The average car owner will spend around £168,880 on their cars during their lifetime, but thankfully, there are ways to cut some of these costs by buying used car parts when your car needs them.

With car dealerships charging a lot of money for parts, we have a look at some tips for buying used parts, which may cost only a fraction of the price for brand new parts. But it is important to do your research to ensure you get a part that is right for your car and works correctly, as well as making sure that it comes from a legitimate source, and not from an illegal chop shop!

Buying used parts is also good for the environment. When you buy used parts, you keep those parts out of the landfills. Here are some tips to help you buy the best-used car parts.

 

1. Pick a place to buy

You can buy used parts at a used auto parts store, at local breakers yards, or even online, but before you shop anywhere, you need to conduct research and compare prices in your area for the car part you need so you can gauge what is a good price and what is expensive.

 

2. Know the exact part you need

You should know everything you can about the part before you buy it, including things like your vehicles identification number, or VIN.

If the part is small enough, you should bring it with you when you go to buy a new one. This will help make sure you get the correct part you need.

 

3. Know the history of the used auto part

Before you buy anything, make sure you know the history of the part you want to purchase. You’ll want to know how old the part is and the part’s mileage. You should also ask how the part is being sold, as a used part, a repaired part, or a remanufactured/reconditioned part.

You don’t want to end up with a part that is going to give out after a few more miles.

 

4. Check the return policy

If you do end up with a part that doesn’t work for your car or gives out after a few miles, you’ll want to make sure you can return or exchange the part. If the seller doesn’t offer a warranty, then you might be best looking elsewhere.

 

5. Look for parts that match the rest of your car

If the part you’re buying is going to be visible, then finding a matching part is important, as it can be expensive to repaint the car so that the colours match.

Try your best to make the colour match, or even if it is a different colour, try picking a colour that will at least tie into the rest of the vehicle. Of course, this is all based on your personal preference. If you don’t mind a mismatched car, you can pick whatever colour part you want.

Keeping your car running can be expensive, but it becomes much more manageable when you buy used auto parts instead of new ones.

 

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