Are you in the market for auto parts at the moment?
If so, you might think that visiting your local auto dealership and obtaining parts from them is your best option. But more often than not, you’re going to end up getting hosed when buying parts directly from a dealership. In some cases, dealerships will mark up the price of parts by 5,000 percent or more!
Rather than going this route, find ways to buy auto parts without overpaying for them. The internet is a great resource for those who want to track down auto parts that won’t cost them a fortune.
Here’s how to go about buying parts for your car at the right price.
Figure Out Exactly Which Parts You Need for Your Car
The first thing you’re going to want to do before you start the process of buying parts for your car is find out exactly which parts you need.
This is the one instance in which an auto dealership can actually come in handy. You can contact them to find the exact part number for the parts you’re looking for. You can also get a quote for the price of a part before you start looking around elsewhere.
By doing this, you’ll ensure that you buy the right part later. The absolute last thing you want to do is purchase a part for a great price only to find that it’s not the part you really need.
Shop Around for Auto Parts at Different Online Stores
Once you have the part number for the parts you need, you can begin shopping around for the best price on auto parts.
A few decades ago, you would need to call around to different auto part suppliers to do this. It would typically take a lot of time and effort on your part. But today, you can get a list of prices for a part from different auto part stores within just an hour or so.
Consider Visiting a Junkyard to See If They Have the Parts You Need
If you spend time looking around for parts online and can’t seem to find a store willing to sell you parts for the right price, consider taking a trip to your local junkyard.
Junkyards are in the business of buying old cars and stripping them of their parts so that they can sell them later. Often times, you can find used auto parts that are in excellent condition when visiting a junkyard.
You’ll also be able to haggle a little bit with junkyards and get them to come down on price if you feel comfortable doing it.
Attempt to Negotiate the Price for Parts Down If You Can
Whether you plan on buying parts through a junkyard or not, you should never settle for the price listed for auto parts.
Auto part prices are almost always marked way up above what they should really be. That gives everyone from small independent stores to large dealerships some wiggle room as far as price is concerned.
There are many auto part stores that won’t bring their prices down, no matter how good of a negotiator you are. But there are many others that would be more than happy to negotiate on price with you and give you a better deal.
Bottom line: It never hurts to haggle a bit when buying parts for a car.
Check to See If There Are Any Coupons for Parts Available
In addition to trying to negotiate the price of auto parts down, you should also conduct a search for coupons before you buy any parts for your car.
Most online auto part stores create coupons to entice people to shop for parts through them. These coupons won’t always appear front and center on their website, though.
Do a basic Google search before you buy auto parts and see if the store you’re buying them through has any coupons available out there in the world. You could cut your costs by 10 or 20 percent simply by looking for a coupon.
You can also ask a store directly if they have any coupons that can make the parts you want to buy cheaper. If they suspect you’re not going to buy the parts without a coupon, they might either find one for you or create one for you on the spot.
Avoid Buying Parts From a Car Dealership at All Costs
If you’re shopping around for a relatively rare auto part, it can start to get frustrating after a while. It might seem like you don’t have any choice but to buy auto parts directly from a dealership.
This is always an option. But it’s an option you should steer clear of using at just about all costs. The only way you should rely on a dealership is if you have absolutely need to make a car repair quickly and don’t have any other choice.
Otherwise, you’re much better off looking around for as long as it takes to find the parts you need. It’ll pay off in the end when you get those parts for just a fraction of what you would pay to a dealership.
Buying Parts for Your Car Doesn’t Have to Break the Bank
The key to buying parts for an affordable price is taking your time and doing your research into the parts.
Far too many people take one trip to a dealership and assume the price the dealership offers is the best they can do. That couldn’t be further from the truth and will result in you overpaying for the parts you need.
Instead, be patient when buying parts for a car and do your homework. You can always find a great price on parts if you look hard enough.
Read our blog for more tips on buying auto parts and making auto repairs.
