There are many things to consider when shopping for car parts. For example, if your starter is making strange noises, it may be time to replace it. Can you do the job yourself? Where do you go for the right part? What choices will you be facing as you look for a starter replacement? Here are some points to think about.
Which Part Do You Get?
You could be faced with a lot of options when you shop for your car part. You can get information online for what you need. The parts dealer should have a website. When you go there and find the right starter, you may be surprised. There could be a list of items that will fit your car. You may have to decide between new and remanufactured. You might also have the option of a long or short warranty period.
Parts That Have Been Rebuilt
Re-manufactured means used but rebuilt. It is not directly from a junkyard. There is a core charge with rebuilt parts. The core charge is an inducement for the customers to turn in their old parts. The old parts are used to make rebuilt replacement parts. A core charge on a starter may be ten dollars. In most cases, you bring your old part back in, and you will get the ten dollars back. The only exception would be if the part is damaged severely. If it cannot be rebuilt, it is if no use to the people rebuilding it.
What Happens To Your Old Starter?
Your old part is sent to a facility to be rebuilt. It will eventually be back in a parts store; clean and ready to go.
Never Used Before
New parts are parts that have not been rebuilt or used before. Everything about them is new. They will usually cost more than their rebuilt counterpart.
Warranty Decisions
Are you going to trade your car in on a new one soon? A LLT or limited lifetime warranty may be wasted, in that case. If you want to keep your car for a long time, it could be a viable option. The longer warranty will probably cost more money, but it can be your best option. Whenever a LLT part fails, you can take it back and get another part. A good rule is to read all warranties, to be sure of what rights you may have.
In Closing
Make sure you read the warranty that comes with your part. Remanufactured parts can be as good as new, in some cases. If you do not plan on keeping your car long, warranty is not very important.