So, how do you get good spare parts for your automobile at discounted prices? This requires doing some homework of your own. But let's do it together.
It saves money, because you do not have to go to a professional mechanic or dealer to repair your vehicle. You can analyze the problem with the help of the software and can often get parts at a cheaper price than the dealer or professional mechanic. You will also not have to pay their expensive fees.
People, usually, have an opinion that these second hand parts are of very poor quality. They think that the only place where they could hunt for them is a nearby junkyard. This is, however, not the truth. In fact, there are many reliable and reputed places where you could find used auto parts that are as good as new ones. What's more, you get them at incredibly low prices. This, however, doesn't mean that they're of inferior quality.
Unfortunately, treasure hunting is more of a hobby than an occupation. Being the Indiana Jones of the seas is definitely a lucrative hobby if your research is correct, but it is just as likely that it will be wrong. That is why it is important to have a "real" job that pays the bills and puts food on the table.
Let us start with ease of obtaining. Obviously newer car parts will be easier to get than older ones. A friend of mine still has a 1975 Pontiac Lemans. To obtain parts for this car he has to literally go to junk yards and even online.scrap yards near mekeep parts beyond 10 years or so and even auto parts stores limit their inventory to cars under 20 years. A 30 year old vehicle is almost impossible to find parts for. Plus, if you can find the part, depending on where you get it, the cost could be anywhere from 20 to 100% over the original part cost. To say that late model car owners are taken advantage of would be a gross understatement.
Hence, probably you would do well to salvage kitchen cabinets. This option will not only save you a lot of money but will also give the kind of look you wanted.
As for the price of auto parts, aside from the age of the vehicle there is the make and model. In this case foreign car parts are much more expensive than domestically made cars. Most people who buy foreign cars don't realize this or even think about it until it comes time to get their vehicle repaired. Then they get hit with the bill and their eyes pop out of their head. For example, an oil filer for a 2005 Buick Century is about $2.98. The same oil filter for a Honda CRV is $3.98. It's basically the same filter for the Honda but it costs $1.00 more. That comes out to a 33% markup on a relatively cheap part. Imagine that same 33% markup on a part that costs $60 for the Buick. You'd be paying about $80 for the same part for the Honda.
Another, idea that struck me. Heated seats. This is actually a fairly simple idea. You can pull them from any factory-equipped car. Try the local car junk yard near me. Just make sure they can bench test them before you walk out the door. You'll want the thermostat control with this, which can be mounted under the tail for adjustment while riding. Basically, heated seats are no more then a heating pad element that sits under the upholstery, a top the padding. The heating elements average about 100-140 degrees F. I did a search for "Upholstery Heating Elements" and came up with some good results and even installation instructions and tutorials for various seats. Both OEM and retro fits.
Restoring a classic car means finding the original parts and options for a particular model. This means that if you own a Cuda with a broken Hemi engine, you need to find a stock Hemi in order to restore it. Paint is a different matter. While the authentic paint of a certain make may not be existent today, there are several car services that offer the color of that make, thus making it still look original.
