A recent news story stated that the average age of vehicles on the road in the United States keeps climbing and has now reached 12 years. Much of this can be attributed to improved mechanicals, dependable electronics, and longer-lasting corrosion protection, but we must also acknowledge the retail automotive situation as it presently exists. The Covid shutdown which began in 2020 caused car manufacturers to temporarily shut their factories and cancel orders for microchips. Unexpectedly and for numerous reasons, consumer demand actually rose, and within months, new car demand far outstripped supply. Frustrated customers turned to the used vehicle market which drove up those prices across the board. This topsy-turvy turn of events is still trying to right itself.
In the meantime, many car owners have decided that rather than overpay for a replacement car or truck, a more practical solution is to hold onto their existing vehicles, which means continuing with their maintenance and repair. This has led drivers to ask the obvious question: “how can I save money on repairs?” With online shopping a way of life, purchasing car parts via the internet is now commonplace. This helps car owners in several ways. For the DIYer, scouring various websites for best values eliminates concerns about paying overinflated prices at new car dealerships. For the DIFM (Do It For Me) customer, there is the option of the owner supplying the local repair shop with the needed parts at reduced cost. For many shoppers, though, concerns about quality remain a consideration, especially when making purchases sight-unseen.
For all these customers, CARiD offers the best of all worlds. Simply put, we have the widest selection to be found anywhere, with choices among OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer), name brand aftermarket, value-priced aftermarket, company curated “iD Select”, and remanufactured. Let’s pick several examples of mechanical and body repair parts across a spectrum of late-model automobiles to see what’s available for the CARiD shopper.
Front Wheel Bearing, 2010 Chrysler PT Cruiser
We start our comparisons with an inexpensive repair part: a front wheel bearing. While not a maintenance item per se, front bearings seem to last between 100,000 and 150,000 miles on most cars, so if you are driving something that’s 10 to 15 years old on original wheel bearings, they may soon need attention. It often manifests itself as a low rumbling sound from the front, gets louder the faster you go, and may increase when turning.
Those looking for a name-brand wheel bearing supplier will be comfortable with the Timken name, a major player in this segment. CARiD carries the front bearing for this car from Timken at a reasonable $33 (at time of printing). There will be customers who, for whatever reasons, will be looking to spend as little as possible on the repair part; they may be planning to sell the car, for example. For those shoppers, the WJB bearing comes in at under $11, or about 1/3 the price of the Timken. Is there a middle choice? In this case there is. Our own “iD Select” brand products are specially curated by us as representing great value at a savings in cost. The PT Cruiser bearing from iD Select neatly splits the price difference between the Timken and WJB products at just a tick under $20. There are no wrong choices here, just high quality represented by three different brands.
Water Pump, 2017 Ford Explorer
Water pump failures are no fun: they cause coolant leaks, are time-consuming to replace, and can result in further engine damage if ignored too long. Add to all that the perception that water pumps tend to be expensive. One way to save on the repair cost is to shop around for better deals on the cost of the pump itself. At CARiD, we pride ourselves on the value that goes along with a broad selection of brands.
Let’s start with one of the best-known brands in the business: Motorcraft. This Ford house brand carries a large name recognition with many shoppers, and it’s only natural that when seeking parts for a Ford vehicle such as our example Explorer, Motorcraft is a popular choice. Our Motorcraft water pump is $121 at the time we wrote this, which sounds like a fair price for a part made by the same folks who made the car. Still want to see other choices? Further searching unveils the Gates brand pump at a nice savings: $75 if one doesn’t feel the need to spring for the OE brand. And while iD Select doesn’t have every part for every vehicle, in this case, we do have that Explorer water pump! The price of just under $36 will certainly attract those who need to economize on every penny.
Starter Motor, 2015 Honda CR-V
While one can at least theoretically drive for a short while on a noisy wheel bearing or a weeping water pump, and inoperative starter is a “game over” failure. Starters on modern cars tend to last a long time, but even the best starters, after thousands of cranks, will eventually cease to work. Starters are also commonly a remanufactured part, meaning, the part for sale is a used one which has been rebuilt, and buying it can save some money, but also means that your old starter must be returned for credit. Replacement starters can be pricey, too, so let’s explore the range of options at CARiD.
We know that a certain segment of our customer base prefers OE parts, and may still turn to authorized dealerships for some purchases. Our recently-launched OE Department is the best-of-all-worlds for such customers: we now carry the authentic factory parts, identical to the dealers’ offerings, but available for online ordering from the same website that carries all your other favorites. For our Honda starter, the OE part is $499, in stock and ready to ship. It is important to note that this is a new starter, so it is not remanufactured, and there is no obligation to return the old unit. Interestingly, iD Select offers not one but two options: a new starter for $264 (at time of publication) or a remanufactured one for $215 plus a $44 refundable core deposit (the money is returned upon receipt of the old starter). These are three strong choices over a wide range of prices. The decision may, at least in part, come down to the “new” versus “remanufactured” pros and cons.
Front Bumper Cover, 2019 Toyota Tacoma
Let’s turn away from mechanical repair parts and devote some attention to body parts. Replacement front bumpers are one of our biggest sellers, and when you think about it, it becomes obvious: most collisions, whether minor or major, are to the front of the vehicle. The large plastic painted “fascia” that forms the front bumper of a modern automobile is subject to all kinds of bumps, bruises, scrapes, nicks, cuts, and other visible damage. Keeping your car or truck looking its best often means replacing that front bumper cover.
The runaway best-seller among mid-size pickup trucks is the Toyota Tacoma. With tens of thousands of units on the road, it’s no surprise that CARiD sells a large number of Tacoma front bumper covers. Many customers prefer the OEM solution here for their exact fitment, and again, we deliver! The factory-supplied cover for the Tacoma is available from us, priced today at $243. Sherman, a brand known for its aftermarket body and collision repair parts, also offers the cover, and at $138, it’s priced about $100 cheaper. Which to buy? This is the beauty of having a choice. Both offer excellent value, and it comes down to the importance of OE fit and finish compared to saving a few bucks.
Headlight Assembly, 2018 VW Tiguan
Our final example is another part that, due to its somewhat vulnerable location, requires replacement after front-end ‘bumps’, and that is the headlight or headlamp assembly. Gone are the old days when a round or rectangular sealed-beam bulb could be picked up for under twenty bucks and replaced in 10 minutes, using only a screwdriver. Today’s headlamp assemblies are complex electronic units, complete with bulbs, reflectors, DRL and LED fixtures, and polycarbonate covers, all in a sealed housing.
The 2018 Tiguan, a small SUV from Volkswagen, had the option of standard halogen headlights or upgraded Xenon headlights. For our purposes, we will look at the halogen assembly. On CARiD, a shopper again has the choice between the VW OEM part and a brand-name quality aftermarket part. The manufacturer’s part is a 100% guaranteed match to the passenger side light. Today’s price of $497 is actually reasonable for a late-model headlight assembly. The other choice is from TYC, a brand which specializes in body and collision parts. They have the Tiguan headlamp, and their price is $392, about $100 less. The decision may come down to the need to stay OE versus saving a little cash, especially if the car has some miles on it and the right-side headlamp shows some normal wear-and-tear.
We take no sides in presenting these comparisons to you. In fact, we take a huge amount of pride in being able to say that you DO have a choice when you’re ready to purchase a mechanical or body repair part. CARiD has the breadth and the depth to allow you to choose among a variety of OE and aftermarket brands, to satisfy your demands for the quality you want at a price that’s right for you.