How To Find the Best Place To Buy Car Parts Online

Buying car parts online can be a little daunting at first. It’s not as simple as going with the best deal or what looks good. Quality and compatibility are the priority when shopping for parts, accessories, and upgrades. Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee you’ll find both in the auto parts shops in your area.

If you don’t want to scour the stores in your area, e-commerce sites are another option. Shopping online is fast and convenient, but choose your source carefully. Here’s our guide to finding the best site to order car parts.

What To Consider When Buying Car Parts Online

If you’re looking for the best place to order car parts online, there are a few things to consider.

Website Security

When you buy car parts online, you need to make sure you can trust the site. Scams and low-quality products abound, so check online reviews, ratings, and customer feedback. Find trusted retailers that have a solid history of customer support and quality products.

Warranties and Return Policies

Ordering parts online comes with added risk because you can’t examine the item until it arrives at your door. Review the website’s warranty and return policy in case of any incidents.

Reputable suppliers give a reasonable warranty period that will allow you to install and test the part as needed. The warranty should cover any incidents and allow you to return and replace the part if it’s faulty or doesn’t fit your vehicle.

CarParts.com offers a decent 30-day return policy for all the car parts on our site. In addition, if you sign up for CarParts Plus, you’ll have an extended 60-day return policy to fall back on in case you aren’t fully satisfied with your order.

Convenience

Convenience is an incredibly important factor to consider when buying parts online. If the website is hard to navigate, you might end up spending as much time checking your items out online as you would have when shopping at a brick-and-mortar store.

Find a website that can help you find what you need as quickly and as easily as possible.

Customer Support

Customer support shouldn’t be overlooked when looking for the best online place to buy car parts. A good customer support team can help you address compatibility issues and offer installation guidance. They can also answer any questions you might have before and after you purchase your parts.

CarParts.com has a dedicated customer support team that’s always eager to assist. In addition, CarParts Plus members have VIP Member support, meaning they have a dedicated members-only phone number and text-to-chat access.

Delivery Method and Timeline

Consider both the delivery timeline and method when choosing an automotive e-commerce site to buy from. If you need the part right away, it won’t do for it to arrive a month later.

Pick a delivery method that suits your vehicle’s maintenance or repair schedule, or you might find yourself stuck waiting weeks without a functioning vehicle to use.

Installation Services and Other Assistance Services

Some automotive e-commerce sites offer installation services in addition to selling parts. This means you can buy the parts from their site, and they can install the parts for you for free or for a small fee.

Take CarParts.com for example. Get a CarParts Plus membership, and you’ll have access to 24/7 roadside assistance. This includes tire changes, battery boosts, a 15-mile tow, and fuel delivery.

Parts Availability

With the hundreds of vehicle models out there, it can be difficult to get the exact parts you need, especially for vintage vehicles and less common models. Find an e-commerce website with a wide range of products you can trust.

OEM vs. Aftermarket Parts

Finally, you need to determine whether the site carries OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) or aftermarket parts. Some e-commerce sites exclusively offer one type, while others, like CarParts.com, offer both.

OEM parts are the same parts that originally came with your vehicle when it rolled out of the factory doors. They’re designed by vehicle manufacturers themselves and built to their standards.

Aftermarket parts are made by third-party companies and serve as alternatives to OEM parts. They perform the same function as the OEM parts.

In general, OEM parts are more expensive and offer greater quality assurance than most aftermarket parts. That being said, quality aftermarket parts sold by reputable e-commerce sites can match OEM standards while maintaining lower price points.

Some aftermarket parts can also improve on the original OEM design, but these might come at a higher price tag.

In the end, the replacement parts you choose will depend on your preferences. Whatever they might be, just make sure that the e-commerce site you choose carries your preferred parts.

Tips for Buying Car Parts Online

Now that we’ve explained what to look for in an e-commerce site, here are some tips for buying the actual parts:

Know Your Vehicle

Make sure you know your vehicle’s year, make, and model. The make refers to the vehicle’s brand, and the model is the car product itself. Always search for parts that fit your vehicle’s year, make, and model.

Identify the Exact Parts You Need

We don’t suggest buying parts all willy-nilly. If you’re an experienced DIYer, you can identify the exact parts you need to repair or replace yourself before heading online to buy your new parts. Otherwise, you can take your vehicle to a trusted auto shop to find out what parts to buy.

You can cross-check part numbers for the exact parts you need.

Check Reviews and Product Descriptions

Be sure to read a part’s reviews and descriptions carefully to determine if it’s a great deal or a waste of money. In addition, descriptions can tell you a part’s exact dimensions and purpose in case you aren’t sure it’ll fit in your vehicle.

And there you have it! Now you know how to find the best value auto parts online. The next time you’re looking for a quick and convenient way to get your hands on some automotive parts, you’ll know what to look for.