Getting parts and tools during lockdown

You’ve run out of things to sort, clean, feed or walk, and now your attention turns to that four-wheeled family member in the driveway. Surely it must need something, so you take some time to check things out. You find a few lights have gone dark, the odometer indicates that new spark plugs are due, and there’s that annoying rattle you’ve been meaning to get looked at for some time now. But the question is, where can you get everything needed at one reliable online shop?

While giants such as Amazon have a wide variety of parts and tools, their sites are not as friendly to the casual DIY-ER as you might expect. You need to know a lot of details about your vehicle when searching for bits and pieces.

For example, when searching for brake rotors and pads, you may have to know the diameter of the rotors and/or the number of wheel stud holes. Some owner manuals will contain a lot of such specs and information for replacement parts, such as bulb numbers and spark plug specs, which can shorten your search substantially.

Another hurdle to overcome is found with the multitude of choices of unrecognized product brands listed on many sites. For those who work with vehicles every day, it’s easy to spot credible brands with great reputations. But for the occasional DIYER, it’s not so simple.

There are some questions you need to ask, either through an online chat or by scanning website details. Are they shipping from the U.S. or Canada? If the parts are coming from the U.S., who handles customs clearing? Who administers the warranty, the manufacturer or the retailer? How do they handle returns? Who pays for return freight? What’s the turnaround time? This last one can be pretty important when your vehicle is torn apart in the driveway and you have somewhere to be the next day.

You can save yourself a lot of time and hassle by simply picking up the phone and talking to your local parts supplier to see if they have curbside pickup. A five-minute chat with a specialist at your local parts store or dealership can save you hours in fruitless web searches and possibly the cost of having to return incorrectly specified parts. The store can also give you a quick rundown of brand choices and warranties, and if you need a specific part you won’t have to guess which size and type to purchase.

Many local parts stores and dealers offer local delivery, and most warranties are handled at the retailer, not through a corporate headquarters. If you want a recommendation on which local parts retailer is best, give your regular shop a call and ask where they buy their supplies.