Although the trend in urban areas in particular is now moving more toward alternative mobility concepts and local public transport, the car is still very popular as a form of individual mobility.
For the rural population in particular, having their own vehicle is not just a necessary means of transport for going shopping or to work every day; it is also a kind of symbol of freedom. However, the feeling of freedom quickly suffers when the car has to go to the workshop or is due for a regular service. In addition to the high hourly rates charged by garages, it is above all the spare parts that can cost a lot of money. Whether it’s replacement parts such as wiper blades, oil filters, air and pollen filters, or more expensive, sometimes safety-relevant components such as brake pads and calipers, timing belts or shock absorbers, buying replacement parts online offers car drivers a comparatively simple way to save cash. So it’s no wonder that the industry is really booming and experts in independent studies are forecasting an online share of around 20 percent in the automotive spare parts market by 2025.
Nevertheless, there are a number of things to keep in mind when buying car parts online to ensure that the process runs smoothly and that the right part ends up in the shopping cart.
Order safety-related spare parts online at a reasonable price – how to find the right spare part for you
While simple spare parts are usually not so hard on the wallet, it is mainly safety-relevant parts such as brakes or shock absorbers that can be costly to replace. If we stick to the example of shock absorbers, many car owners ask themselves in advance: how expensive is it to change a shock absorber and how long does it take?? However, it is difficult to give a general answer to these questions about potential repair costs, as the actual costs often depend on the installation position and type of construction. Although it usually takes up to 90 minutes to change the front shock absorbers and around 30 to 60 minutes to change the rear ones, it is difficult to put an exact figure on the cost of the work. The actual amount of work and the workshops’ charging rates vary too much.
What can be clearly stated, however, is the price of the shock absorbers themselves. For this purpose, it is worthwhile for car drivers and workshops to carry out a non-binding car parts price comparison at the online marketplace DAPARTO, which can thus find shock absorbers for all vehicles at favorable prices. Since its foundation in 2009, DAPARTO has developed from a pure comparison portal to an online marketplace. Thanks to the broad network of renowned dealers and manufacturers with their extensive product portfolios, hobby mechanics and professional workshops can find the right spare parts, even for the best car brands.
DAPARTO offers several ways to find the right spare part from the cross-vendor selection. Probably the fastest and clearest search can be done by entering the original spare part number of the component. However, since this is only known in the rarest of cases, the functionalities of DAPARTO are focused on the search for car parts.
First of all, the exact specification of the vehicle type is sufficient. Using the data on the vehicle manufacturer, the model series and the exact vehicle type, the parts available for the model can be viewed. The search is even faster if you enter the manufacturer and type code number from the registration certificate I (vehicle registration document). These can be found there as HSN or. TSN number under items 2.1 and 2.2.
original, identical or replica parts – these are the differences
Once the right spare parts have been found for the vehicle, the next step is to select the specific article. If you search for the discrepancies of the offered prices within an identical product group, the question always comes up: what is the difference between replica, original and aftermarket parts??
If you buy original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts, you get a product that was manufactured by one of the carmaker’s suppliers but still meets its quality standards in full. Original parts are therefore directly linked to the car manufacturer. Replica or aftermarket parts, on the other hand, are parts that have been manufactured by another third-party manufacturer who does not supply them directly to the car manufacturer. Another type is the so-called identical parts: these actually come from the same supplier as the original components, but are not marketed directly under the car manufacturer’s brand name. Identical parts therefore also fully comply with the quality characteristics of the oems. Although there are also high-quality replica parts, buyers should exercise great care when purchasing copies.
In this regard, it should first be mentioned that it is extremely important to pay attention to the correct legitimation certificates and quality seals, especially for safety-relevant spare parts. This includes EC type approval and design approval.
Despite the numerous advantages of buying car spare parts online, buyers should therefore be vigilant not to fall for black sheep and cheap copies. factories in china or india in particular sometimes produce third-rate replacement parts that look amazingly similar to the original components, but are by no means able to hold a candle to them in terms of quality requirements. To ensure that buyers do not fall for such literally counterfeit cheap parts, it is important to pay attention to a number of things during the selection and purchasing process.
beware of counterfeit car parts – these are the signs that should set alarm bells ringing
Anyone who falls for counterfeit spare parts sometimes not only pays a lot of money in relation to the product quality, but also runs the risk of a life-threatening situation on the road after they have been installed. When buying spare parts, the first thing to look for is the asking price: if this is significantly lower than the usual price range, this is already a first indication of potential counterfeiting. Only those who produce well below the usual material and labor costs are in a position to charge such competitive prices. Another important feature is the supplier of the spare part: am I, as a buyer, on the side of an established european spare parts dealer or in the web store of a dubious supplier from a third country?? Vehicle owners or workshops ordering spare parts online should make a habit of this supplier check.