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Buying car parts can be an intimidating experience. There are countless OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) and hundreds of thousands of different parts for different car brands. Knowing what to buy, and where to buy it from can be quite a challenge.Follow these tips when buying car parts to make your shopping experience easier:

1. Do your researchThe first step in the car part buying process is research. Make sure that you know exactly what you need before you go shopping. Car parts vary considerably from brand to brand and car to car. Consult your car owner’s manual, search online, or ask an experienced and trustworthy mechanic to make sure that you have your exact requirements down to a T.
2. Research different brandsThere is a mind-boggingly variety of car part brands in the market. For any given part, you can easily find dozens, if not hundreds of different manufacturers. Obviously, not all these brands are the same. Some have been in the business for decades and have well-established repair, sales and service centres. Others are new and sometimes use sub-standard materials in the manufacturing process.When researching part manufacturers, pay close attention to the offered warranty, the brand’s reputation among car performance enthusiasts (who often test out new parts), the kind of materials/manufacturing process used, and the availability of service, research and sales centres.
3. Consider buying used car partsIf you are on a budget, you can cut down costs drastically by buying used car parts. There are a number of retailers who specialise in selling second-hand parts. They usually clean, test and refurbish parts such that they offer as good, if not better, performance than their brand new counterparts.
4. Check warranties and return policiesLastly, before you plop down your cash, make sure that you understand the retailer’s return policy and warranties offered by the brand (if any). Any reputable retailer will have some form of service guarantee. Top notch brands also offer warranties of an year or more on their parts. This can save you a lot of money in case a part malfunctions.

Buying car parts can be a frustrating experience. Fortunately, with enough research, you can get just the part you want, without breaking the bank.