If you are like me, you are actually very clueless about the

auto parts in your car. When something breaks or needs

replacing, you need help deciding what you need to buy in order

to fix it. If you are lucky, you have someone you can ask for

advice about the auto parts you need. However, if you don’t

have someone like that, there are some steps you can take to

make your auto parts purchases as painless as possible.

If you are planning to purchase any kind of auto parts for your

vehicle, it is helpful to know a little bit about your auto

parts dealer. There are several ways to ‘check out’ an auto

parts retail store before you buy anything from them. Most

local auto parts retailers you can check out yourself by

visiting their store. Intuition is a great tool to use and you

can normally tell if a business is legitimate. If you don’t

trust yourself, take along a friend who is an auto enthusiast

or works as a mechanic professionally, having a lot of

experience with various types and brands of auto parts. They

will have a better idea if the auto parts dealer is giving you

a good product for a fair price.

It is a little more difficult to find out about the auto parts

dealers that work exclusively over the internet. While most are

legitimate, just like the local dealers, some can be scams

trying to sell you inferior products that may not work. There

are also some online store auto parts dealers who creatively

enhance products with features they don’t have – meaning they

lie! Most online stores have email or “ask a professional”

services. Make sure to ask a lot of questions and get straight

answers about any auto parts you plan to purchase online. If

they vague with their answers or if they describe a product

that seems too good to be true, they are not who you want to be

buying from.

Respectable online auto parts dealers may be contacted via

telephone and e-mail. Questions you have about the parts you

plan to purchase can be asked prior to the purchase. Avoid the

dealer if you receive an uncertain reply or if something is too

good to be true.

One of the most tried and true ways of checking out any

business, including auto parts dealers both local and online,

is to check with the Better Business Bureau. To be safe, only

buy from dealers who are registered with them and have a good

overall rating. That way, if trouble arises, you can always

file a complaint with an organization that can get you results

and possibly your money back if you have a problem with your

purchased auto parts.