Auto parts – Online shopping has made life so much easier for people worldwide. All you need to do is go onto your device, find a reputable website, purchase the item of choice, and a few days later, it’ll arrive at your door.
While this is beneficial for the most part, it does pose some problems if you’re ordering essential items that have strict criteria to meet, like car parts. So, it’s natural to ask if buying car parts online is safe.
Let’s say, for instance, that you need to order new rubber bushes for your car’s stabiliser arms. You log onto Amazon, search for your car’s brand, and select the right bushes, but when they arrive, they’re wrong. Now, perished bushes aren’t the worst issue, so you can still drive your car around while you wait for the originals to arrive, but imagine if this was a more costly part? What would you do then? In this article, we’ll look at the ins and outs of buying online auto parts.
Buying auto parts online vs in the store
There’s no doubt that buying parts online comes with great benefits. Who wouldn’t want to do all their shopping from the comfort of their couch, right? When shopping for simple things for your car, like windshield wiper blades, light bulbs, or oil filters, you can get away with ordering them online because they are easy to pick out and find online.
Shopping online for car parts is completely safe as long as you go through a reputable online store. However, it can become problematic when you need to order more complex parts. For instance, if you need to order any parts related to the essential components of the engine, like transmission parts or parts of the electrical system, then it’s recommended to go to your local parts store.
When you buy parts at a physical store, you can see what you’re buying and, if need be, even check if it fits your model vehicle before purchasing and installing it. You can remove the old part and bring it with you when you purchase the newer part to compare them. This means that you’ll save time and money by avoiding the mistakes that come with online buying altogether.
This isn’t to say that you won’t find the parts you’re looking for online, but the chances of being sent the wrong part or having it damaged while in transit can be quite high. We’d suggest that if you’re buying parts that are easy to replace, or you’re experienced with buying parts and know what you’re looking for, then buying online is perfect. However, if you’re unsure of yourself, either go into a store or order it online with the help of an experienced mechanic or engineer.
What parts are best to buy online?
Buying online is slightly riskier than buying in-store, however, it’s not a bad idea when you know what you’re looking for. There are tons of reputable online stores, like Online Auto Parts, that sell both quality aftermarket parts and OE parts. Generally, if you’re ordering original parts online, you can trust that they’ll be good quality and will fit your car. That said, these are parts that are generally safe to order online:
- Oil
- Various filters like the air and oil filter
- Light bulbs
- Hose clamps
- Car cleaning supplies
- Windshield wiper blades
- Items to improve the aesthetics of your car
What parts should you avoid buying online?
For any fixed parts on the car that require a complicated procedure to change or repair, you should rather buy from a local dealer and get it replaced by a trained professional instead of doing it yourself or buying it online. Here are a few examples of these items:
- Cylinder heads
- Catalytic converters
- Anything to do with your car engine components
- Shocks or parts of the suspension system
- The transmission system
Frequently Asked Questions – Auto parts
Can you order the original parts online?
Yes, many manufacturers will often sell their parts online for customers to buy. However, remember that original parts will generally be more expensive and they might have an excess charge on delivering it to you. That said, with original parts you’re assured good quality and durability, so, if possible, it would be better to purchase them.
Is it a good idea to order aftermarket parts?
The reason many mechanics and professionals frown upon aftermarket parts is that they’re inconsistent. Aftermarket parts can have multiple manufacturers who use a similar design but different materials. This means that you could purchase a part that’ll break sooner than expected, putting you in the same situation as before. That said, there are some aftermarket parts that are of a higher quality. So, if you want to go the aftermarket route, look for these parts.
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