2003 Toyota Camry Bumper

Then we come to the current trend in car maintenance and repairs, the used auto parts. Over the last couple of years, used parts have experienced a tremendous rise in popularity and there are sales figures to prove that. People are increasingly preferring used auto parts when they need replacement parts for their cars. There are a lot of reasons for this surge in demand, lets understand some of them.

Owning a car is not just about a one-time purchase. Those who own one would definitely know what I am trying to say. Once the initial period of 3 to 4 years is over, the expenses kick in and this is the time when the manufacturers service warranty would also have lapsed. The truth is no matter how well you maintain your vehicle, at some point of time, there would always arise a need for repairs and auto-part replacements. This is because your car is just a machine composed of mechanical and electronic parts and all machines need maintenance and repair over a period of time otherwise they break down.

It does not matter what make, model or year your car belongs to. There can be a malfunctioning, worn out or damaged part prominent enough and you might still be thinking that your car is still new and proud of how well you have maintained it. But when that car breaks down in the middle of the road, it leads to the mother of all embarrassments. That is not all, I havent even mentioned the security risks, poor performance and constant relative deterioration of other car parts that can be instigated by a certain part failure.

The competitive automobile market has thrown open another option and that is aftermarket parts. There are a lot of manufacturers that manufacture auto parts either under their own brand name or on behalf of some other car maker. The key is to ascertain whether an aftermarket part seller is recognized or recommended by your car manufacturer. If it is not, you might want to consider the fact that fitting such an aftermarket part in your car will void the cars manufacturer-warranty. Also, cheap aftermarket parts may seem like a good option but these are not tested and verified to suit all car models. There may be a case that such an auto part can jeopardize the safety of your car and affect other original parts that are connected with it. Such parts may also not confirm to government laws and regulations in your state.

There are also some aftermarket-parts manufacturers who produce performance enhancing auto parts. But that would fall under the category of car customization since it is quite obvious that performance enhancing auto parts are costlier than even brand new OEM parts.