Buying Parts For Mechanics To Install Can Save Big

SAVVY Aussie car owners are saving cash on service and repair jobs for their vehicle, by taking the BYO approach to replacement parts.

Fed up with paying extra when parts need to be sourced from suppliers, drivers have found they can purchase the products themselves online and present them to their mechanic, therefore paying only for fixed service fees and the labor hours involved with the repair work.

Website such as onlineautoparts.com.au, automotivesuperstore.com.au, and others provide a range of parts suitable for all major makes of car and often offer free delivery and special clearance sales, which enable big savings.

One recent start-up, Sparesbox.com.au boasts more than 150,000 different parts from 140 brands and can fit 10,000 different car makes and models. So far, the site has had more than 130,000 Australian users and co-founder Leon Saliba said they have saved up to 60 percent on parts alone.

“Purchasing parts online and taking them to the mechanic will save consumers up to 60 percent off the normal retail price because there’s no middleman, no markups and no handling fees,” Mr. Saliba said. “We’ve had customers buy the exact same brake parts at half the cost their dealership quoted. Sometimes this is a $300 discount and for more expensive vehicles it can even be a $1000 saving.”

Users of such sites can enter the make, model and year of their car to be presented with a range of options suitable for their vehicle. Once an item is purchased, it is shipped for free for spends of $50 or more.

“Bunnings do it for home do-it-yourselfers and people save a fortune,” Mr. Saliba said. “We do exactly the same thing for car owners and you don’t even need to leave your lounge room.”

While buying parts online can be cost-effective and convenient, it is important for motorists to exercise caution, according to Tony Weber, CEO of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), who says there is an “enormous global trade in counterfeit automotive spare parts”.

“What appears to be authentic when presented in the online environment may not be the case,” Mr. Weber said, adding that fake parts were “very convincing in their packaging and initial presentation.”

Sydney mother of two Amanda Tucker and her husband Chris began purchasing car parts online after receiving a couple of expensive mechanic repair bills.

“We’d been shocked with the quotes on all the parts for repair jobs, on both our cars,” Ms. Tucker said. “We bought windscreen wipers and oil online and saved money. It was a good experience.”

Spares box also offers home car services, which Ms. Tucker finds convenient as she works from home, running her mortgage business Uptown Home Loans.

“In the past with car services, we had to drive together to drop the car off, then head to a train station and get one to work, while also dropping off the kids,” Ms. Tucker said. “Now, all I have to do is book and have the car ready for them to come to me.”