Upon entering the local parts store, the parts man will ask you what year, make, and model your vehicle is. This author calls this the shotgun approach. It gets the employee in the ball park with your vehicle, and then they will narrow down the choices. For the specific system being attended to, they will ask you various choices to zero in on the correct part required. Surprisingly enough, this approach is quite accurate. It’s a good idea to know what size of engine your vehicle is equipped with, transmission, two or four wheel drive, or if the auto has anti-lock braking. The aftermarket is a great resource for almost any of your automobile needs.

Car Parts

If going to the dealership and getting original equipment manufactured parts, about all you need are the last eight digits of your vehicle identification number, or V.I.N. Have the whole number handy though, as some vehicles are closely related and the entire V.I.N. will tell them exactly what they are dealing with. The parts counter person isn’t trying to be difficult with you if asking for this information. The dealership parts department database is set up this way. This also ensures that you get the correct part the first time. After typing in the vehicles V.I.N., the parts person will have your entire auto in front of them on a screen. Information such as build date, option codes, paint color and type, and key codes will all be up for display. All part numbers will be present that the vehicle was built with, and you will receive the exact same part that is on the assembly line. If possible, ask your parts person if they can print out the build sheet data for you. This is a wealth of information for you, and most dealerships are happy to do this.

You’ve got the correct part, and now it’s time to install it on your vehicle and get it back in top running condition. Remember to follow all garage safety rules, and keep all of your fingers intact. Hopefully, you will have learned something more about your vehicle, and it is safer for the road.