Have you looked at your favorite toy and wanted to do some 
repairs or modifications? You know -  something to make it 
growl, shine, squeal or kick dirt in the grills of lesser 
vehicles?  Have you hesitated because you are not sure where 
you can find all the parts you may need or how to start 
looking? Wonder no more!!! Here are my answers from over 
30 years of working on all types of vehicles. 

If you just need to replace a worn part that is original 
equipment on an older vehicle, the first stop is your local 
auto parts stores. Most chain stores (ie NAPA, O'Rielly, Auto 
Zone, etc.) have most of the common mechanical parts on both 
domestic and import vehicles either in stock or can order 
overnight. But some parts are "dealer-only" items. In this 
case, contact the parts department of your local dealership 
and be prepared to wait for a day or two on the order (and 
pay a pretty penny!). 

Another place to look is mail order and online vendors. Today 
most mail order stores like J.C. Whitney, Tractor Supply, and 
Eastwood have online catalogs complete with search engines to 
help you locate the parts you need. There are also a lot of 
dealerships and specialty parts vendors with online stores 
that make it easy for you to find parts for your special 
"baby." We have a large selection of online vendor links on 
at http://www.carstruckandtractors.com/assolinks.html . Many 
of the vendors have selections of new, used, and remanufactured 
parts, including body parts. Many also offer selections of 
specialty tools that may not be available at your local auto 
parts store. 

The third place to look for parts is your local auto salvage 
yard. Most salvage yards have a good selection of later model 
used parts at considerable savings over the price of new parts. 
Many larger salvage yards have online inventory with a search 
engine that will search not only their inventory, but the 
inventories of a network of salvage yards. This enables you to 
quickly find the parts you need. Most salvage yards will ship 
parts. 

Now which place to look for what? If you are need OEM (original 
equipment manufacturer) maintenance or repair parts, your local 
parts stores are usually the first best place to stop. They 
stock most parts and are price competitive. If the part you 
need is a "dealer" item, first check your local dealership 
then check your online parts resources. In addition, if the 
item is a "dealer-only" item, check your local auto salvage 
yard. This may save you a bundle and many times the folks at 
the salvage yard may have another source for your dealer part. 
Parts shopping can save a LOT of money!

If you are searching for parts to modify your vehicle (to add 
that VAROOM!), the place to start is your local salvage yard. 
They have interchange books that indicate what parts will 
interchange with other parts. This can save you a lot of 
guesswork. They may also know of others that have made the 
modifications that you want to make and are usually willing 
to share information that will help you with your project. 

Shopping around can help make your repairs or modifications 
faster and less frustrating. Keeping your "baby" in tip-top 
shape has never been easier!