Let us start with ease of obtaining. Obviously newer car parts will be easier to get than older ones. A friend of mine still has a 1975 Pontiac Lemans. To obtain parts for this car he has to literally go to junk yards and even online. No new car dealers keep parts beyond 10 years or so and even auto parts stores limit their inventory to cars under 20 years. A 30 year old vehicle is almost impossible to find parts for. Plus, if you can find the part, depending on where you get it, the cost could be anywhere from 20 to 100% over the original part cost. To say that late model car owners are taken advantage of would be a gross understatement.
So if you?re looking for auto parts like engines, starters, alternators, bumpers, stereo systems, steering columns, dashboards, doors, exhausts, wheels and tires but don’t want to spend lots of money, you can always rely on auto parts from junkyards. Most dealers of these auto parts include inventories of used parts for late models.
A good thing that you can do in order to find the right car parts is to build a strong relationship with a local seller. Even though, these traditional stores selling auto components may be coming down significantly, but they are still valued by many consumers who seek knowledgeable services and a wider inventory. The fact is that the sales team in a large store mostly don’t have the expertise and knowledge that the staff in the local auto parts store can have. You can also get better pricing, warranty, exchange options and high level of customer service at these stores.
One of the most common issues, aside from locking the keys in the car, is the issue of the dead battery. This occurs because individuals may forget to turn off interior lights or headlights and the battery will run down. Other times it is because it is simply time for the battery to go or there is another underlying issue that has caused the battery to die.
Please be aware that the vehicles manufacturer does not always manufacture the car parts you are replacing. For example, many cars have Bosch fuel injectors installed in the vehicle by the manufacturer. In these cases, Bosch fuel injectors are the genuine replacement. If you buy your fuel injectors from Ford, they may come in Ford packaging even though they are Bosch injectors. If you buy online and receive them in packaging such as Bosch, that does not mean they are not genuine.
If you prefer the traditional advertising method, submit an ad in your local town’s newspaper. The best marketing strategy for newspapers is to list the least amount of information possible. This way, the prospective buyer will have to call you for more information and you can strike up a conversation. While the prospective buyer may not purchase the part after all, at least they will know you are friendly and will call you the next time they are looking for a car part.
The internet being what it is these days you can sometimes find the part you want by searching your junkyard’s website! A junkyard search like this couldn’t be easier! You’ll also be able to find the location of the junkyard and their hours. If you do query the search engines or yellow pages you might be surprised to find that there is more than one place you can look for auto parts near you. Just remember that looking for ford ranger 2004 isn’t much different than looking for a used car. Check the classifieds too. All of these ways of looking will save you time and money.
Kit cars like Lad’s Car had been in the market for about a century now. A lot of enthusiasts have taken to kit building since the 1950s. Such enthusiasts can order parts from plenty of manufacturers. They can also get the parts off an old vehicle and add custom-built parts to build a vehicle of desired size, power and capabilities.