5 Things You Need to Know About European Aftermarket Parts
In the US, people love their cars. Right now, in a country of roughly 330 million, there are currently 285 million passenger vehicles registered in the US.
With many cars also comes many car repairs, and European cars are becoming a lot more popular in the US, though the capable mechanics are still lagging behind. Luckily, there's something you can do about that. Let's talk about European aftermarket parts and what you should know about them.
1. European Aftermarket Parts Are Inexpensive
Not only inexpensive but available. There's a long-standing myth that European car parts are far too expensive and difficult to access. This simply isn't true.
You can get just about any part that you need for a reasonable price, whether it's BMW performance parts or normal Porsche parts. When you buy them online, you can build an entire Mercedes yourself just by buying aftermarket parts in one convenient place.
2. Making Repairs Yourself Saves Money
We know what you're thinking: "That goes without saying."
Buying aftermarket parts and watching a couple of YouTube tutorials and learning how to fix your vehicle yourself could save you a fortune over taking your vehicle to a mechanic.
It really is that simple. There are plenty of online resources to teach you how to fix just about anything on your vehicle. If you're able to just do the routine maintenance on your vehicle, you'll save a fortune as the years go by and spare yourself the task of finding a European mechanic in your area.
The average cost of an oil change among different Porsche models is between $300 and $400 when you go to a mechanic, so there is plenty of room for savings.
If you're worried about serious mechanical adjustments like your brakes, going to a mechanic is fine. However, if you lose a mirror, bend a fender, or need to replace some wheels, doing it yourself will save you hundreds of dollars every time you need that kind of work done.
3. Quality Doesn't Change
Just because they are less expensive and "aftermarket", does not mean they are of less quality. Often, car manufacturers will unload their "obsolete" equipment for cheap, or even give it away. The thing is, car parts aren't like food. They don't go bad after a period of time.
A lot of the equipment you can get won't have even been used by the time you install it, meaning it's as good as new. If it is used, that doesn't mean it's poor quality, either.
If a bumper cover or a grill fits on your car and you don't see any scratches or dents, is that going to be any different than buying a "new" one? Yes, but only for your wallet.
You'll be able to find a wider variety of quality equipment in the aftermarket because car manufacturers simply stop making things after a while. If you have a limited-edition color on your vehicle, finding a matching fender will be nearly impossible on the company website.
However, certain aftermarket sellers get ahold of those pieces and hold onto them until they find the right buyer, and they're able to sell it for the right price. With certain car models, there are plenty of features that are specific to only a handful of vehicles, so buying aftermarket is often the only way to obtain the right equipment.
All in all, there's nothing to say that the quality and variety of aftermarket parts won't match with purchasing them from an aftermarket dealer. They all come from the same place and from the same integrated engineering factories. It really comes down to finding a quality dealer that you can trust.
4. Overwhelming Selection
If there is a downside to buying aftermarket parts, it's usually the number of products being sold. When you're shopping for cars, you have the ability to narrow your search to SUVs, station wagons, or sedans. Then, you'll be able to pick between a Volkswagen or a BMW. There's a fairly limited number of cars.
However, when we're talking about all of those different makes and models and all of their components, the volume of the selection gets very high, which may lead to confusion for people who are new to aftermarket purchases.
From rotiform wheels to basic Mini parts and Audi parts, you will find it all.
Of course, you can always narrow your selection down by searching what you are looking for but you can still wind up with the wrong part if you don't spend the time to verify it. Assuming you find a seller with a lenient return policy, this won't be much of an issue.
5. You Can Buy Today
If you have a seller with a lenient return policy, a wide selection, and good prices, buying aftermarket parts is always the way to go. Luckily, that seller exists here at Urotuning, and you can start buying what you need from us today. You can even check out our clearance section to get what you need for the best price and have it delivered to you in no time!
Drive It Home
Now that you know more about buying European aftermarket parts, you can see that the pros heavily outweigh the cons. If you know what you're looking for, you won't need to return everything. Just verify that it's the right part for the right make and model and you'll start saving a lot of money. Stay up to date with our latest auto part news and feel free to contact us with any questions.
