Sourcing Fiat parts

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Sourcing Fiat parts

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Where can I buy parts for my Fiat?

If your Fiat has broken down or is needing a new part, there is a wide range of places you can buy car parts. Where you choose to get them from will depend on your budget, how quickly you need the parts and whether you need a consumable item or more hard wearing car/body part. If you are having your car fixed at a garage or bodyshop, they will usually offer you a choice of where to get parts and discuss the options below with you. Some of the links in this guide are for the UK market - if you are in another country the same principles will apply but you will need to search locally for suppliers.

Some of the most popular options are:
Fiat Dealers
This is the first choice for genuine, brand new, Fiat branded parts. If you need a part quickly, they will usually have a large range of consumables, bodywork and larger parts in stock for newer/ popular cars. As they can source parts from other dealers or from Fiat, they are also a good choice for particularly obscure and hard to find parts.Some parts are 'dealer only', meaning they cannot be supplied brand new by anyone else. If your car is still under Fiat warranty, you will need to use genuine Fiat parts to maintain it. Parts will be brand new and a genuine Fiat part, the same as was originally fitted to your car and often superior in quality to 'generic' parts. However you may find you have to pay more then for some of the other options below - although it is always worth asking and sometimes the quality of the item is worth paying for. You can find your local Fiat dealer through search websites/ phone lines eg. Yell, the 118 phone services or on the Fiat website. When buying from a Fiat dealer, it is wise to have your registration number or VIN number handy so they can easily locate the correct part for your specific model of car.

Motor Factors
These are car parts dealers who supply parts for all makes and models of car and tend to be much cheaper than Fiat dealers. Some are parts of a local or national chain eg. Halfords and some are independent. Many of their parts are generic, which means they are not made by Fiat, although in some cases they will be made by the same manufacturer who provides Fiat with their parts. Therefore sometimes they will be just as good as the more expensive dealer part, but sometimes the quality may not be as good and it may not last as long. They will not keep every part and you may not be able to obtain body parts or very complex parts from a motor factor. You may wish to examine the part, ask the experiences of other owners and perhaps compare it with the original on your car before buying. For consumables for services, such as filters, there may be no difference whatsoever in quality and you can save a lot of money by shopping here rather than at a Fiat dealer. However they may not stock large, expensive or complex parts. You can find your local motor factors in the UKusing search websites such as Yell or the 118 phone services. In order to order a pasrt, you will usually need to know the model and year of your car, though in some cases you may need to know the specific part name you require.

Breakers yards
Also known as scrapyards, this is where you can find very cheap secondhand parts for all makes and model of car from scrapped cars. For this reason, this is usually a better option for older models of car. As the cars are older, it is no good for consumables and some other parts (such as a clutch) may be worn on such cars so would be better bought new as this would soon require replacement and be false economy. Also for this reason, it is better to take parts from the best car possible in terms of mileage, age and condition eg. ensuring there is no rust on a door. It is an excellent choice for bodywork and external parts, also for classic cars long out of production where dealers may no longer stock parts. You will need a good knowledge of the model and year of your car, the specific parts you need and if it can be obtained from other models of car if your specific one is unavailable. You can usually save even more money by taking tools along and removing the part from the scrap car yourself. You can find your local motor factors using search websites such as Yell or the 118 phone services. If this is unsuccessful or the part you need is more obscure, there are specialist Fiat breakers who deal only in scrapped Fiats and can often help with specific queries. You can access these via Parts Gateway or Breaker Yard, however as they may not be local to you, postage or collection costs should be taken into consideration.

Fiatforum Classifieds
This section of the forum is provided free of charge to members to list sales and wanted adverts for cars and parts. Depending on the listing you may be faced with brand new or second hand, genuine Fiat or generic, specific or universal parts and sometimes even a whole car for sale cheaply enough to use for parts (known as a donor car).The benefit of using the classifieds over other internet auction sites is that the sellers are usually long-standing members with a genuine interest in Fiats: meaning they can usually answer any questions you may have and are trustworthy. The usual rules of 'buyer beware' apply here and before bidding or buying, you should know exactly what part you need and check it is suitable for your specific model of car, check the seller's reputation and check the postage (it may take a few days to reach you and large parts may be heavy and expensive) or arrange collection. Parts requests should not be posted in the car technical sections and may be deleted without notice.

Fiatforum Traders
This section of the forum showcases traders who choose to advertise with us. They offer a wide range of parts, mostly for improving the performance, handling and looks of your car.

Internet auction sites
This includes websites such as Ebay. This covers a larger range of smaller traders and private sellers. Depending on the listing you may be faced with brand new or second hand, genuine Fiat or generic, specific or universal parts and sometimes even a whole car for sale cheaply enough to use for parts (known as a donor car). The usual rules of 'buyer beware' apply here and before bidding or buying, you should know exactly what part you need and check it is suitable for your specific model of car, check the seller's reputation, check the postage (it may take a few days to reach you and large parts may be heavy and expensive) or arrange collection.

Other useful/ specialist websites
There are many websites and traders who deal in specific models, parts and refurbishment. Shop 4 Parts is very good for consumable items such as filters and brake pads. There are also many gearbox and bodywork specialists who can be found using search websites such as Yell or the 118 phone services.

If you are needing further guidance, have a search of the forum or post in the appropriate car section for your car.
 
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