Everything is getting more expensive; both homeowners and car owners have to become more creative in driving down or at least putting a cap on costs. One clever way for car owners to keep costs in check is to buy their own new car parts and take them to your mechanic and have him install them. Mechanics get paid for their skills and knowledge; it requires no skill or knowledge to buy a car part.
Many automotive repair shops make a profit on providing spare parts for their customers. It is always best to talk to your mechanic before you simply walk in with the parts but more and more mechanics are showing a distinct willingness to operate in this fashion. Although the shop may agree to using new auto parts that you supply do not expect them to warrant their work if the part fails. If they make an error, you can expect them to rectify it but if a part fails that they didn’t supply the ball is in your court.
It is not necessary to buy all the parts and have them installed by your mechanic. The biggest savings are to be found on big-ticket items that take minimal time to install. A good example is an alternator; it is a costly component that can be installed in less than an hour. Don’t mess with small, inexpensive parts. If the job is labor intensive and there is a chance of part failure then the cost savings are already outweighed, let the mechanic supply the parts.
New auto parts are not necessarily OEM (original equipment manufacturer) auto parts. Consider buying new, equally high quality aftermarket parts. Don’t think for one minute that an auto manufacturer makes every part that goes into a vehicle, they do not. In many cases an OEM part is manufactured by the same company that makes aftermarket parts available. In many cases the aftermarket part is actually better than the OEM part because the manufacturer saw ways to improve it. Even if the part is equal OEM parts they will be considerably less expensive and they come with extended warranties.
There are also remanufactured parts available that are every bit as good as any new auto parts. These parts have been totally disassembled, cleaned, new components installed where necessary and tested. Many of the components that are used are brand new and in the majority of cases they are warranted.
If you cannot afford new auto parts or the part you need is no longer available then there are a number of alternatives, all of which will save you money.
Courtesy of aeroautoparts
