Tips for buying used parts online

Tips for buying used parts online

As new vehicle sales drop to unprecedented lows with the economy, car-owners are now looking to purchase used replacement parts online to maintain their current vehicles more than ever. We’ve thought of a few valuable tips that might help you car-owners find and purchase high-quality used parts online.

Check the seller’s reputation: This may include the integrity of the seller’s site or the site they sell on (like JustParts.com, their communication skills, seller rating or feedback (wherever applicable), accepted payment methods, and even your gut instinct when dealing with the seller. You usually get a good feel for the seller just by contacting them. You can do this on Just Parts using our ‘Contact Seller’ feature

Make sure the part has been tested: Several used parts are subjected to performance tests, wherever possible, make sure the item has been tested before buying the part

Check for a warranty: Ensure there is a warranty on the part- the longer the better for you Check for a refund policy: Ensure there is a refund policy in the absence of a warranty, if the seller provides both, awesome!

Confirm vehicle compatibility: Make sure the part is absolutely compatible with your vehicle. Try using the part number to search for your replacement part and/or ask the part-seller to confirm part compatibility. The last thing you need is to be stuck with a pricey part that doesn’t fit

Shop Comparatively: If your part is popular among sellers, compare as many prices as possible to get the best deal. Our new ‘Wanted Board’ helps you get your hard-to-find parts for cheap by creating competition among eager sellers. Great sites to check apart from JustParts.com include Amazon.com, and motors.ebay.com. There are plenty of parts-sellers on JustParts.com and there’s always one that will undersell the rest. This is a good thing for you because it keeps more money in your pocket

Remember shipping costs: Prices advertised online usually exclude shipping costs.  How many times have we almost ‘self-precipitated’ at the sight of a $3 part only to find out that it costs $45 to ship? Try to buy from sellers that offer free shipping if possible, otherwise remember to leave room for a shipping estimate when buying a part

Follow these steps guys and you’ll be able to keep your vehicles running longer for less money. If you have any more tips, feel free to add them in the Comments box.

Cheers!

Guess who’s headed to the Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association Trade Show & Convention?

Just Parts is off to the OARA Convention
JustParts.com packs its bags and heads to Toronto for the Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association (OARA) Trade Show and Convention from March 27-28, 2009.

JustParts is on the road again, this time heading down to Toronto to attend this year’s Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association (OARA) trade show and convention. In what might prove to be yet another successful outing for the burgeoning online marketplace, CEO Michael Racco is hoping to rub shoulders with some of the biggest stakeholders in the Canadian automotive recycling industry which happens to make up part of Just Parts’ target market. ‘We never pass up the chance to meet and interact with auto-recyclers. They make up a core group of the market we cater to, and we thrive on their ideas and suggestions, plus it’s a chance to get feedback on our popular parts-car selling tool that seems to have generated a lot of enthusiasm among recyclers.’
The OARA convention is the first of many events Just Parts aims to tackle as part of a busy spring 2009. Fellow OARA members and innovative recyclers can get up close and personal with Just Parts at the Renaissance Toronto Airport Hotel from Thursday March 26 to Saturday March 28, 2009.

JustParts Parts-car tool will change your business for the better

Looking to add to its repertoire of auto parts, tools and accessories, JustParts.com has just released its revolutionary parts car listing tool on its website. This patent pending feature enables part sellers to list vehicles sold exclusively for their parts— otherwise known as parts-cars or parts vehicles— in a minute or less.

Sellers can enter details such as the car make, model, trim, parts available, damage present, mileage and shipping methods available etc. Buyers who view these parts cars can then request individual parts from these vehicles (through the seller using a simple messaging system) or purchase the entire vehicle for their own use.

‘This is unlike any other feature out in the auto part marketplace today, and is a testament to our relentless pursuit of innovation. We’ve noticed a growing demand for parts cars as an affordable alternative source for parts, yet there has been no concrete online marketplace where part buyers and sellers could go to exclusively…until now. We hope automotive recyclers; casual and other commercial part sellers embrace this tool that was built from scratch to fill a gaping void in the parts marketplace’ offered CEO & President Michael Racco via statement.

This tool is backed by a unique international vehicle database spanning thousands of domestic and imported vehicle makes and models, allowing sellers to easily post just about any conceivable vehicle for sale on JustParts.com.

With this tool, JustParts.com is hoping to become the first exclusive auto parts marketplace that sells parts cars and with its upcoming Sellers’ Drive in the next few weeks, Just Parts is aiming to lure more parts sellers and recyclers with their inventory to match the unprecedented demand for parts and accessories they have faced for the last few months.

For more on selling parts cars on JustParts, visit http://www.justparts.com/tutvideo/partscar/

European Parts Business Booms on JustParts.com

Just Parts’ recent attempts to attract European vehicle parts-sellers have been quite successful thus far as buyers have been scrambling to purchase parts off the site at unprecedented rates. Top selling parts on JustParts.com include ABS wheel sensors, fuel pumps, and oxygen sensors for BMW, Mercedes Benz and Volkswagen vehicles.

It appears that even with a deteriorating economy, owners of higher-end European luxury vehicles still demand top-notch vehicle maintenance and replacement parts. But it doesn’t stop there; strong demand for parts has also been recorded for Audi and older Volkswagen models. Parts requested in large numbers by buyers include Air Mass Sensors, Crank Position Sensors, Fenders, Control Arms and Struts. According to Senior Vice-President Lisa Sticca, Volkswagen, Mercedes and BMW vehicle parts dominate the bulk of sales on JustParts.com at the moment.

Innovative part-sellers specializing in European auto parts and accessories looking to tap into a new market are invited to sign up and sell their parts for free on JustParts.com.

Most Popular Vehicles to Accessorize Today

As if being the top-selling vehicles in North America is not enough, the Ford F-Series pick-up, Honda Civic, Toyota Tacoma and Chevrolet Impala also enjoy being atop the list of most customized vehicles.

According to  research recently conducted by SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association), the most popular vehicles to Accessorize today are (in no particular order):

• BMW 3-Series
• Chevrolet Blazer
• Chevrolet C/K
• Chevrolet Camaro
• Chevrolet Cavalier
• Chevrolet Chevelle
• Chevrolet Corvette
• Chevrolet Impala
• Chevrolet S-10
• Chevrolet Silverado
• Dodge Dakota
• Dodge RAM
• Ford F-Series
• Ford Mustang
• Ford Ranger
• GMC Sierra
• Honda Accord
• Honda Civic
• Jeep Cherokee
• Jeep Wrangler
• Mitsubishi Lancer
• Pontiac Grand Prix
• Subaru Impreza
• Toyota Camry
• Toyota Tacoma
• Volkswagen Jetta

Even though some of the vehicles on this list are no longer in production, they are still high customization appeal because numerous models remain road-worthy to this day.

According to SEMA’s lifestyle survey, average customization  expenditures varied by vehicle. For example, Chevrolet Camaro owners spent an average of US$3,500 on aftermarket accessories, while Toyota Camry owners spent a modest US$1,400.

Data used in this survey include popular car profiles from CarDomain.com, SEMA show exhibitor vehicles , SEMA-registered car enthusiasts’ vehicles, and vehicle registrations from Experian.