There are many roadworthy cars still in use on Britain’s roads today which are perfectly functional, but have one major drawback: parts are hard to source for them!
Examples of cars like this include classic cars and modern mass-produced cars where the car manufacturer no longer manufactures spare parts for them. Another example can also be modern cars where the car manufacturer is no longer in existence (for example, Saab and Daewoo).
However thanks to the World Wide Web, it is now possible to source those hard to find parts with relative ease and speed. If you are the owner of a car with hard to find parts, then you should check out these awesome tips to help you out!
Check if the manufacturer still sells parts
The first thing to do would be to confirm whether your car’s manufacturer still sells the parts for your car that you need, even if they don’t make your car anymore. Saab, for example, no longer manufacture cars, but they still have a number of official service centres which sell parts for various models.
Find other sources of parts
This is where Google is your friend! Simply type in key phrases such as “saab spare parts” or “daewoo alternators” to find websites of parts suppliers that may be able to help you out.
You might not realise it, but there is actually a huge amount of companies out there in the United Kingdom that specialise in manufacturing parts for various classic cars and modern cars whose manufacturers are no longer around. For example, there is a company called Rimmer Brothers that specialise in old classics such as Triumph cars.
It is actually much easier to find parts for cars online today than it was say 10 years ago thanks to the number of businesses establishing an online presence, with many offering an e-commerce platform that enable customers to place orders 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!
Search by part number
Another alternative search you can do online is by simply typing in the part number if you know it, or maybe the part number followed by a brief description of the part. Either one of those searches is bound to come up with some relevant results that could lead you to a potential source for that sought-after part that you need!
Websites like eBay are a great place to search for parts, and if you tick the ‘search description’ option when searching by part number, you will most likely find that the part you need is actually available for a different model of car too; for example, if you are looking for a headlight lens for a fourth-generation Ford Fiesta, you might also find results for a Mazda 121 (which is basically the same car).
Buy a donor car
Thanks to Deal4yourwheels – sell my car for this top tip! Sometimes you might have to simply buy another car like yours to salvage the spare parts you need. It’s actually a pretty good idea if you think about it, because if you buy a complete working example then you have got literally all of the parts you will ever need!