| Car parts, just like cars keep going up and up in | | | | radios, speakers, wheels - even spinners so you |
| price. Just look at any recent bill for service for | | | | can pimp your ride like on tv and in the movies. |
| your car. $69 is not uncommon for an oil change | | | | I've even seen celebrity cars for sale on their and |
| if you have a Mercedes or BMW at your local | | | | parts autographed by Nascar drivers like Jeff |
| dealer. $600 for headlights (not including | | | | Gordon, Rusty Wallace, Dale Earnhardt, Dale Jr., |
| installation), $700 water pump, $200 per tire - or | | | | etc. |
| more for certain cars. | | | | Even if you don't end up buying on Ebay, it is |
| It just gets ridiculous. It has been estimated that | | | | generally a wholesale marketplace and will give |
| if one were to try and buy all the parts for a car | | | | you a feel for the value and true pricing of certain |
| through their local dealer it would cost | | | | parts. It will also show you the huge difference |
| 300-500,000 for all the parts on the average car. | | | | between the actual value and what a dealer |
| someone is getting rich here and it isn't us. There | | | | charges. Just remember this - "Dealer bad, Ebay |
| is a better way. | | | | good." You can even buy your car on Ebay and |
| Start by looking online. There are junk yards that | | | | save a mint - no bogus processing fees, lies by |
| have the parts you need. And just because they | | | | salesmen and their managers whose only job is to |
| are referred to as junkyards, doesn't mean they | | | | squeeze every penny they can out of you - |
| only sell junk. Lots of their inventory is from cars | | | | especially the finance manager (they get you just |
| that are less than 1 year old. What do you think | | | | hen you think you are done - and many times |
| happens to the perfectly good tires on a new | | | | they get you for thousands of dollars in profit). |
| BMW that was junked do to rear accident. Some | | | | Bogus dealer processing fees totalled more than |
| wiley person buys them at a great discount for | | | | $50 billion in 2005 - no wonder dealers are getting |
| their own car. Junk or salvage yards turnover | | | | richer, playing more golf, etc... But due to lawyers |
| millions of dollars in car parts every year. | | | | and tax strategies the average dealer pays less in |
| The best site to use is car-parts. They will | | | | taxes than most americans (average dealer tax |
| research thousands of salvage dealers and display | | | | rate is less than 1%) - go figure. |
| the prices in order from cheapest and newest | | | | So there you have it get online and use salvage |
| and colors, etc... You enter your part needs and | | | | yards and Ebay to get a great deal on all your car |
| then they will find your parts for you. It is not | | | | part needs. For instructions on installing any part |
| uncommon to get basically brand new or similar | | | | just look it up on Google. There are thousands of |
| items for less than 20% of the price a dealer | | | | great forums and blogs that for free will give |
| charges or less. | | | | great pictures and step by step explanations on |
| Another great place is Ebay and Ebay Motors. | | | | everything from changing a tire to a camshaft, |
| There are lots of car parts on there for just | | | | bleeding brakes, fan belt replacement, etc... Do not |
| about every make year and model of car. | | | | use your dealer unless you like getting fleeced on |
| Everything from a hood to a door, interior carpet, | | | | a daily basis - as that is what they will do. |