Buying used parts and safety

On auction portals, we can find completely used car parts that tempt with low prices. However, are you sure that their purchase brings only benefits?

That it needs to be replaced from time to time consumables such as shock absorbers, belts and brake pads are familiar to most drivers - it's usually easy to see these parts wear out. When they need to be replaced, it seems natural to replace them with new components.

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However, what if we need to replace a broken headlight, tires or, for example, a relatively expensive electrical sensor in our car? Many of us in this situation, wanting to save money, decide to buy second-hand goods cheaper.

Some drivers mistakenly believe that parts such as headlights or all kinds of electronic components do not wear out and nothing prevents them from being replaced with used counterparts. However, in many cases this can be a bad decision, because when buying second-hand parts, we cannot be sure whether they are really 100% working. You should also remember that when buying used parts, we usually do not receive a guarantee. Therefore, in the event of a premature refusal, we will have problems with a refund or replacement of the product.

“In diesel engines, flow meters often fail. This malfunction is manifested by a decrease in the performance of the car. When buying and installing a used flow meter, there is a high risk of an early recurrence of the malfunction. Therefore, in order to effectively solve the problem, we recommend buying a new product,” says Maciej Geniul from Motointegrator.pl.

Auction sites are full of offers for inexpensive used reflectors. However, their purchase can also be only apparent savings, especially when the used part is already worn out. “After a run of 180-200 thousand km, the reflector loses about 30% of its parameters, such as the range of light, the brightness of the beam, the visibility of the border between light and shadow,” warns Zenon Rudak from Hella Polska. “The loss of these parameters is associated with the wear of the outer surface of the reflector glass and contamination reflector inside the case. The exterior glass has been damaged by dust particles, rocks, winter road maintenance, driver scraping ice in winter, or wiping headlights with a dry cloth. The smooth surface of the reflector glass slowly dims and begins to scatter light uncontrollably, reducing its brightness and range. The effect of damage to the windshield of a headlight extends equally to glass and polycarbonate glasses,” adds an expert from Hella Polska.

If the reflector is worn out, it will not help to improve lighting by using, for example, bulbs with a higher luminous flux. Other ways to preserve used headlights, such as polishing the glass or cleaning reflectors at home, may have modest results, but are not the rule.

It is most risky to buy used suspension and braking components - they have a huge impact on safety and even if they do not look damaged, they are subject to so-called fatigue and can fail in a short time. It's the same with tires. It's worth remembering, especially in the coming weeks when drivers are changing their cars from summer to winter tires.

“Buying used things is always risky. This also applies to tires whose origin history is unknown. Most often, when buying a used tire, we do not receive proof of purchase, which means that we do not have a guarantee for it. We also do not know under what conditions the tire was stored and how the previous owner used it,” explains Jacek Młodawski from Continental. “Visually it is also difficult to tell if there are any hidden defects on the tire. Sometimes we can only find out about this after the tire is installed on the vehicle. Unfortunately, it is then too late for a possible return. During use, some defects may appear, which in extreme conditions can damage the tire, thereby endangering the user,” he adds.

Remember that tires wear out too, even if they are not used extensively. Tires age as a result of physical and chemical processes such as UV radiation, humidity, heat and cold. Therefore, tire manufacturers such as Continental recommend replacing all tires older than 10 years with new ones.

As you can see, buying used parts comes with a high risk. Often, in order to save money by purchasing used items, we may incur additional costs if the item we have purchased is found to be defective. Therefore, in many cases, the real savings will be the purchase of new products. Even if the unit price is higher, we can save on additional workshop visits. It is also important that the products used do not guarantee our safety.

“For our customers, who value their time and above all care about safety, we recommend buying branded parts from well-known manufacturers that supply their products for the first assembly of cars of various brands.” says Maciej Geniul from Motointegrator. “Premium products ordered from Motointegrator and installed at one of our partner workshops are covered by a 3-year warranty.” - adds a representative of Motointegrator.

When deciding to buy spare parts for our car, it is worth considering the possible consequences of buying used parts. Although the final decision, as always, remains with the owner of the vehicle, we should remember that used, low-quality parts pose a threat not only to our safety, but also to other road users.