MAIN Home Life Shopping Autos Auto Parts

Car newbies usually find out pretty quickly what the rest of us have already learned from long, hard experience. Most of it can be summed up in two words — auto parts.

Auto parts are big business, with huge profits made each year by car manufacturers and suppliers. The demand, of course, is constantly fueled by new or used car owners looking to replace simple things... a busted radiator hose, worn windshield wipers, a broken headlight or alternator. Do it yourselfers and mechanics look for transmissions, carborators, mufflers and other, more expensive parts.

Fender benders, crashes, weather such as hail, summer's heat or winter snows all contribute to the need for auto replacement parts. But talk to any number of auto parts dealers, and they'll tell you that the ease of obtaining a part all comes down to one simple rule — how profitable it may be to keep on the shelves.

From the dealers point of view, unprofitable parts are "slow movers", including those belonging to older cars no longer in demand, or otherwise an unpopular model that rarely sold even when new.

Keeping in mind the amount you may likely spend on auto parts over the life of your car, foreign car parts can be easy to find, but notoriously expensive.

Buyers may initially get warm and fuzzy over the reliability and money saved by better gas mileage with a Honda or other budget foreign car. When it comes to replacing a worn out piece, they may later be stopped cold by the price of auto parts. Parts for foreign cars — even easy on the wallet models — can run twice or even three times the price of comparable American-made parts.

As always, it pays to shop around for just the right auto part you need. On the Web, it can be as simple as searching by make or model number. Most of the major online auto parts stores offer a searchable database, or at least a browseable gallery that helps the visual-minded easily find the part they need.

Overall, look for customer-focused sites that offer as much information as you need to enable you to make a smart purchase. Many of the top sites will also offer easy returns if you're not happy with your purchase, as well as free shipping depending on the amount of your order.

Below, get a jump-start on finding cheaper auto parts at a handful of online auto parts stores that provide all of the above — as well as seasonal specials, discount prices, hard-to-find parts, and 800 numbers available for any other questions you may have about the part you're searching for ...

J.C. Whitney - Check out great discounts and visitor reviews for a huge variety of auto parts & accessories, including hard-to-find items for cars, motorcycles, jeeps and classic VW's. 24-hour shipping, easy returns & great customer service make this the Amazon.com of auto parts - and speaking of Amazon ...

Amazon.com Automotive - That's right, the major bookseller now includes auto parts at great savings in partnership with major brands including brakes, lights, suspensions, shocks & struts, gaskets, filters, and other replacement parts at big discounts. Also peruse an amazing selection of car accessories and hi-tech electronic diagnostic & testing tools.

1A Auto Parts - For the sheer amount of info on each part sold, this site should win some kind of award for "most informative" store online. Shop by make or model number or browse the most popular parts by category including exhaust manifolds, window regulators, auto carpet, grilles, side view mirrors ... and their hottest item: headlights ....

Auto Barn - Another top-rated store featuring discounts, clearance items and seasonal specials on everything from brakes to wiper blades searchable by make & model number. Skip the spam-filled online discussion forum. Check out the other gadgets & doo-dads in the accessories section.

PartsTrain.com - Hard to Find Auto Parts & Truck Parts - Discount auto parts with no muss, no fuss home page directory. Browse the illustrated menu and find great savings on hubcaps, taillights, radiators, electrical parts, wheels, fenders, mirrors, or that hard-to-find engine part.

Also see-> Car Ground Effects - Do It Yourself

Car Performance Software & Parts