How to Find Low Cost Auto Parts and Tires

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Car owners who contact dealerships are frequently astonished when they realize the cost of replacement car parts for less. A trim piece that costs maybe $5 to manufacture could carry a 5000 percent premium at the retail counter. Some parts are prohibitively expensive just because many consumers do not know any better. If only they took the time to shop around, they would realize that these parts can be purchased at much lower rates. Here are some of the most important things that you need to remember if you want to find low cost auto parts and tires.

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Junkyards

Junkyards come in two forms--you-pick and full-service. At you-picks, customers carry their own tools and personally take out parts from condemned cars. Full-service yards will get requested items and convey them to the front desk, where you can pay. However, this convenience comes with extra cost.

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When you have chosen a yard, call ahead to know what they specialize in. Some yards deal mostly in domestic-brand cars, some in Japanese, German, high-performance, or vintage. Most of them though are generalists and stock what the market demands. If you have a rare car, find out if the local tyre fitters have your model before wasting your time to go there and wander around.

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Online Stores

You can also purchase cheap parts at online stores. The most essential thing to keep in mind is to first check the specification so that you do not waste time and money in purchasing a part that is not suitable for your car. When you are perfect sure, then there are few other considerations to remember, too. Check the condition of the part and find out whether or not the seller is providing any warranty and make sure you know the cost of shipping the part out to you.

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Haggle, But Be Polite

It's common courtesy for most sellers, especially junkyards, to match a lower price for a part that is available at another retailer in the same geographical region. There are two important things to remember here, however. First, you have to compare apples with apples. Don't think that a junkyard will price-match their 20,000-mile engine with a similar one that has 200,000 miles on it. Second, when you haggle, tell him that you did your homework using reputable online sources, and be truthful with the guy on the other line. Remember that he has the same information that you do, and it is always better to be completely honest.