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The automobile spare parts industry is a vast one and finding the best parts for your vehicle can be quite the hassle especially when you are looking to improve vehicle safety whilst also giving your vehicle a fresh and updated look. Knowing what to look for doesn't just involve the serial number of the part you are after as there are certain features that play a major role in what you are getting. Before we explain the parts and their most important features and properties, first we are going to explain what you need to consider when buying auto parts no matter what their purpose is. Here we go.
Tips
- The very first thing to do when buying spare auto parts is to verify if the part is genuine and in proper working condition, as otherwise, you'll end up having a fake one which is usually of lower quality. What you want to do here, is check if the auto spare parts you are after resemble the OEM ones with stuff like the part number, compatibility information and other specs in the manual also need to be checked.
- Going for the first offer you see on the internet may seem like a good idea at first but you may be missing out on a better one on another vendor's website. Comparing the price of the same product across multiple web stores and weighing in all the considerations will lead you to the best and most cost-effective part.
- Warranties and a customer-oriented return policy will be your guarantee in case you get a different part than what you've ordered or just a faulty one. To avoid getting stuck with a faulty product make sure it is under warranty and to double-check the vendor's return policy. This also adds to the credibility of a genuine part.
- In order to stay informed about the delivery time and other details about your order, try to find if a certain vendor's website has a tracking option. It's important that you also check whats the shipping procedure like, as well as the cost of the shipping. Since some parts can be quite heavy and big, vendors invest more in their packaging and they can charge you for that.
- A credible seller doesn't only mean having a user-friendly website, but also the way you place an order and the customer reviews or any other feedback on the internet. There are a lot of e-commerce websites that offer the part you are after but are they really? Make sure you avoid a vendor that asks for your information upfront when making an order.
Headlights
- There are different types of headlights like composite, sealed beam, projector and reflector headlights. Reflector headlights make use of a chrome-plated surface that reflects the light, producing an intense beam. Projector headlights, on the other hand, have a light bulb in a projector bowl which reflects the light on a projector lens. Composite headlights have the filament, lens and reflector placed separately while a sealed beam headlight has them all in one unit.
- You also have different types of bulbs like halogen, LED and HID bulbs. Halogen bulbs are probably the most common type of bulb which includes a tungsten filament. Various mixtures of gasses like iodine, nitrogen, argon and bromine are used and increase the life of the filament. LED are used in newer cars and are smaller than both HID and halogen bulbs with the ability to be arranged in different patterns.
Bumper Guards
- With bumper guards, you have 4 options to choose from: trunk-mounted, license plate mounted, hitch-mounted and stick-on. A hitch mounted bumper goes on a receiver trailer hitch. Trunk mounted bumper guards are only getting mounted when parked so they protect your car from other vehicles. License plate bumpers make for sleek protection but also thick and have a lot of bumper protection but they only go on the middle. Stick-on bumpers have a special adhesive but they are not a permanent solution.
- It's important that you get a bumper made from a durable material which is also weather resistant. Some of these materials involve rubber and compact foam with the former being more durable. The area that they need to protect is also important hence why you'll need to measure the bumper - some bumpers are longer and go round which double as corner bumpers too.
Grilles
- Car grilles are auto spare parts that come available in 6 different types, starting out with mesh grilles, punch billet grilles, bar billet grills, specialty billet grilles and bumper grilles. A bar billet grille is a classy looking grille and like any other grille out there comes made from ABS construction, aluminium and stainless steel. A mesh grille has intertwined pieces of thin metal which makes for a high-performance look.
- Punch billet grilles are made by cutting holes in a solid piece of metal and provide plenty of air to flow in. Bumper grilles go in the vehicle's bumper so they provide an additional entrance and more air so it cools the engine more efficiently. A specialty billet grille is made from a high-quality aluminium which can have custom designs like spiderweb and flames.
Running Boards
- Running boards help you get in your vehicle more easily but in order to get the right one, you need to find a running board that fits your vehicle and look for ones that have a rubber coating so you don't slip. Running boards are made out of either steel or aluminium with the former being very rigid and sustainable to impacts but it adds a lot of weight.
- Aluminium, on the other hand, is lighter than steel but it is not as sustainable. You also have different shapes of running boards like oval, rectangular and square. Most running boards come with a weight capacity of about 130kg but you also have boards with higher weight limits which can reach up to 220kg.
Mud Flaps
- While at first glance, mud flaps may not seem to be of any use when it comes to making your vehicle more unique, they actually can help in that department but just in a different way. This is what you need to look for first which has to do with their style as there are mud flaps with different designs on them and some even have vehicle-specific information.
- If you are about having a custom design on your mud flaps then go with a pair made of heavy-duty rubber but if you want t keep things simple in that area then go with plastic ones but keep in mind they are shorter. I am not saying that you can't have rubber mudflaps without embellishments, but in case you do want to its best that you go with rubber ones instead of plastic.
