Your car is made from around 30,000 parts counting nuts, bolts and other tiny components. That's like paying a dollar per part when buying a new car. When it comes to replacing parts, here are some very important things to remember that will save you money.
1) Repair shops will often install parts purchased elsewhere - Don't assume that a repair shop won't install parts that you purchased online or at an auto parts store. Since shops frequently make a profit by marking up the price of parts, you might be able to save money by buying the parts yourself and then paying a shop to install them for you. Keep in mind however, that an auto shop may not warranty the work if you purchase your own parts, so make sure you ask in advance since a defective part that's already installed could prove to be a major headache.
2) Installing aftermarket parts does not void your vehicle warranty - Installing aftermarket (Non-OEM) parts will not void your manufacturer's warranty thanks to a law called the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. According to the act, no company can condition the validity of a warranty based on the use of any particular auto repair service and/or authorized replacement parts for non-warranty service or maintenance.
3) OEM parts are not always better than aftermarket parts - Buying aftermarket parts doesn't mean those parts will be inferior to OEM parts. In many cases, the same manufacturer will make the aftermarket part that made the OEM part to begin with. Even if that's not the case, technology has advanced to such a degree that aftermarket parts manufacturers can not only design parts that are comprable to the original, in many cases they can even be designed to perform better as they are able to analyze how well the OEM part has performed. Usually, the aftermarket parts will be significantly cheaper as well.
