The realization that you’re going to need to repair a vehicle is delivered in different ways. It may be the car that won’t start on your driveway. Perhaps it’s the truck that dies out on the road. Or the noise that gets so loud you simply can’t ignore it anymore by turning up the volume on the radio. No matter how the news is delivered, you have a decision to make. How do you get it repaired?
Automotive Repair: Bring it to a Garage, Do-It-Yourself, or …
For years, vehicle repair was limited to two options. Using a repair shop that takes care of everything or fixing the vehicle as a do-it-yourselfer. Doing the work yourself is cheaper, of course; but what if you lack the know-how or confidence to get it done? There is a third option that’s a combination of these two choices. You can source a quality made, economically priced aftermarket replacement part and then find a mechanic to install it for you. You provide the product and a mechanic supplies the labor to get the part installed.
Sourcing Replacement Parts
Replacement parts can be shipped to your home from DB Electrical. These aftermarket parts are made to fit and perform just like the original parts that came with your vehicle. By sourcing replacement parts yourself, you maintain control over the quality of the part and save money by choosing a value-priced product. When you have your vehicle repaired at a shop, they often sell the replacement part to you at a price higher than what they paid. The question to ask yourself is: Why pay that extra margin?
DB Electrical offers a wide selection of quality aftermarket electrical parts, including starters, alternators, solenoids, voltage regulators and many more for getting your vehicle operational again.
5 Ways to Find a Mechanic
If you’re wondering how to find a mechanic to install your aftermarket parts, here’s the good news. There are numerous possibilities to investigate. Here are a few.
- Auto Repair Shops
You might start by inquiring if local repair shops will let you supply your own replacement parts. Some shops will and some won’t. But it never hurts to ask. For the shop itself, customers supplying their own replacement parts is a mixed bag. It doesn’t give them the chance to mark up the price of the product, but it also saves them time in ordering and picking up replacement parts from a supplier. When searching out auto repair shops that will allow you to supply your own parts, you’ll have your best luck when inquiring with independent shops. Dealership service centers and franchised chain operations are least likely to work with customers who want to supply their own parts. - Mechanic Directories
If the repair shops in your immediate neighborhood aren’t receptive to doing repairs with supplied parts, you might expand your search online. There are several online directories on which you can search to find repair shops in your area. Repair Pal is an online directory that allows you to get a repair estimate and search for repair shops near your location. Car-Talk – Mechanic Files locates technicians based on your city and state. Open Bay is a service that allows you to get estimates from competing repair shops. Once you find a shop, you’ll need to check to see if they work with customers that wish to supply their own parts. - Social Media
Through the connectivity of social media, you might search for a mechanic through your network. Some communities have a group Facebook page on which members trade and barter services. If you have access to such a group page, you might ask about mechanics in your area. For this search method, be sure to inquire about credentials and ask for references. - Trade Schools
Schools that train mechanics need vehicles to work on and sometimes make their services available to the public. These schools are usually inexpensive to begin with but may be even more so if you supply your own parts. The work performed at trade schools is typically supervised by experienced instructors. If this option sounds interesting, you should call schools in your area to inquire whether or not they work on cars from the public. - Mechanics On-Call
A new service called Your Mechanic will dispatch a mechanic to your home or office to work at your location. You can schedule a mechanic online or through a mobile app to work on your vehicle. Your Mechanics say they are available in more than 2,000 cities across the United States. With Your Mechanic, you can supply your own parts. According to the Your Mechanic website, “When reviewing your quote online, open the ‘price breakdown’ tab, and click on ‘parts options.’ From there, you can choose to remove all the parts from your quote.”
A Smart Strategy for Saving Money
If you’d like ways to save your hard-earned money, the option to purchase your own replacement parts and just pay for labor is a good strategy. With the obvious cost savings, it’s a trend that can be expected to grow in popularity.
