The Internet has changed the way people buy things. It doesn't matter if that purchase is a small ticket item or a larger ticket item like car parts. In fact, major online auction companies like eBay.com have an entire section devoted strictly to cars and car parts.

For the professional

If you are a professional searching for car parts, running an online search for "discount auto parts" or "wholesale auto parts" will yield a treasure trove of sites that offer huge discounts, free shipping, and great warranties for a minimum purchase. You can take advantage of these online stores which buy in bulk from the manufacturer and resell them at close-to-wholesale prices to you. And, if you are a reseller or have a business license, you may even qualify for tax minimized purchases as well! Often these are great places to purchase parts if you run a shop that has a tight schedule since overnight delivery is available in many areas, allowing you to get that one part quickly to get a customer's car on the road again.

For the hobbyist

However, if you are not a professional auto parts purchaser, you are still able to buy car parts at a discount. If you are a car enthusiast or a backyard mechanic, you may find that you meet the minimum purchase requirements from some of the discount auto parts sites mentioned above, simply from the amount of work you do, since the minimum purchase requirements are surprisingly low. If you can get a good deal from these online shops, go ahead and order!

If you don't think you qualify initially, there is a chance that you may still be able to qualify. Here's how: find one or two fellow car enthusiasts, either people you trust, or people you can find from a taking out a small classified ad in a newspaper. When you've found these people, you can pool your purchases in order to qualify for the minimum discount.

And don't forget about eBay.com and other auto auction sites where you can bid on great car parts and get them at really low prices!

Whether you are a professional car parts buyer or a hobbyist looking to fix up that project car, you can find inexpensive parts online.

Jeff Lakie is the founder of Car Parts Information a website providing information on Car Parts