When purchasing auto body parts, the sheer number of options can appear very daunting as you attempt to navigate your way through bumpers, fenders, headlights, hoods, mirrors, radiators, taillights and tailgates. A number of questions flood your mind…

  • Will this fit my vehicle?
  • I see that my bumper is damaged, but is that all I need? A new bumper?
  • I see that this fits a RAM 1500, but mine is 3500! Will this still work for my vehicle?
  • What does Platinum Plus, Diamond Standard, CAPA, and Best Value all mean? I see the difference in price, but what else?
  • What does PRIME/PAINT TO MATCH mean?
  • I don’t want to get killed on the shipping costs! Where are your parts getting shipped from?
  • Why should I order an OEM Replacement part, when I could just go into the dealership and order an OEM part?

This article will hopefully help answer these questions and alleviate many of the anxiety you might feel when buying from PartsHub.ca

buyers guide for auto body parts in canada

A Buyers Guide – Quick questions to ask yourself:

1. Know your vehicle!

YEAR/MAKE/MODEL! These are the three main things you need in order to traverse PartsHub.ca! After this, the rest of the website becomes so much simpler.

2. What are you looking for?

Like any good shopping experience, you need to have a comprehensive idea of what it is that you’re looking for. If you’ve been in a collision and need a new bumper, is that all you need? Behind the bumper is an impact absorber as well as a reinforcement bar and these things may have been damaged in the accident. Your hood may be pushed in a bit, but what about the hood hinges that often get bent if the hood is badly damaged. This may mean having that conversation with your mechanic or having a peak behind your bumper to help answer these questions. Having a full idea of what it that you’re coming in for is helpful in not getting overwhelmed by the amount of available options.

year make and model auto body parts canada

3. Know your item!

This is where shopping for a bumper, or mirror, or fender can get a bit complicated and it helps to have an idea of what exactly it is that you need. It can be fairly simple to find a 2013-2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Front Bumper Face Bar, but next you have to know if you need it to be chrome or painted? Or a 2013-2016 Audio A4 Rear Bumper Cover and find the options of with parking assist sensor holes or without parking assist sensor holes? Knowledge is key! Talk with your mechanic, look online, or speak with a dealership and find out what features you need.

4. The title VS vehicle application!

2011-2014 Chevrolet Pickup Silverado 2500/3500 Passenger Side Door Mirror

This is an example of one of your many products and you might look at this and ask yourself, I have a Silverado 1500, but this say it’s for a 2500/3500, will this work for me? That is where you should be sure to scroll down a bit and check the vehicle application. Just because one title is given, doesn’t mean that this mirror can’t apply to a number of different models. In this case it’s not just a number of different models, but also vehicles:

2014 Chevrolet Pickup 1500

2011-2014 Chevrolet Pickup 2500/3500

2007-2014 Chevrolet Suburban

2007-2014 Chevrolet Tahoe

2011-2014 GMC Denali

2007-2014 GMC Yukon

2007-2014 GMC Yukon

capa certified in Canada

5. Diamond Standard/NSF Certified/Platinum Plus/CAPA Certified and Value Line?

You’ve found your items and still have some options. It may just be easier to give a general run down of each certification and their differences and similarities.

Diamond Standard/NSF Certified/Platinum Plus/CAPA Certified – All of these titles are different certifications (stamps of approval) on the item. It means that they are made to the original manufacturer’s specs and have been hand inspected for quality control. They all come with a life time warranty against manufacture defects. This means if the metal fender rusts, or a headlight develops condensation inside of it due to it not being sealed properly, then it is covered and will be gladly replaced by us! We want all of our customers to be satisfied with our products and feel safe with purchasing them.

 

Some insurance companies as well as auto body shops require the use of certified parts, so be sure to check before hand.

best value auto parts canada

Value Line – Our value line is meant for those who aren’t restricted by an auto body shop or insurance companies’ regulations and are looking to replace their item at a cheaper cost. Our Value Line is made to the same original manufacture’s specs (this means the same fitment) and come with a 1-year warranty against manufacturer defects. They do not have a certification on them and the price point is reflective of that. The value line is especially good for those who are looking to make the repairs themselves or have an older car and are not looking to break the bank on a bumper or fender.

 

6. PRIME/PAINT TO MATCH? What does that mean?

Prime/Paint-to-match is an industry term that means that the item comes to you already primed, but from there you would need to get it painted on your end. We do not paint items in house as we would not want to pack and ship a freshly painted bumper across Canada. Also, in order for us to properly match the fade from the sun on a car, we would need to physically see the car to match it.

 

7. How do I get it for cheap?

 

We at PartsHub.ca have multiple shipping locations in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto and Ottawa. This as well as our competitive agreement with Loomis Express allows us to keep our shipping costs extremely low. In order to calculate this, all you have to do is scroll down to our Shipping Calculator on the product page or the shopping cart page and select your country and enter in your postal code and get an instant estimate on your shipping cost. Generally, our customers can expect their orders within 2-9 business days anywhere in Canada. More information can be found here

 

 

Take Advantage Of Our Knowledable Customer Service Staff!

 

 

If you are unsure about anything, please feel free to use any number of our customer service options. Feel free and call our toll-free line: 1-888-377-5454 and speak directly with one of our sales reps. You can also email us at [email protected] and someone will be sure to get back to you and answer whatever questions you might have. Also, we have our live chat option where we have customer service reps ready to help you with your order. Regardless the option, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns and we’d be happy to help in whatever way we can.

Buying parts online can be tricky and often times overwhelming, but we here at PartsHub.ca are committed to finding you the parts you need and making it as quick and easy as possible, while giving you the peace of mind knowing that we are here to help in whatever way we can.