker than yours, so you’d be saving even more.
How’s the Return Policy?
You need to be careful with who you’re working with. They may not be the most reliable, having sent you auto parts that are in bad shape. Hopefully, they offer a return policy so that you can get your cash back.
Depending on the shop you work with, the extent of the return period would differ. Most of the time, it would expire 1 month after you’ve bought the product.
Get a Good Warranty
No matter the car part you’re interested in, it’s important that you buy it from someone who’s offering a good warranty. Being on the road, there are several things that could happen to your vehicle. If the part gets damaged, the cash you spent on it would be down the drain.
Like with return policies, the extent of the warranty would differ depending on the shop you bought from. You want the longest coverage possible. You also need to investigate what they would do if the damaged part can’t be fixed. Will you be able to get a new one? Or would your money be returned?
Is It New or Used?
New auto parts would be in better condition than used ones. However, they would be more expensive. Personally, newer ones are better, as a used engine block or steering pump might have to be replaced in the near future. Not only would you have to pay for the replacement, but you’d have to pay to install it as well.
The License
Make sure that you’re buying from someone that offers genuine parts. You can make note of this by checking the OEM number of the product you’re interested in. When you run it through the OEM site, you should get a match.
Another way to know that what you’re buying is the real deal or not, would be by going through the licenses on the seller’s site. Make sure that the ones available are up to date too.
Final Thoughts
Let’s sum everything discussed. There are many things to keep in mind before purchasing auto parts from a dealer on the internet. One of the most important is knowing if what you’re buying is genuine or not. If it’s not, it might not fit with your vehicle, and you would’ve bought it for much more than what it’s worth.
