How to Shop for Reliable Parts
Its inevitable- at some point with your classic, muscle or performance car or truck, you are going to need or want parts. Unfortunately, today the failure rate is one in every three parts. As you may know, this is due to the invasion of Chinese or other foreign sourced aftermarket parts and cheaper many times is actually more expensive when you factor in durability and labor costs. Keeping this in mind, you can be more careful by taking a little more time to research what you need when you do your own repairs or installation. (Your experienced, reputable mechanic will recommend what brands or options to look for and what to avoid if their shop will be performing the work.)
Ask the following questions:
- Who manufactures the part? Some parts are made under different names than on the box.
- Where is the part made- where possible make sure that the box does not just say “Distributed in U.S. or another location” to throw you off. Sometimes the same part number is made in more than one location (for example- Mexico, Canada or India- in this case choose a North American source)
- Double check the application for your part with at least two sources. Many times you can go online to cross-reference the brand and part number. (Your mechanic could be one.) This is even more important if you are upgrading to bolt-on parts to increase performance of your vehicle!
- Check online for reputable reviews of the part or comparison between brands where available.
- When checking options, see if there is any warranty offered at least against any defects.
- Be wary of any brand that is significantly lower in price than its competitors.
- Many times its better to shop in a retail store so you can check fit and finish of the product.
Important Tip- In many cases you may be better off having a professional perform moderate to difficult repairs and installations of new parts. If you were to break the new part when attempting to install it yourself, the manufacturer’s warranty would not cover you. Provided complements of Carroll County Auto Parts/NAPA, offering a vast selection of replacement parts. For more information, call 410-848-5151 visit Our Page or go to Carroll County Auto Parts.
