The average person spends over a whopping £160,000 on cars during their lifetime. Luckily, some of these costs can be cut simply by buying used car parts when you’re in need of replacements.
Brand-new car parts can be expensive. A lot of the time used car parts can function just as well as those that have never been used. It’s also good for the environment to buy used car parts, as you’re keeping them clear from landfills.
Whilst it is relatively easy to find used car parts, you need to be careful and do your research to ensure you don’t end up with a car part that doesn’t work.
We’ve put together five things to check before buying used car parts.
Know the Part you Need
Before you spend money on buying a used car part, you should know everything about the part you need, including your vehicles identification number.
If possible, take the part you are replacing with you when you go to buy a new one. This will really help retailers to aid you in getting the perfect replacement part.
Unfortunately, duplicate parts are often sold because they are cheap to make. However, they are not safe and should not be purchased. Look out for slight differences and errors, like an incorrect logo.
Know the History
Before you agree to buying a used car part, know the history of it. Find out how old it is and its mileage. You should also find out how it is being sold; used, repaired or remanufactured?
Finding out everything about the part can help you to ensure it won’t break down on you after a few months, or weeks!
Check the Safety
It goes without saying that some car parts add to the overall safety of a vehicle more than others. If the part you need to replace plays a big role in your vehicle’s safety, you may decide buying from a dealer is a better option.
However, many used auto part retailers can provide safe parts in perfect condition, so ask for some help or advice.
Match your Vehicle
If you’re buying an exterior part, it is important that it matches the rest of your vehicle. Repainting your vehicle can be expensive, so if you can’t find a part that matches your car, you may need to look elsewhere.
However, this is all based on personal preference. If you don’t mind the aesthetics of a car that’s mismatched, you can pick any part you want!
Can you Return?
Find out if the retailer you are buying from has a return policy. If the part doesn’t do the job for your vehicle or gives up after a few weeks, you’ll want to ensure it can be returned or exchanged.
Find out everything there is to know about the part, the return policy and the warranty, before you buy. If there is no warranty in place and the part breaks down, you’ll have to fork out the money again to get another replacement.
At Charlton Auto Parts, we offer a 101-day guarantee, meaning if something goes wrong with your newly purchased part, we can resolve the issue for you as quickly and painlessly as possible.
For more information about how we can help you, you can view our available 4x4 car parts here, or you can get in touch with the team by calling us on 01223 832 656 or via our contact page.
