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Can’t Find The Right Part? How To Find What You Need For Your Car

If you’re a huge car fan or if you routinely fix your own cars to save money, it pays to know where to find the right parts for it. While it’s possible to find new parts for a reasonable price, it’s also a good idea to look for used parts. However, not everyone knows where to look for these bargain parts. If you’ve got a car project going and you need to locate some hard-to-find parts for it, here are four places to start looking.

1. Craigslist

Craigslist is the go-to place to find myriad items, from baby toys to old records. It’s also a place where you’ll find spare auto parts. If you shop Craigslist, you’ll likely get a good deal, but you will need to proceed with caution. Some parts can really be duds and are, therefore, not worth the price you pay for them even if they are cheap. Be sure to ask thorough questions if you do buy from someone on Craigslist and don’t be afraid to walk away from a deal if you need to.

2. Auto Salvage Places

In many cities, there are auto salvage businesses – better known as junkyards. These are places where people can take their car when it’s too old or damaged to repair. This, then, becomes a case of the sum of the parts being more valuable than the whole. If you have a particularly old car – say one that’s 20 years old or more – the auto salvage route may be your best bet for finding parts. Many times, you can’t find new parts for a car this old at an auto parts store, but you can and will find them in the junkyard and for a good price, too, according to Popular Mechanics.

3. Auto Specialty Stores Online

Convenience is one of the best reasons for looking for auto parts online. Some specialty online shops, like Reggie’s Garage, carry a lot of different types of parts that might be hard for you to find. If your vehicle is an older model and it’s hard for you to find that part, it’s probably because the manufacturer no longer makes it. If you’re in a hurry to find a part, though, this type of site can be very helpful. If they don’t have the particular part that you’re looking for, make sure to contact them and see if they can order it for you or keep an eye out for it. Also, you should know that subscribing to a company’s newsletter can be additionally wise if you are in the business for looking for various auto parts or auto repair tips on a regular basis.

4. Dealerships

If you’re working on a car that’s just a couple of years old, your best bet for finding a part for it might be at the dealership. Some of these places also have auto body shops, where you can have cars repaired. This might be a good option for those who aren’t yet as knowledgeable about auto repair as they’d like to be. There’s an additional bonus for going this route: The new part might be covered under your warranty.

Finding parts for your car-repair project can be challenging. However, there are many places where you’ll find suitable parts for it. If you’re in the middle of a project and looking for a particularly hard-to-locate part, start with the suggestions on this list first.