I used to work for an aftermarket auto parts store, so I know some of the ins and outs of the business.  A lot of rumors abound that the parts from these stores aren’t as good quality as the ones the dealership sells, so I’m going to give you some advice on choosing where you buy your parts when you do your own auto repair.

• Consider the truth of the rumors.  Do you think the rumors are really true?  Have you bought parts from that store or with that particular aftermarket label before, or have you known someone who has?  If so, what were your or your friend’s experiences?
• Consider the warranty.  Sometimes it’s true that aftermarket parts aren’t as good, but a good warranty might make it worthwhile for you to buy the parts anyway.  For instance, if you are doing brake repair, getting a lifetime warranty on a set of brake pads is an unbelievable deal — you may never have to buy brake pads again, meaning that all it’ll ever cost you is the time it takes to replace the pads!
• Consider how much work the job requires.  Buying cheaper-quality parts with a lifetime warranty makes sense when it’s something that’s usually easy to do, such as replacing brake pads.  However, if the work is very difficult — such as a hard-to-reach starter or alternator — you may not want to do the job ever again, even if the replacement part is free the next time around.  Buying a higher-quality, more-likely-to-last part would make sense in this case.
• Consider the repercussions if the part goes bad too soon.  Your brake pads will grind the brake disc if it goes bad early, but you can prevent this by keeping an eye on how much pad is left and changing the pads at the first sign of trouble.  However, if you buy a cheap timing belt and it snaps too early, you could end up with thousands of dollars in engine damages.

Doing your own American or Asian automotive repair enables you to save money on repairs, but it also may require you to make smart decisions about where you buy your parts.  I hope these tips help you to decide!

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