In an economy that is in a state of constant flux, the prospect of losing your car
can be very frightening. Because of this, routine car maintenance is essential, however, with many Americans tightening their belts, true maintenance may not be entirely possible.
Unfortunately, while a disabled auto is something we can ill afford, it is a great inevitability. The good news is that there is a viable solution for those who suddenly have a malfunctioning vehicle on their hands, the purchase of used car parts.
That's all well and good, you may be thinking, but just how does one acquire a used car part?
Where to Go
The modern consumer can find many used auto parts in mainstream automotive stores. To get an amazing deal, however, it may be wise to go to salvage. Here, you will save a ton of money by bringing relevant tools and pulling the part out of the vehicle yourself.
You should begin by performing online and/or physical searches for local salvage and scrap yards that have cars matching your vehicle's make and model. The main caveat here is to really make sure the item you purchase is working. Be especially cautious about high ticket items like engines, alternators, transmissions, electrical units and anything that would be considered too expensive to replace easily.
A quality salvage yard offer state of the art systems that can test the viability of the part. Before you purchase, insist on this diagnostic testing.
What to Ask and Look For
Of course, since you are trying to save money, cost will be a factor in where you shop. Even so, try not to go too cheap, remember, you get what you pay for.
When looking into the salvage, be sure to comparison shop and get the best price possible for a quality part. Once you narrow your choices, visit the shop yards to take a look at the unit. If you are a bit of a neophyte in this regard, have a friend or relative who knows a lot more about cars accompany you.
Before paying any money, see if the company offers guarantees, returns or exchanges for products that fail to perform properly; make sure this agreement is in writing. If at all possible, try to obtain the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) as this can be especially handy in ascertaining the viability of its parts.
Avoiding Potential Problems
Beware of chop shops or yards that appear to be extremely disorganized, this can signal an unprofessional company, increasing your odds of getting a defective unit. Also, look to see if diagnostic and cataloguing equipment is current as this will give you greater assurance that any info gathered is relevant.
You also want to be absolutely sure you acquire a part that is made specifically for your car's make and model putting the wrong parts in your car can cause further damage, adding to the final cost of repair.
It's a risk not worth taking.
Final Analysis
Of course, you can skip the U-Pull-It or salvage option altogether and go to an automotive store that offers used parts, however, this won't guarantee viability. Parts are usually marked up as well, so they will be more expensive than salvaged units.
In the end, all the effort would be well worth it. Not only will you save money, you will aid in conservation efforts recycling the parts. With all these facts considered, buying used auto parts can be a win-win, especially if one is smart about their hunt and eventual purchase.
About the Author
Auto salvage selling used auto parts. Find used engines, used tires and used seats.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Public Transport Versus Private Cars
Despite the uproar over fuel prices in recent years, the amount of traffic on the road only ever increases. Apparently, people are pulling in their belts, tightening the purse strings and budgeting to within an inch of their lives in fear of the impending recession. Or at least this is what we are told and this is what new car manufacturers say is to blame for their lack of sales this year.
However, this situation is not the same for the second hand car market. The one area that has benefited from the downturn in public spending is used cars, Manchester being one of the hotspots given its huge population and the vast area that the city is spread across.
Of course, the government would like to crack down on the amount of traffic on the road and they encourage us to use public transport but, despite improvements in this in recent years, it's still not that reliable and our main concern when waking in the morning is to get to work on time in order to keep our jobs and not lose them in this difficult economic climate.
So, we need to get to where we are going in a hurry, we need reliable transport to do it with and we don't want to pay the earth for it. Hence we buy used cars, Manchester citizens say. Is it any wonder then, that a fourteen per cent rise in the amount of traffic on the road has been recorded over the last ten years?
The majority of this traffic is in the form of cars. Car traffic accounts for nearly eighty per cent of all road traffic which is good news for those dealing in used cars, Manchester salesmen report record sales of late and are prospering.
Given that people are trying to find ever more inventive ways to make money and keep their heads above water, it would seem that according to government statistics, light van traffic has increased forty per cent in the last ten years. This could well be due to people starting up their own small businesses to elevate income.
Roads in Great Britain are estimated to be just under 400,000 kilometres in length with 87 per cent of this being 'B', 'C' or unclassified roads. It is estimated that nearly half of all road users exceed the speed limit regularly and with over 3,500 deaths, 171 of which were children and just under 300,000 total road casualties in the UK per year, is it any wonder that the transport department are installing extra traffic calming measures everywhere?
The drive to reduce traffic as well as pollution and decrease road casualties has worked well in London with a congestion charge forcing regular users to either look at how economic or environmentally friendly their vehicle is or perhaps use public transport more frequently.
It seems the use of vehicles whether they be through public transport, new cars or used cars will be an on-going debate to try and get the balance right. Reliable, cheap transport is required by just about everybody these days. Yet we are told it is ruining the environment. Public transport leaves a lot to be desired so we use our own cars but pay through the nose for fuel and taxes. At the moment the struggle goes on between government charges and road users and this will continue to rage until a suitable balance is found for all.
About the Author
Shaun Parker is a leading traffic expert with many years of experience in the field of statistics. Find out more about where the sale of used cars, Manchester in particular, has picked up at http://www.hplmotors.co.uk
However, this situation is not the same for the second hand car market. The one area that has benefited from the downturn in public spending is used cars, Manchester being one of the hotspots given its huge population and the vast area that the city is spread across.
Of course, the government would like to crack down on the amount of traffic on the road and they encourage us to use public transport but, despite improvements in this in recent years, it's still not that reliable and our main concern when waking in the morning is to get to work on time in order to keep our jobs and not lose them in this difficult economic climate.
So, we need to get to where we are going in a hurry, we need reliable transport to do it with and we don't want to pay the earth for it. Hence we buy used cars, Manchester citizens say. Is it any wonder then, that a fourteen per cent rise in the amount of traffic on the road has been recorded over the last ten years?
The majority of this traffic is in the form of cars. Car traffic accounts for nearly eighty per cent of all road traffic which is good news for those dealing in used cars, Manchester salesmen report record sales of late and are prospering.
Given that people are trying to find ever more inventive ways to make money and keep their heads above water, it would seem that according to government statistics, light van traffic has increased forty per cent in the last ten years. This could well be due to people starting up their own small businesses to elevate income.
Roads in Great Britain are estimated to be just under 400,000 kilometres in length with 87 per cent of this being 'B', 'C' or unclassified roads. It is estimated that nearly half of all road users exceed the speed limit regularly and with over 3,500 deaths, 171 of which were children and just under 300,000 total road casualties in the UK per year, is it any wonder that the transport department are installing extra traffic calming measures everywhere?
The drive to reduce traffic as well as pollution and decrease road casualties has worked well in London with a congestion charge forcing regular users to either look at how economic or environmentally friendly their vehicle is or perhaps use public transport more frequently.
It seems the use of vehicles whether they be through public transport, new cars or used cars will be an on-going debate to try and get the balance right. Reliable, cheap transport is required by just about everybody these days. Yet we are told it is ruining the environment. Public transport leaves a lot to be desired so we use our own cars but pay through the nose for fuel and taxes. At the moment the struggle goes on between government charges and road users and this will continue to rage until a suitable balance is found for all.
About the Author
Shaun Parker is a leading traffic expert with many years of experience in the field of statistics. Find out more about where the sale of used cars, Manchester in particular, has picked up at http://www.hplmotors.co.uk
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