The Internet has made possible easy access to many products, including hard-to-find automotive parts. Auto parts were once very difficult to come by, especially if you lived in a small town with only one parts house that mainly catered to local mechanic shops. But thanks to Web technology, you can now find almost any automotive part needed, and buy it at a bargain in many cases.

Is buying auto parts online safe?

It is safe as long as you do a little research before buying. You should choose auto parts sites or shopping malls carefully, and look for sites with a reputable business. Avoid fly-by-night businesses that don’t offer any guarantees of quality and good customer service. Auto parts (even at a bargain) are sometimes expensive, and you certainly don’t want to get stuck with a poor product. Be wary of companies that can’t provide secure ordering, guarantees, or verification that the business is legitimate. Check with others who have used the site before, through online forums or even Better Business Bureau if needed.

Types of Automotive Parts Available Online

As mentioned, almost any type of car or truck part you can think of is available, whether you need to fix or soup up a classic car or add a new feature to your modern-day vehicle. You can buy anything from fancy chrome grilles to exhaust pipes and engine covers. The only items you might have a difficult time buying are very heavy items that would be a big hassle and expense to ship. These can often be shipped by freight, but may not be available in the automotive section of your average online shopping mall!

If you need to add some pizzazz to your car’s body, you can often find great deals on front and rear bumpers, side skirts, fiber doors, a front or rear lip, and complete body kits for various models such as Chrysler 300, Toyota Camry, Mercedes MI Class and more. If you’re concerned about car security, most online malls offer high quality car alarms. These come in handy if you own a newly restored classic car that’s too old to have a built in alarm system.

Save hundreds of dollars by shopping at an online mall for multiple items. Some online malls offer interest-free payment plans to save on your credit card bill!

Automotive Parts as Gifts

Automotive parts make great holiday or birthday gifts for your spouse, boyfriend, son, uncle, dad….anyone who loves to restore or repair cars. With easy online access, you can search for auto parts by name, make or model. Compare pricing without leaving your home, and have the gifts shipped right to your door. Along with auto parts, add a helpful car manual or automotive book to your gift package for better value.

Another benefit of using an online mall to buy automotive parts is you can purchase other items you might need while shopping, including electronics, cell phones, DVD players, knives, sports items, men’s garments, jackets and hats. These make great holiday gifts for the special men in your life. Gifts for women that are usually available at online malls include jewelry, household goods, travel bags, handbags, health/beauty supplies, home/garden products, lingerie, women’s apparel, etc. For the kids, most Internet malls carry a variety of toys for children of all ages, from educational toys to games and baby toys.

You can shop for everything you need as well as every gift recipient on your list throughout the year. It’s like having a flea market available to you around the clock. Check out the automotive parts and other great products that an online mall has to offer. You’ll find that shopping from your own home computer is easier than ever.

By: Chris Robertson

About the Author:

Best Mechanic Kissimmee

If there is something wrong with your car that needs to be fixed immediately, what do you do? Do you rush off to the mechanic to let him identify the problem? That is a good thing to do, sure.

Another smarter thing to do would be trying to identify the problem yourself. After all, we all know that our automobiles malfunction just for some minor problems.

You can try to identify the problem yourself before heading to the mechanic man to fix it by using some basic automobile troubleshooting strategy, just in case this could help save you expensive trips to the shop.

• Look For Information: Do some research on the internet to learn more about the usual kinds of automobile problems with your specific make and model so you can be prepared. Also check out maintenance issues and determine how often you should change the oil and other fluids, balance the tires, etc. And plan ahead with your vehicle’s maintenance schedule.

• Talk to A Mechanic: Seek the advice of a mechanic either nearby or via the web who has time to reply. Note you might not find one at hand each time, though one may be able to email back or reply via an automotive forum or website. If you are given free advice, remember to reply with a note of thanks.

• Perform Simple Troubleshooting Procedures: Check with your local library and bookstores for an owner’s manual for your make and model. These generally have a lot of basic info and steps to help you trouble shoot basic problems. Check the book’s publishing company and automotive manufacturer’s websites for help, too.

• Own a Basic Toolkit: Head to your local automotive store to piece together or purchase in full a good basic toolkit as these tools are those which will let you reach for the most hard to reach areas. They contain wrenches, screws, etc. sized for your vehicle. In case your car breaks down in the middle of the road, you can then use these tools to help you fix the car.

• Automotive Scan Tools: These days, specially devised automotive scan tools are available in the market to allow you diagnose the exact problem with your car. Earlier it would mean listening to your engine and waiting for the exact problem to get diagnosed through trial and error. Thankfully, we have come through that era now. Scan equipment isn’t free, though, so expect to pay a reasonable fee for this service.

• Know More, Operate Better: The more info you have in your tool belt, the better prepared your car and you will be for major and minor mishaps. Get and keep up to date with info about your vehicle by joining local and / or online groups. Find groups by checking with the dealership and via search engines, for example, search “jeep forum” and find plenty of members registered for free at forums for Jeep enthusiasts.

With periods of recession or other economic slow downs, it’s important for households to save up money for the management of all kinds of expenses. One such area is automobile repairs which can cost you lots of dollars. In these cases, it can be good to fix at least some of your problems relating to your car by yourself when possible. So see what you think and learn a little more about your car. Plus in the meantime, save a little aside regularly for your car’s upkeep and maintenance with a local auto repair shop.

By: G Jenkins

About the Author:

Mechanic in Kissimmee

Ever thought about starting your own car dealership? Are you curious to know how you can build up a new business with only a couple hundred dollars to start? I am about to teach you a few tips that can make you very rich with your own business.

Used car dealerships seem to be everywhere and they are always coming and going. There always seems to be just a few that stick around, while the rest come and go. Why are they able to stay in business while others fail?

The dealerships that stay in business don’t grow too fast and, in most cases don’t have large loan payments from start up costs. You can be one of these. All you need is a few hundred dollars to start.

Once you have a few hundred dollars you will need to find a place that has seized cars for sale. This will give you a supplier that will always be there with great prices on cars for you. Now you will probably have to pay a fee of $50-$100 for the information or membership to be able to purchase at the seized auctions.

This is minor compared to what you are going to profit. Now you will purchase your first car. Before you do this make sure you have a good idea of a few popular makes and models of cars that you are looking for. You will want to consult the Kelly blue book website to get a value on some specific cars that you are after.

Then, you will purchase one of these. Once you have the vehicle you are going to take it to a local mechanic to get a diagnostic check done. This will give you a good idea of what is wrong with the car and will only cost you about $50.

Now you are going to place a classified for this car in your local paper. You will get a number of calls and you will sell the car for a good profit. Make sure to be honest with your ad and when you talk to the people that are interested. Even if the car has issues there is always someone looking for a car they can fix up.

Now you take your profits and go buy another car or two and repeat the process. You can easily build up to 5-7 cars a week within a couple months. At that point you will want to lease or buy a lot.

By: Ben Ehinger

About the Author:

So you want to start an auto repair shop business here are 6 tips to get you started off right.

1) First as with any business write a business plan.

Business that do not write a business plan usually fail you must know what you expect for the business. Where is it headed? Will you some day have a franchise or will you only have one location? What type of advertising should you do? How much will it cost for shop equipment employees tools lifts ect. You must write a plan to know where you are headed. You would not plan a trip with out looking at a map would you? Make sure to map out your business to see future plans.

2) Register for a business license:
Call your local SBA they are the best place to start they can tell you about loans, free publications and so much more. You must register your business with the local city hall call the court house to find out what licenses you will need as they vary from state to state. In my county you do not need a fictitious
name if the business is your name such as David’s Car Repair but if you want Elite Car Repair you must file with the state for a fictitious
name which can be done online.

3) Open a business account:

This is very important you will need an account just for the business to pay for business expenses. This is where a lot of businesses fail they spend business profits on personal bills. In the first few years of business the business must keep 80% of income to sustain itself and grow. I know it is tempting but be careful. Contact you local bank and get a no fee checking account for your business.

4) Get insurance:

You must have garage insurance if you will have employees you will need worker comp insurance and you should check into what ever other liabilities there may be for your area fire, hurricanes,tornado ect. Insurance can make or break your growing business if you have insurance and the shop burns down insurance will pay to replace your shop. Or if you have disability insurance for just your self if a one man business. If you break your wrench hand you can sustain the business for months until you get well.

5) Pick a location

The old adage location ,location, location is true with auto repair shops make sure to find a shop right by the interstate or main highway or if you can’t put you shop in the middle of your busy town. If you can find a shop location by the highway it will be very lucrative for your business.

6) Advertise

To me this is one of the most important things you can do for your shop. The old adage when you do not advertise a funny thing happens Nothing is true in the auto repair business. The first thing you do if your car needs repairs and you do not know any one to fix it for you. Most people would check the phone book go online check the newspaper. A good source of advertising is tow truck companies in you area. What do truck drivers see daily that is right broken down vehicles. Offer them a referral fee for every customer they send you. You could pick up 10 or more repair jobs a month from them alone. Marketing is very important in any business get creative have fun and always under promise and over deliver and you will be successful.

By: David Lee Johnson

About the Author:

Best Mechanic Kissimmee

Not all rough running engine problems are related to electronic control systems. Therefore a diy car mechanic still needs to understand basic engine testing procedures. These tests are an important part of modern engine diagnosis. Below I will talk about three of the most important basic testing procedures. The compression test, testing with a vacuum gauge, and the power balance test can be an auto mechanics 3 best friends.

Compression test for rough running engines

Why perform a compression test? Internal combustion engines depend on the compression of the air fuel mixture to maximize the power produced by the engine. The upward movement of the piston on the compression stroke will compact the air fuel mixture within the sealed chamber raising the temperature of the charge and making easy to ignite and burn completely.

An engine with poor compression or low compression will not run correctly and cannot be tuned properly. If a rough running engine condition is present. This may be considered a symptom that suggests the cause of the problem may be poor compression. A compression gauge is used to check the cylinder sealing capabilities. This is an easy to use inexpensive tool that comes with complete instructions on how to use it.

Before conducting a compression test, it is recommended to disable the ignition and also the fuel system. You should also prop open the throttle plate into a wide open position to allow the maximum amount of air to enter the cylinder during the test. Mark the spark plug wires and remove all the spark plugs. Make the test a one man operation by connecting a remote starter button to the starter motor. This will allow you to crank over the engine by yourself.

Power balance test

Diagnose rough running engines with a power balance test. This is performed quickly and easily using an engine analyzer, because pushing a button can automatically or manually control the firing of the spark plugs. Some vehicles have the power balance test built into the engine control computer. This test is either a part of a routine self-diagnostic operating mode or must be activated by the mechanic through a scan tool. These types of vehicles will often use these functions to set engine misfire codes.

On some computer controlled engines certain components must be disconnected before attempting a power balance test. Always check the service manual for appropriate procedures. Be careful not to run the engine with a shorted cylinder for more than 10 or 15 seconds. The unburned fuel in the exhaust can damage the catalytic converter and create an unsafe situation. It is also a good idea to run the engine on all cylinders for a minute before proceeding to the next cylinder.

As each cylinder is shorted, a noticeable drop in engine speed should be detected. Little or no decrease in RPMs indicates a week cylinder. If all of the readings are fairly close to each other, the engine is in good condition. If the readings from one or more cylinders differ from the rest then a problem should be looked into on that cylinder.

Engine vacuum testing

Ideally, each cylinder of an internal combustion engine will produce the same amount of vacuum. This is why the vacuum gauge readings should be steady and give a reading of at least 19 to 22 inches of mercury.

If one or more cylinders produce less vacuum than the others the needle of the vacuum tester will fluctuate. When performing the engine vacuum tests, the intensity of the fluctuation of the needle on the vacuum gauge indicates the severity of the engine problem. For example, if the reading on the vacuum gauge fluctuates between 9 and 19. You should then look at the rhythm of the needle. If the needle stays at 19 inches of mercury, but drops to 9 and then quickly rises we know that reading is probably caused by a malfunction in one cylinder.

If the vacuum tester reads low all the time let’s say a reading of 10 inches and has no fluctuation. This would be an indication of a clogged exhaust system. If you disconnect the exhaust system in front of the catalytic converter and the vacuum returns to full strength, this would indicate a clogged catalytic converter or other parts behind it.

By: Mark Gittelman

About the Author:

Mechanic in Kissimmee

The economy is something that is on everyone’s mind. We are all trying to figure out how to save money and cut costs. However it is still important that we maintain what assets we already have. One important asset to maintain is our vehicles. They cost us a lot of money, but getting a new one will cost a whole lot more. So, if something needs attention on your vehicle you should get it fixed. Since you are trying to make the best economical choice you should get auto body repair, instead of replacements. You will save a great deal of money and time!

Most of the auto body problems that people have with their cars can be repaired rather than replaced. Choosing to repair your vehicle instead of replacing auto body parts will save you a lot of money and you car will still look great. Repairing your car’s auto body will also save you time since many repairs can be done in a few hours or less than a few days.

One of the repairs that can be resolved on your vehicles auto body quite quickly is bumper repair. Unfortunately bumper repair is a very common repair. This is due to the fact that there are a ton of cars on the road and especially in parking lots. Most bumper incidents occurs while parking or in a parking lot. Another problem is that many people feel that it is ok to tap your bumper while parking. If your bumper is in need of repair an auto reconditioning shop can help. Usually they can get your bumper looking great in just a matter of a few hours. Some shops even offer to come to you which make this service even more convenient. It will also save you money repairing it than replacing your bumper.

Another repair that can be taken care of easily is dents and dings. Most auto body shops use a system called paintless dent removal. This is the service you want for your car. It is nearly impossible to not get any dents or dings in your vehicle, most are not even your fault, but they can really hurt the look of your car and the paint. Paintless dent removal gets the dents and dings out by massaging the dents from inside the panels with reflective sources, rods and other special tools. The end result is a vehicle with no dents or dings and no evidence that there ever were dents and dings. This service can also be performed in usually less than a few hours. Also there are no fillers or other materials used so it will not compromise the original finish and it will save you a lot of money.

Another concern is the windshield. If your windshield has any cracks or chips in it you can easily get that fixed. And you should get it fixed immediately since it is very unsafe. Also if you wait you will have to get it replaced which will not be an easy fix. This repair can be done very quickly and sometimes an auto body shop will come to you.

These are just a few examples of auto body repairs that can save you money down the road.

By: Samantha Mccartney

About the Author:

Mechanics in Kissimmee

For the do-it-yourselfer, repairing your own vehicle can save you $100. But don’t shell out $20 or $30 for a repair manual that you may only use once. You might be surprised to learn there are several sources where you can get free auto repair manuals.

Repair manuals online:

• One of the first places to try is AutoZone’s website. The site has a very comprehensive free auto repair guides covering most makes and models of vehicles from 1950 to the present.
• Napa auto parts website provides tutorials on basic auto maintenance such as oil changes, checking fluid levels and replacing air filters.
• Automoting.com has tons of information, is very user friendly and as a bonus, even has guides for repairing small engines and household repairs.

Message boards and forums:

Another useful resource is the 2carpros.com website. Here you can post questions and get answers from real mechanics. You can also search through lots of topics on auto repair, troubleshooting, and maintenance.

Edmunds web site also has a pretty good forum called car talk. It is peer based and has quite a few very knowledgeable members on board.

There are quite a few other forums and message boards available online, as well as peer based ones. Just type in auto repair forums or message boards in any search engine and you will see quite a few. Just watch out for ones that say they are free but try to sell you something, or say you can post questions, but must pay a fee to receive an answer. You will most likely find free auto repair guides and all the information that you need, so there is no need to pay for help.

Libraries:

Another often overlooked option for free auto repair manuals is your local library.

Most libraries have repair manuals in their reference sections, and although you can’t check them out and take them with you, you are welcome to make photo copies of any pages you need from the manuals.

A lot of local libraries also subscribe to online auto repair manuals such as Chilton’s or Haynes and offer free access if you have a library card.

Contact your local library and ask if this service is available.

If you really prefer to have a paper manual, check half.com, an eBay company that sells used books for a fraction of the price of new. Some of the manuals as low as $1.99. There are several other used book websites like Alibris books and Bookfinder.com to name a couple.

You can also check local used book stores.

And don’t forget to ask friends and family, who knows, someone may have just the manual you need collecting dust in the garage!

By: Wendy Pan

About the Author:

auto mechanic

There has been a lot of talk lately regarding hydrogen fuel conversion for cars. This is likely due to the increase in the cost of fuel. With so many people interested in making this change to their vehicles performance, will car makers start to take notice and get involved in this technology as well?