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General discussion

Price of car parts

Feb 16, 2016 2:05PM PST

I have a car that I paid around 20k for in 2000. It's been a good and reliable vehicle but but things do break. I can't buy this car again as new but I've discovered that I can still buy the individual parts and make one myself for maybe a quarter of a million. Of course, not having a VIN #, I'd not be able to license it for highway use. BTW, the car has a broken plastic outside door handle. The assy will cost me around $140 as a DIY. Mind boggling.

Discussion is locked

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Out here, I love junk yards for rare parts.
Feb 16, 2016 4:40PM PST

And despite their home, the dogs are friendly.

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Thought of that
Feb 16, 2016 5:06PM PST

This particular model was redesigned in 2001. It's 15+ years old. The door handle breaking was probably due to that many years of repeatedly opening the door. I suspect stress fractures finally gave way to a full breakage. The car has only 75K miles. Anything I find in the junk yard will be the same age and probably have more pulls on the handle. It may be on the edge of having the same thing happen. I could buy an aftermarket part for about 40 bucks. It would be black or some primer color and might work fine. I'd considered, but rejected, the junk yard idea as the hunting time and driving mileage could alter the financial advantage gained as well as the part being of questionable durability. In the longer run, an OEM part is generally better. This comes with a price. I may need to make up the loss by buying manager's specials in the grocery for a while...the equivalent of a junk yard.

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plastic door handle?
Feb 16, 2016 11:41PM PST

what is it? A Hyundai?

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No. It's not a Hyundai
Feb 17, 2016 2:32AM PST

It's a Japanese model produced in the US and Canada. The handle comes as an assembly of both metal and polymer. It's the plastic lift mechanism that's subject to stress and strain. This includes such as dealing with stuck doors due to freezing in Winter when one pulls harder. The handle is recessed which makes it worse. The assembly comes painted in colors to match the model and year by using the VIN # for an exact fit. My experience with aftermarket parts for this car have been shaky so I prefer OEM in certain situations.

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RE: Of course, not having a VIN #,
Feb 17, 2016 7:47AM PST
Of course, not having a VIN #, I'd not be able to license it for highway use. BTW, the car has a broken plastic outside door handle. I could buy an aftermarket part for about 40 bucks. It would be black or some primer color

Off road use, no insurance?....a piece of rope or bungee cord to hold the door closed.....I wouldn't be concerned about "cosmetic damage". Looks will only get a car so far.
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Duck tape does wonderful things
Feb 17, 2016 10:56AM PST

I've been able to fashion a temporary handle that wraps around the back side of the recessed handle. The duck tape isn't a good color match but, for now, it works. I did this outdoors in 5 degree temperatures figuring the tape would never stick but it did. It's worked for 3 days but I now have the new part in hand so will replace it in good time. It's my wife's car so a bungee isn't an option.

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RE: figuring the tape would never stick but it did
Feb 17, 2016 12:16PM PST
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I feel for ya...
Feb 17, 2016 10:09AM PST

I had to replace parts now and then and geeezzzz what am I suppose to do when the plastic melts. I really have to review the pricing and I shop or go online to see what's available and NOT only costs but being reasonable to even buy. One example, I got a starter for my car from NAPA and they charged the cost of the starter(complete with solenoid, etc.) and then $75 core charge. Now, I live in a small town and going elsewhere would have been a pain, so forked it over and of course came back with the core and Heaven help me if I lost the receipt. That was a lesson in not to go NAPA provided I had time passing elsewhere and not in a hurry.

As stated by Robert, I visit junk yards, but that's a hassle during the winter but on big ticket items, its well worth it. Also, don't fret about getting used anti-freeze and/or batteries provided they look overall decent, saved me a hunk of cash and so far well worth it. I wish you luck when you have to do this again on car repairs. -----Willy Happy

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Yeah...junkyards are fine for hub caps, rims,
Feb 17, 2016 11:11AM PST

tail lite assemblies and such. Parts that come from later models that were wrecked and written off by insurance companies might be perfect if the right one could be found. In my case, it would have needed to come from a 15-16 year old car so it might have had a short life expectancy. If I'm going to spend a couple hours tearing out the old part and installing the new one, I want it to last more than a week.

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I guess it depends
Feb 18, 2016 12:47PM PST

I found the relays at the fuse box terribly expensive, so it was worth getting one or two instead of paying full retail. Depending on the junkyard, they can retrieve it for you at some small cost and/or what it is, as they don't want to damage surrounding parts. yeah, the older the car, if fact you really got to go junkyard, but these newer cars, it maybe better to buy a "totaled wreck" in order to have the parts. As you found out, if you had to rebuild one from scratch, it costs a bunch. Also, you may find body parts are usually an area to check on at a junkyard, but many internal parts or cross-reference parts work on various models, thus again you may get luck on finding something less expensive. If I didn't say it, yeah I tend to not all those plastic parts stuck in cars now. I don't know how many items to search for and it already broke or you break it in entirely. Whatever happened to good old Detroit iron? -----Willy Happy