OT: Buying Car Spares

[Caecilius]

A bit OT for this group I know, but as you're such a helpful bunch I thought I'd ask anyway...

I've not bought car spare parts other than consumables for about twenty years now, but I recently bought a small car for my niece at auction, and am now looking for the various bits and peices to get it into good running condition.

I assumed that it would be simple to get car spares on the Internet, but every place that my searches have led me want to know the full details of the car (most ask for a reg number), and then want me to submit a request for a quote. Why can't they have a simple stock list complete with pricing like every other business? It just seems fishy to me.

Where are all the online unipart stockists and online breakers that I expected to see? Is this one area that the Internet hasn't reached yet?

Any pointers to the best place to go for car spares these days? Halfords seems to be mostly taken over with leisure and cycles; the old racks of parts that I remember from the 1980's seem to have dissapeared from my local branch. Are there still Unipart stores like I remember? I can't see any around now.

It's not gone back to the bad old days of the original "arm and a leg" parts or a trip down the scrap yard has it?

Caecilius

[Clive George]

What sort of car, and what sort of bits? If you're internet-bound, GSF and Eurocarparts work pretty well for normal bits for the cars they support.

Local motor factors are also a good place to try.

cheers, clive

[Adrian]

Caecilius gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

There may be a specialist supplier for that marque/model - or they may be covered by the big semi-generalists like EuroCarParts or GSF.

[Caecilius]

It's a 1997 Fiat Cinquecento 900cc. Main bit I'm looking for is a new thermostat, as it's running a bit hot and I don't think the thermostat is opening fully. Perhaps also a new fan switch.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

The thermostat you might get in Halfords. The fan switch might be a Fiat only part.

[John]

That sort of thing can be bought at any local Joe Bloggs corner car-parts shop can't it? Have a look on ebay as well. The websites that want the reg and full details, then send on your requirements to breakers yards and if a yard has what you want, they contact you.

I've used

a few times for various bits but you don't want to be messing about with a secondhand thermostat as they're only a few quid brand new.

John

[George]

Take the thermo out and dip it in water that the engine temp per normal runs at? to see if its functioning properly.

What possed you to buy her a FIAT?

[Chris Bartram]

To be honest, if you take it out you might as well just replace it.

[Mike P]

Replace the Fiat? I certainely would....

Mike P

[Caecilius]

The manual says that you need to use a new gasget when re-fitting the thermostat, so I might as well put a new one in if I remove the old one.

Small, cheap, low insurance.

[SteveH]

2 other things to consider - radiator and water pump.

Perhaps because he doesn't believe in 30 year old stereotypes?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Change the coolant at the same time. Most require this every couple of years or so - and unless you know it has been done a good time to do it.

[Doki]

£10 worth of bits from any motor factors. If by gasket you mean O ring, you can get that at the same time.

[Clint Sharp]

In message , SteveH writes

Why, aren't you real or are you an older stereotype?

[spamlet]

There are some very good car maintaining fora out there - some of which are used by the pro's to exchange technical info not always found in repair manuals. Thankfully, I have not had to use one for a while (touch wood), though previously I have even had people help with photos of the correct page from a manual (last time was when I could not work out how to get at the in-tank petrol pump of my friend's Micra: someone sent a pic. Also very helpful with how to reprogramme key fobs when they stop working). Right this minute I'm on a laptop and it does not have my favourites on, but I'll try to remember to post a link when back on main m/c.

As for parts: there are numerous motor factors around: one of the commonest being Motaquip. Halfords is very expensive and as you say, mostly for push bikes. Breakers: not so many around these days thanks to the cost of land that might be sold for housing; increasing complexity of cars reducing their 'diy ability'; and various pesky laws... Best place for bulbs: Wilkinsons; or look out for little handy boxed sets they have in Lidel for less than the cost of 1 bulb in Halfords.

You should have no trouble finding the bits you want though.

Good luck,

S

[Andy Champ]

2007 J Power survey, care of What Car? Magazine. My bits in [brackets]

"29 Fiat Punto [out of 31 in class] Rating 74.9% Overall ranking 106th [out of 113]

...

The Punto scored poorly across the board, but its real Achilles heel was its quality and reliability: every part, from the switchgear to the seats and stereo, caused an above average number of complaints, and the suspension and engine were particularly weak points."

Andy

[SteveH]

Ahh, yes, that's such an accurate survey.

That's the one that placed the Skoda Superb in the top 10 with the mechanically identical B5.5 Passat way down in 50th-ish place.

For that reason alone, I take absolutely no notice of it.

[Pete M]

Maybe, just maybe, the Skoda is easier to build properly than the Passat? Later design than the Passat it's based on, and the Czechs appear to work a bit harder than the Wolfsburg crew.

From what I've been told, the VW's that are built away from Wolfsburg tend to be better made than the German ones. The Mexican built Beetles tend to have less faults per car than the German jobs.

That and Skoda drivers expecting more problems than VW ones, but getting better made, simpler cars that don't tend to break as often would quite possibly account for the JD Power results.

I'm always impressed when I drive a late model Skoda, but very rarely impressed with a new VW.

[SteveH]

Erm, well, the outgoing Superb and the old B5.5 are identical, other than the Superb having an extra few inches in the floorpan.

I was comparing near-idential models.

Also, many of the comments made about the Passat's shortfalls and the Superb's strengths were to do with parts which would be made in a common facility.

Perception, innit.

The JD Power survey is a crock of s**te.

(There was a lease survey done a few years back where the Bravo family got pretty damned good results, but they got slated in the JD Power survey - mostly because the lease survey was done on actual data and not perceived issues)

[Pete M]

But the Superb was a slightly later design wasn't it? Based on the B5.5, yes, but done slightly later.

A lot of the problems I've found with late model VWs tends to be to do with shoddy assembly. Wiring looms chafing, washer pipes dislodging that kind of malarky. Coil pack failure seems to be spread across the whole VAG range though (apart from Lamborghini and Bentley)

Partly, yes. But I find the Skodas to have better judged damping and ride than the VW equivalents. VWs tend to be biased towards motorway and A-roads, whereas the Skodas tend to be better suited for the worn out crater lined jokes the UK calls roads. Maybe it's because Czech roads are about the same as ours, whereas German ones tend to be in much better condition.

So the Bravo did badly because it actually broke, rather than feeling like it was about to break?