It wasn’t that many years ago that if you needed a replacement part for your broken down car, you would go to your local motor factor shop or dealership and get them.
But the massive growth in internet usage, technological advances and to some extent the Covid lockdown period have opened the (car) door to a much wider world of online shopping. And that includes engine spares.
Companies have been created solely to meet the demand for parts, and have IT systems, massive warehouses and fleets of vans and drivers waiting to find, pack and deliver the item you need, to repair your car and get it back on track . the road.
The car expert has compiled this list of potential places to visit for spare parts. This is for drivers who want to find the right part for their car, easily, conveniently and at a competitive price. If you’re looking for performance upgrades or sports body kits, there may be more specialized sites to check.
You’ll notice that some of the sites have an asterisk next to their name. These sites are business partners of The Car Expert, so if you click on their sites and buy anything, we may receive a small commission. This doesn’t affect the price you pay, but it helps us keep the site up and running.
Euro Car Parts*
They say: Keep moving
Serving the UK and Republic of Ireland, Euro Car Parts’ 10,000 employees operate from 300 branches, delivery centers and distribution centres.
The landing page takes you directly to the shopping area – choose from categories such as batteries, oil, wipers, bulbs and tools from the drop-down menus at the top. Or go directly to the part you need.
For this, you can enter your car registration number to get specific information on “top searches” or in “departments”, or if you don’t have a specific car, enter it by make, model, year, engine and fuel type.
There are the latest offers, ‘trending’ products, special areas of interest such as ‘winter accessories’ and ‘travel and leisure’ and a news and blog section to keep you entertained.
GSF Car Parts*
They say: specialized online store
With a wide range of car parts, accessories, batteries, oils and tools available, GSF offers free UK delivery on all orders over £25. You can even click and collect from one of their 180 branches if you’re in a hurry to get a part.
From the landing page there is the invitation to ‘search the whole store’ or you can use the drop-down menus to narrow your search to service parts, wipers, steering parts or lighting, for example. You can, like elsewhere, enter your car’s license plate number and order spares that way.
An ‘accessories’ section offers car safety, technology and travel and leisure amongst other topics, while ‘tools’ will also present you with a wide range of renowned manufacturers to check out.
There’s a ‘knowledge centre’ full of guides and advice articles and even a ‘VeeWee’ section, now part of GSF, which supplies air-cooled parts for classic VW cars and motorhomes.
CarParts4Less*
CarParts4Less has a wide range of stock in one of the largest online car and van parts stores in the UK. They focus on offering the best prices and will price match other competitors subject to certain conditions. Free delivery on orders over £30.
To search for parts, there is a registration number search or you can enter the vehicle make, model, engine and fuel type and view the results that way. A drop-down menu on the landing page shows a cross-section of all the most popular parts, while the drop-down menu offers specific information on things like wipers, batteries and motor oil.
The ‘latest offers’ are displayed on the landing page, which also contains a breakdown of the entire stock, sorted into categories such as ‘service parts’, engine parts or ‘body and exhaust’.
Car care accessories and performance parts are listed separately and a newsletter is available that you can sign up for and receive discounts.
autodoc
They say: Explore the best prices
Operating in 27 European countries and with over four million 1400 parts for cars, vans and motorbikes, Autodoc is a major player in this field.
Finding the right part is easy because there are several ways to do it. If you know the part number, you can enter it into the search box right away. Otherwise, look for a make, model and search engine.
And if that doesn’t work for you, you have the option of going to an online catalog and searching for a category such as tires, brakes, filters, or bodywork. If it’s motor oil, just enter your car’s registration number and the Autodoc system will find the recommended vehicle and lubricant, along with hundreds of other parts exactly for that model.
It even includes other recommended car products, down to a 31 cent indicator light bulb. The site contains a help center, tips and tutorials, and a news section.
Purchase spare parts
They say: Save 24% on spare parts
A German organisation, Buycarparts has partnered with Autodoc to supply spare parts, the latter is where Buycarparts gets its stock and is also a partner in sales contracts.
The suite is brilliant and simple to use – there’s an initial search at the top of the landing page for ‘product, vehicle or brand’ or you can enter your car registration number and navigate that way, or simply go directly to the product category. you are behind
Products are also listed by “top car parts,” “top manufacturers” for any part, or “top sellers” if you want to know what everyone else is picking and fitting.
Tires and wheels have separate categories from the rest, there’s a catalog of ‘special offers’ and even a ‘Spin to Win’ competition to try.
Spare parts online
They say: Online shopping that’s really convenient
This online spare parts store has a product range of over a million items, including 5,000 tires, 2,000 car battery models and over 2,000 oils. The website offers spare parts from 500 premium manufacturers in “original parts quality”.
It is an easy to use website and searching for a part can be done by part name, car (registration number), item ID or OEM number to easily find parts. If you go through the car-specific details, you’re presented with a huge list of categories for that individual model, including damping, clutch, electrical, glow plug system, and clutch.
Scroll further down and there is another easy to navigate system called ‘spare parts you need for your MOT test’ which is useful if you have this particular safety exam. There is also a final section that shows discounted items and offers for the specific car.
eBay
They say: Find great deals
eBay is a massive online sales tool known around the world. So it’s no surprise that there’s a large and varied choice available if you’re looking for that precise part for your car.
Type ‘car parts’ into the initial search engine and you’ll get a huge subsection to choose from, including ‘auto car parts’, ‘bmw’, ‘petrol’, ‘break’ or ‘range rover’; the list goes on. Be a little more specific in your initial search and type in, for example, “ford puma car parts” and you’ll be presented with a wide variety of parts just for that car.
It’s not as direct or as specific as going to a specialist auto parts retailer, but you may find what you want from a private individual at a good price. If you need a few moments to fix your car, you will have to deal with several sellers, rather than getting everything from one source, but if you are prepared to do it, it is a reliable and reliable way to buy parts. .
Many pieces are new, while others will be second-hand, but if it’s the right piece, there are bargains to be had. Also note that with any second-hand market, there is a risk of buying stolen parts, especially from private sellers.
Amazon
They say: New offers. Every day.
Another huge global organization, Amazon is known for its ability to source parts and have them delivered quickly (same day in some cases) easily and conveniently.
Like eBay, Amazon doesn’t offer this service of selling individual custom parts, but it has the ability and knowledge to find you many of the parts you need for your car.
Typing in, for example, “ford puma wiper blades” will give you a wide variety of relevant items to look at and consider, many with free delivery. Specialist car parts companies have even started to offer and sell their stock on Amazon now, which shows the strength and reach the site has.
You may have to go to different suppliers to get a list of desired parts, but if you have an Amazon account, and many people do, you don’t have to keep entering your name and address.
Mr. Carro
They say: Your one stop shop for auto parts
With over a million parts in stock and around 5.5 million claimed customers, Mister Auto is another major parts retailer across Europe, operating in over 20 countries.
From the landing page, a “covered” search engine will search for products, part numbers or part brands, or you can search using your car’s make, model, engine and fuel type. Scrolling down, products are listed in the section such as filters, spark plugs, locks and steering.
Once you’ve found your car, a list of available parts is displayed; there is an additional refinement tool if you enter the vehicle’s first registration date. It’s an easy-to-use site with product images to help them and a simple layout and display.
A ‘top spares’ section lists the most sought after products such as tires and brake pads and there is a newsletter option to sign up for.
YMF car parts
They say: We find the right part for your car
YMF Car Parts (York Motor Factors Ltd) was founded in 1969 by a husband and wife team from a former butcher shop in York. Today the business operates from six sites in the North of England. They have a fleet of delivery vehicles as well as a commercial counter collection service if you are close enough to one of their outlets.
“All we need is your registration number,” says the message on the landing page – entering it into the search box starts the search for parts for your specific vehicle. The smart looking site is well illustrated with clean pictures and explanations of many of the parts.
Once you’ve found the part you think you need, a click to ‘view product’ will help you decide if it’s right, with technical details, pictures and of course the price.
It’s a friendly site with offers of help along the way courtesy of a chat line. Free delivery is offered for over £30 and there is the option to sign up to a ‘discounts and ideas’ newsletter.
The Car Expert has business partnerships with CarParts4Less, Euro Car Parts and GSF Car Parts. If you click on their websites and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission. This does not affect the price you pay.
