Beware of internet bargains

When it comes to automotive spare parts, one should not only pay attention to the price

There is no free mobility. This is why owners of vintage cars in particular pay attention to the costs of maintenance and repair work. The temptation to buy particularly cheap parts is great here. Everything is done via the Internet at the click of a mouse. And the direct compare option suggests that you can save something here quickly. However, if you want to have a “cheap spare part” installed in your specialist workshop, you will usually encounter resistance there. And not without reason.

Vehicle parts of unknown origin are not without risk The automotive specialist knows that parts of unknown origin do not always offer the quality and safety required. And the layman can hardly tell if he ordered exactly the right part. It is no coincidence that vehicle manufacturers and importers have provisions in their contracts that guarantee the expiration of claims for unapproved vehicle parts. If damage occurs after installing such a spare part, problems are inevitable. It is not uncommon for cases to end in court. If, on the other hand, the workshop works with original spare parts, it is solely responsible and the customer is off the hook.

Safety parts best supplied only by a specialist “Especially for transmission and brake safety parts, car owners should only rely on original parts from the manufacturer or parts expressly approved by him,” says Oliver Schönfeld of the consumer portal Ratgeberzentrale.de . The price differences are generally not as severe as many suspect. And those who save on safety, of all things, are saving in the wrong place: The consequences of an unreliable brake can not only be costly, but also fatal. And if parts are installed that call the vehicle’s license to operate into question, there may even be issues with the insurance company if they refuse to cover the tracking costs.

Rental workshops: do it yourself with a motor vehicle? After minor accidental damage, owners of older cars are considering the possibility of having cosmetic repairs done inexpensively at a so-called rental workshop. In this case, however, the insurance company only pays the costs of the parts – and it is doubtful that that will pay off in the end. In addition, the vehicle must be in good working order. “We generally recommend that the repair and maintenance of motor vehicles be entrusted to car repair shops,” advises Ulrich Köster of the Central Association of German Automobile Manufacturers