5 Places To Find Replacement Automotive Parts

Especially for older cars or antique vehicles being restored, used car parts may very well be the only answer to your parts needs. You may not find any auto supply outlet with access to car parts for a '49 Studebaker pickup or a '32 Ford, but you may very well find salvage yards with cars that are being sold for parts.

Most of the large junkyards use a system called a "Hotline." If you call a junkyard and ask whether they carry a certain part, they'll check their inventory database while you're on the phone. If they don't find the part you need in their inventory, they can use their Hotline to quickly check the inventories of neighboring buy junk cars. A quick tip about the Hotline: ask the junkyard that is checking other yards what that particular part would have cost if they had it in their inventory. You may be able to negotiate the price with the other dealer.

If what you are hunting has small parts like screws and washers, take a Ziploc baggy with you too. This will make sure you don't lose them somewhere in the junkyard!

Next check their warranty. What is the warranty on their parts? What is their parts return policy? Do they have free or discount shipping? Is their check out secure and how long will it take to get your parts? What if you have a question, when is customer service available? It looks like a lot to look for before you even place an order but, it is necessary. Every order is not perfect every time so you have to protect yourself and your wallet if there is a problem.

Make an appointment -- If a salvage yard makes an acceptable offer for your vehicle, then make an appointment to drop it off. If it isn't drivable, the yard may send out a tow truck to take it away. A car that has to be towed will be worth less as it will cost the salvage yard more money to obtain your vehicle. If your car is not drivable, but can be pulled to a salvage yard, then consider doing the job yourself.

The exterior cleaning products that you may find at your local auto parts stores, will normally have some of the same uses all across the board. One of these is the shine factor. You want your car to look good going down the road. Especially after you have put the work into it that you have cleaning it. You should look for products that will give your car a good shine as well as make it look great. You may also find products that will take care of your chrome or metal pieces. This will help your car look even better going down the road for the first time after it's been cleaned.

Continue by measuring the bolt sizes themselves. Take a bolt off and measure the diameter of the head, then the length and diameter of the thread. You may find the right bolt pattern, but the bolt doesn't fit!