Auto Parts Tips

The Internet is a great way to shop. From the comfort of your chair, you can go from one online shop to the next, comparing product prices and features so you always get the best deals. You can also read product reviews of shoppers who have previously bought an item and learn from their experiences. You save urself the hassle of actually going out to these stores, lining up to pay, and carrying back the goods to your house. With just a few clicks of the mouse you can shop and buy, and wait for your purchase to arrive at your doorstep within 5 days or less. This is shopping connvenience at its best and what's more, online shops are open 24 hours a day!

So the next time you need a replacement for your car, say a new headlight or a
better exhaust muffler, buy online. You would be surprised to know that there are hundreds of websites offering a wide range of auto parts and accessories. Many of these online shops carry
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) replacements and aftermarket performance parts for your vehicle. Their massive online catalogues can be sorted according to auto part, type of car, and year of make so you can zero in to what you need in no time. Unlike your brick and mortar auto parts retailer, online auto parts merchants will inform you through email or by phone when an accessory that is not in stock becomes available.

There is no question about the convenience offered by online auto parts shopping to busy car owners but you may want to take certain precautions to ensure a smooth and enjoyable shopping experience.

1. Know your online retailer.

You want only the best replacements for your car so make sure you are shopping in reputable online stores. Check out their inventory of car accessories. Does the store offer a wide selection for a particular replacement? Does it provide relevant information about the product eatures and pricing? Click on the site's About link and see if the store has clearly disclosed who they are and how to reach them. A good way to determine an online store's reputation is through the quality of its customer service.

2. Protect your privacy.

Shop only at secure websites. When you're at the checkout page, the address on your browser should begin with 'https' instead of just 'http'. 'https' means the the online transaction is being secured from malicious interception. It is very important to read the store's Privacy Policy so you know exactly what the store will do with the personal and financial information you are giving to them. Look for eTrust, VeriSign, HackerSafe, BBBOnline
Reliability Program, and other privacy enforcement seals to guarantee your security and privacy.

3. Keep a record of your transactions.

Take note of the shipping and handling fees and total charges before you click on that Buy button. The total price you pay for a new car part is often higher than the published one. Make sure to printout receipts, confirmation emails, and other information related to your order so you have something to back you up in case you have questions or problems with the shipment.

4. Read the fine print.

There are cases when what is delivered to you is different from what you ordered and you have to return it. While rare, errors such as this do happen so read the online merchant's cancellation, return, and complaint-handling policies. Does the store offer warranties for its auto parts and accessories, and who honors that warranty? Do you get a refund to your credit card or get a store
credit? If these are not posted, it is wise to call or send an email to customer service first before going ahead with your purchase.

So there you have it. These tips
seem too much a bother at first but as you get to know the best auto
parts retailers online and become comfortable with their system, you eventually
save yourself some headaches and disappointments. Happy online shopping!

How To Find Low Cost Auto Parts, At The Right Price

Whether it’s for your 4-year-old Chevy minivan, or the vintage Dodge Charger you have underneath the canvas in your shop, finding auto parts that don’t cost you a fortune might be a tough task. Auto wreckers, E-bay, parts locators – these are all valid ways to try to find the auto part you need, at the price you want to pay.

For newer vehicles, you might be inclined to pay full retail price at your local auto parts store, just to get the exact part you need for your vehicle. What you should realize is there are dozens of cars with parts just like yours, or reasonably close, that are sitting in impound lots, auto wreckers, and on the
Internet, just waiting to find a new home. What makes them more attractive is that these auto parts can be found for a fraction of what you would pay for a new part. Chances are, they will last just as long – unless they have been damaged.

With any vehicle newer than 10 to 12 years, you will be able to find anything from windshields and side mirrors to carburetors and radiators at the local auto wreckers. Most auto wreckers can save you piles of cash when you are shopping for low cost auto parts. Many of them have their cars catalogued on computer, along with the parts that have been stripped from them. It makes shopping for low cost auto parts a breeze – and very economical.

With many older vehicles, you may face a tougher task of finding the auto part you need – at a reasonable price. The parts are out there – you just need to spend the time finding them.

One of the best places to find auto parts for everything from collector cars and vintage autos, to the Ford Tempo that needs a headlight, is on the Internet. Whether you search for the part on an auction site like E-bay, or if you use a national parts site like JC Whitney, chances are that someone, somewhere is going to have the parts you need for your vehicle. There is a good chance that those parts are going to cost you much less than finding someone to custom make a part, or purchasing the part from a retailer.

Vintage cars, especially ones that are older than a half century may pose a problem for someone shopping for low cost auto parts. The problem is, many of the parts that are out there are really br>hard to find, and when you do find them, they may cost you a great deal of money to purchase. The first thing you should do is exhaust all of the auto wreckers in your area. You never know who has that ’57 Chevy rusting away in the back corner of the lot since their grandfather owned the yard. Next thing to do would be to track down all of the used car parts locators on the Internet. You might find dozens of them, and if you want the final piece to your collector car puzzle, it is worth the work.

If you are still having no luck shopping for low cost auto parts to go with your vintage beauty, there are two other avenues you might follow to track down the part you need. First, search the Internet and the Yellow Pages for any car collectors groups that match your car. If you need a headlight for your Model T, try finding a group that collects those cars, and inquire where they found their parts. You may even get lucky and find someone who has that part in one of the salvaged cars they have used. Collector clubs can not only be a great lifeline for parts, they may be able to offer you advice on fixing up your car on a budget.

This next option might be a reach for some, especially if you live in the city, but rural landowners have a knack for collecting and storing all sorts of machinery on their properties – cars, trucks, tractors, etc. This might be your ace in the hole on a part you are having no luck finding anywhere else. They may also be the cheapest when you are shopping for low cost auto parts.

Talk to the local tow truck driver in a small town, or rural area. They often have the scoop on who has what, and if you’d be able to find a certain part in the area. It certainly is worth the effort if you are able to find that final remaining piece to finish your car. Don’t be afraid to scour the countryside looking for the part you need – sometimes they are found in the most unsuspecting places.

Your last resort (and most expensive) is to have a part custom made. If you are shopping for low cost auto parts, this might not be the road to travel. But, it is a final option.

With all of these avenues to follow, in all likelihood you will find the auto part you need, and you should be able to find it at a price that doesn’t put a huge dent in the pocketbook. Happy hunting!

About the author:
Search for low cost auto parts online at JC Whitney without
paying for shipping.
Visit http://jcwhitney.dontpayforshipping.com


Circulated by Article Emporium

10% Off All Auto Parts - AutoPartsGiant.com

SAVE $10 when you purchase auto body parts of over $199 or more at Parts Train. Use this code upon checkout (PTTEN)

What You Should Never Do When You Buy A Car

Sooner or later most people buy a new car. It doesn't matter if it's your third new car or your first, it almost always happens sometime.

There is an art to buying a new car and if you know it, you're better prepared when that day arrives.

Every car buyer knows that there are tricks to getting a car at a reasonable price. Dealerships and private sellers rarely mark the car at it's actual worth.

Instead, they mark the price up a little so that they make a good profit for themselves. Another reason is that this lets them give their salespeople better commissions, and this makes them work harder to sell the car to you.

Whatever the reason, almost all dealerships can be talked down on their initial prices, if you know how to haggle properly. When you buy a car, keep this in mind all the time.

The savvy buyer will know that they can talk the dealership's prices down a little bit, if he/she knows the dealer's lingo and tricks beforehand and shows that he/she are prepared to deal with them.

Salesmen are there to try and hustle a good price for the company, while you are trying to hustle a good price for yourself.

If you have ever wanted to get your money's worth out of buying a car, then this will be your comprehensive guide to getting through all of the bull and getting a car at a good price.

Most of the time, it isn't even just the deal of buying a car that is the problem. Dealers and salesmen have a way of getting extra money out of you for the "extras".

Many people don't even realize that they purchased the extras until the deal has been closed. And then it's too late.

Salesmen speak their own language, and to know when you are being sold on something that you don't want, you need to know how to speak the same language as the salesmen do. Once you do, you will never again be oversold when you buy a car.

Buying a car doesn't have to be scary and it doesn't have to be the worst experience of your life. Many people are worried when they buy a car because they know that they are likely going to get ripped off.

About the author:
Complements of http://USGasTracker.org,a premier company which helps the consumer save money on gasoline. Thousands of gas stations across the nation are tracked daily to guarantee the lowest prices on gasoline anywhere in the United States.

Circulated by Article Emporium

Timing belts, the sleeping time bomb

When buying a used car always insist on determining if the vehicle has a rubber timing-belt. Be aware that about five years ago an International Oil Company did a follow up on 5,000 cars it had turned back after 3 year leases and traced them to their eventual private owners. All the cars had by then passed through wholesale auction markets and likely one or more retail dealers before being sold to a private owner. The survey disclosed that 50% of the cars had their odometers illegally turned back.

When buying a used car, supposedly with 40,000 miles for example, and determining it has a rubber timing belt, insist on a written guarantee from the seller to guarantee in writing to replace the timing belt at no charge if it fails within another 20,000 miles, a typical recommended total amount (Call any Dealer to get the recommended amount for the particular make of vehicle). After all, the vehicle may in fact already have 55,000 miles on it. If the seller will not make that guarantee, then he is admitting that the mileage is probably not accurate and by implication may well have been turned back. If the seller will not make that guarantee, consider a compromise, such as $100 maximum cost. If not acceptable, walk away and look elsewhere."

Before buying any car, especially 4-cylinder foreign cars, or even 6-cyl. BMW, be aware of the unavoidable cost of $400-$800 to replace the timing belt at anywhere from 50,000 to 70,000 miles if the car has an 'interference' type of engine. The sales person will invariably not mention that an 'interference' type engine powers the vehicle and may not even know what one is. If a timing belt on an interference engine is not replaced at recommended intervals, the repair cost when the belt breaks (not gradually, but always catastrophically) could increase to $3,000 to $5,000 due to engine failure because parts have smashed into each other

An 'interference' engine is an engine design that has been avoided by some manufacturers for well over 80 years. General Motors, Chrysler, etc., typically use a metal chain-type timing belt on push-rod engines (often called a timing chain) to transmit torque from the engine crankshaft o the engine camshaft that opens the valves that admit air and fuel. (Note: on some new cars the fuel is admitted not through the valves but through injectors in the top of the cylinder. Rather than use a steel timing chain, interference engines may use a rubber timing belt with its limited life, whereas steel timing belts typically last 150,000 to 200,000 miles or more.

Valves open further in an interference engine and project further into the combustion chamber than in a 'free-running' engine. This allows outside air at atmospheric pressure flow faster into the combustion chamber through the larger valve opening. The engine can therefore inhale more air, be a little smaller, and still create as much power while reducing its. manufactured cost and also guaranteeing future repair business for its dealer. If a rubber timing belt breaks by not being replaced soon enough, some of the valves stuck in their open position will collide with the top of the pistons, thereby breaking or irreversibly damaging one or the other or both. To make matters worse, it is not possible to measure the wear on such a rubber belt so that it could be replaced when there is some indication of imminent failure. Failure in these belts is catastrophic, without warning. This will require a whole new engine be installed. Woe to the owner.

Finally, the rubber belt may have to be replaced long before 60,000 miles solely due to its age. This is really playing a bad poker hand. Interference engines are like a time bomb waiting to explode unless replacing the timing belt at the recommended interval. Be aware of that guaranteed future expense before buying a new car, or especially a used car, " with such an engine.

For details on this subject or for recommended mileage to replace rubber timing belts on interference engines, connect on the Internet to http://www.gates.com/brochure.cfm?brochure=2389&location_id=3053, a worldwide
manufacturer of such belts. When its web site appears, click on Replacement parts/Automotive. Look for 'Timing belt replacement Guide'.

Visit http://www.AutoTruckData.com for related resources
Copyright 2204-2005 by Beacon Data LLC. br>Reprinted with permission

About the author:
Ralph Hoffmann has a major in Applied Mathematics, and became fascinated with the anomalies inherent in automotive leasing. His web site http://www.autotruckdata.comaddresses some of the fascinating results.

Circulated by Article Emporium

The Secret to Saving 14% at the Gas Pump!

If you know the smart way to purchase your gas you can save a considerable amount of money. The following strategies could save you 4 percent, 5 percent, 10 percent or even 14 percent of your gas costs.

In this article you will learn the secret to using two strategies that together should provide you with a significant discount on your gas costs.

There are a number of alternatives that will result in savings. Among the best is the use of credit cards that offer rebates. By using the right cards you can lower your costs without having to change your driving habits or do any special maintanance on your car.

Many gas companies offer credit cards that pay rebates on gas purchases. The typical card will rebate you 10% on your gas purchases for the first two or three months and then rebate you 5% on your gas purchases thereafter.

For example currently Hess Oil has a credit card that will pay 10% for the first 60 days for Hess gas purchases and 5% for Hess gas purchases after 60 days.

Marathon Oil has the same 10% for 60 days 5% thereafter program. Speedway has an 8% for 60 days and 4% thereafter credit card program. All these cards also offer 1% rebates on other purchases and can be used anywhere Visa or MasterCard is accepted.

The examples just listed are issued by gas companies. There are also general market credit cards that will provide you with a discounts off your gas costs.

Many credit card companies offer cards that have special rebate amounts for gasoline. For example: currently Discover Card is issuing a Discover Gas Card that will give you back a rebate of 5 percent of the gas you purchase with the opportunity to increase it to 10 percent at selected retailers. It also gives you a percent rebate on other purchases.

Another example: Chase has a gas MasterCard that will give you a rebate of 5% for gas purchases and 2% for purchases everywhere else.

The advantage to using a general market card as opposed to a gas credit card is that you can use the general market credit card to buy gas at any station and get the high rebate. The gas company card only pays you the high rebate at the gas company's own stations.

On the other hand the gas company credit card will generally pay you a premium of 10 percent or 8 percent for the first 60 days where the general market card may not.

That is the main strategy for getting a discount of anywhere from 4 percent up to 10 percent. Certainly any rebate is welcome in light of the cost of gasoline. 4% is good and 10% is even better. But there may be a way to cut your cost of gas even more. Maybe even to 14%.

Here's how. Many gas companies offer pre paid gas cards or gas gift cards. In many cases these prepaid cards will offer a bonus or discount. For example in some cases you can purchase a $50 gas card for $48.

That means you pay $48 for the card but the card allows you to buy $50 worth of gas. That is the same as getting a 4% discount. In most cases you must buy these prepaid cards at the gas outlet.

Now here is where the extra savings comes in. If you purchase the prepaid card using the gas company credit card during the initial period when you are getting a 10% rebate you will get a 10% rebate on the prepaid card.

Then if you are buying a prepaid card that gives you a 4% discount, the $50 dollar card for $48 cost, you are compounding your savings.

You are getting a 10% savings on the rebate and you are getting a 4% savings on the prepaid card. In total you are getting a 14% savings!


About the author:
Scott Siegel is the author of "Beat The Gas Pump!" He has spent 30 years in a distribution company managing a fleet of trucks, vans and cars. As the manager he learned the best industry insider secrets of saving money and gas at the pump.Now you can take advantage of that information. To learn more about taking your money out of your gas tank and putting it back in your pocket go to:
http://www.beatthegaspump.com



Circulated by Article Emporium