Search
-
or select -
There can be some situations that you may need or want to buy new auto parts for your car, truck, or SUV. To help you out, we’ve asked our automotive service and parts members a few frequently asked questions. Here’s is what they said.
OEM parts designate the “Original Equipment Manufacturer” parts. They are manufactured for unique car or truck models by the manufacturer. These are your vehicle’s exact-matching parts. They come with a manufacturer’s warranty. Certified Service Centers use your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to identify the perfect OEM part for your car or truck.
These manufacturer items insure reliable quality and performance.
These automobiles parts always come with a limited manufacturer warranty.
OEM auto parts can cost more than comparable aftermarket products.
Dealers generally order specific parts from the manufacturer. This may take a few days if it is not already in stock.
An aftermarket part is any vehicle part that is not provided directly from the vehicle’s manufacturer, or OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer). These car parts are certainly less-expensive options for your vehicle’s repair and advancements. Independent, local shops and online retailers may (though not necessarily) offer a variety of aftermarket auto parts. These parts are made to function similarly to the OEM versions. However, aftermarket car parts have their own pros and cons.
Low price often signal a lower quality craftsmanship
Aftermarket parts don’t come with a warranty
These car parts can be less costly than OEM parts
Most car-repair shops have these parts readily available
While basic auto parts range between $150 to $500, some car part repairs can actually break a typical budget.
Always purchase OEM Manufacturer parts for collision repairs. non-manufacturer car parts may not fit properly when your car or truck has damaged body panels after the accident. Plus, installing aftermarket parts may void your lease vehicle warranty. Therefore, always use manufacturer parts for all types of vehicle repairs if you have a leased car.
A complete auto manufacturer’s warranty doesn’t cover every part. Car buyers, however, can choose something like a bumper-to-bumper warranty, factory warranty, and an extended warranty for the most comprehensive kind of coverage. Even for an extended warranty, all your vehicle’s parts will likely not have coverage. Here is a list of what’s covered and what’s not.
Craigslist is not an auto retailer; but on this online platform, third-party vendors sell automotive parts. For this reason, the quality cannot be guaranteed. If you are buying car parts from this source, make sure to research, verify, and compare before the purchase.
Indisputably, Amazon is a reputed marketplace and provides shoppers with an easy and convenient platform to purchase quality car and truck parts. While most automotive parts sold by Amazon are from reliable sources, it can be hard to know if you’re getting the right product for your vehicle since you are not dealing with an automobile service center directly.
Yes, you can shop for automotive parts at the dealership. Most car dealerships only source standard OEM manufacturer parts. Most of all, they can help you find specific parts for your vehicle with its VIN .
You can always bring your own auto parts to an auto dealer. The auto dealer, however, can neither issue warranty on the part you’ve purchased, nor can they guarantee its performance. It is highly recommended to get your vehicle checked by an experienced service technician at a local car dealer before buying any auto parts for installation. The factory-trained technician will also diagnose the actual problem and suggest the required replacement part if needed.
Bring your aftermarket vehicle part to a local car dealership to get it installed. Before installation, a service technician will check the aftermarket car part to verify if it is a match for your car. Even if they install the aftermarket part, however, the auto dealer can only provide a warranty on the labor.
Professional, clean and everyone was "nice/friendly. Timely, car came clean not greasy like most placrs!!
Our salesperson Nita exceeded our expectations and we got the Mini we wanted in a timely and professional way.
Joshua Shives is the best. Very helpful and was able to get me a great fral
I have always had a great experience at mini of clear lake. David has always provided excellent customer service.
Excellent sales representative. She drives a mini so she was able to tell us ALL of the details on the car. She was such a delight to work with!
