Davis:What have you got for us this week?

Goss: Well, you know, you try to buy parts and accessories for your car, seems like they’re either too new, they’re too old, they’re too rare.  Always too something.

Davis: Boy, I sure know that one.  I bought my Mini Cooper last year, wanted to find some special floor mats and a car cover, too new, couldn’t find them anywhere.

Goss:Yeah. Well, let’s start with old cars.  So if you have an older car and you need to find some parts, a lot of magazines out there.  A lot of them have ads in them, research those.  The granddaddy of them all though is right here, Hemmings Motor News.  Been around forever.  Thousands of parts available there.

Davis: What about going traveling?

Goss: Well, travel to flea markets.  Flea markets are a great resource, but they’re going to take more time than some of the others.  But it has the advantage that you can handle and you can see what you’re going to buy.

Davis: Big advantage for me, I know that.

Goss: Yeah.  But, the industry is changing dramatically.  The Internet is coming into play now.

Davis: You know, Pat, I just read that the largest auction site for parts and accessories moves 35,000 parts and accessories a day.  That’s one every two and a half seconds!  That’s amazing!

Goss: And it’s an amazing resource because you have this huge inventory of parts that are listed.  The only thing is, you have to pay attention to the rules.  Read the auction rules and follow them.  And most auctions are also going to have a provision where they rate the seller.

Davis: Now, that’s all well and good for classic car parts, but suppose you do run into a situation where you just can’t find the part?

Goss:Well, that may not be altogether a lost cause either, because many times you’ll find sources where they will rebuild or re-manufacture your existing part.  Like this dash pad.

Davis: Really rotten here.  This is before, I guess.

Goss: That’s before.  This is what Just Dashes did as a re-manufacturing process.  This is better than any used one you’d ever find.

Davis: That’s before and after.  Pretty impressive.  And all because of what’s going on in the Internet.

Goss: Absolutely.  Great resource.

If you have a question or comment, write to me.  The address is MotorWeek, Owings Mills, MD, 21117.