Saving money online could cost you dearly

We know that if your vehicle needs a repair at this time of year, it can be challenging on the bank account. Everyone has so many outgoings in the festive season, so it can easily be tempting to turn to online deals to reduce your bill.

At H&L Motors, whatever the time of year, we always use original manufacturer approved parts. This is the only way to guarantee they are reputable, of high quality and not faulty and to ensure you have a warranty if anything should go wrong. You may be able to make a small saving with online parts for your vehicle, but the evidence is there to show that it could cause you more problems and cost in the long run, and it may be more than your wallet that is at stake.

According to a recent government survey (see P35), there is a huge and rising problem of counterfeit vehicle parts online and vehicle owners are therefore being warned of the dangers of buying parts online. The worldwide counterfeit market is thought to run into billions of pounds and filters, brake pads, lights, wheel rims and airbags have been found to be among the most-common counterfeited car part.

Officials say such parts put road users at risk from a catastrophic failure of vital car components which may not adhere to safety standards. Essentially you could be putting yourself and passengers at risk.

Buying parts online has become hugely popular, but The Independent Garage Association (IGA) and The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) are among the trade bodies that have voiced support to raise awareness about the risks posed by counterfeit car parts. Trying to identify these counterfeit, poor quality and potentially unsafe parts is hugely challenging as the seller websites are becoming very sophisticated and often appear legitimate. Sometimes there may be some clues such as very cheap prices or a typo in the part description. If you are purchasing online, you should watch out for these clues, however at H&L Motors we never recommend buying new or second hand parts online because the only sure way to remain safe from fraudster and poor quality suppliers is to purchase manufacture approved parts from your garage.