No matter how much someone spends on a car, something on it will eventually break.

We live in an imperfect world and drive imperfect cars. This is an unfortunate and painful truth.

Most people rely heavily on their cars whether it’s for school, work or pleasure. Without their car how can they go anywhere?

Anyone who has had to take the bus or bum rides when their car is in the shop can attest to the discomfort a disabled car causes.

This, in turn, causes them to be in a rush to repair their car. Because of the immediacy of the repair people take their car to the first place that will service it. With precious time at stake, people seldom shop around and find the best price. This can account for costly repairs that otherwise could have been reduced.

There are, however, ways to improve these adverse situations.

Alternatives to the run-of-the-mill automotive shops exist, and most of them will save car owners money.

Junkyards can be a good source for parts, but must be approached with caution. Pull-and-save junkyards such as Bessler’s are nice because you save money removing the parts yourself. Other junkyards remove parts for you and add on a charge for this. Even if the part isn’t in a desirable condition, you might still have to pay a fee.

One disadvantage to a pull-and-save junkyard is having to get the parts yourself. If you’re not familiar with how to work on cars, then this isn’t a likely option.

The Internet can be a great resource for parts. There are many automobile message boards in which people are selling parts and eBay has a large amount of listings for car parts. Be cautious when ordering parts from the Internet because most people don’t offer a warranty and sell the item as is. Make sure you talk to the seller first to find out if the part is in good working condition.

Auto part stores such as Pep Boys, Autozone and KOI Auto Parts can also have good deals on parts.

These stores offer remanufactured parts, which are used parts that have been remanufactured with all the vital pieces professionally restored or replaced.

Remanufactured parts are a workable alternative to new parts. They are essentially new, and can be purchased for much less.

Autozone’s Web site has a listing of every part they have available for each model of car. Before purchasing the part from one store, call some of the others for a price match. Sometimes the store across the street will have a better deal. The next time your car breaks down, have patience.

Look around and find a better deal on a replacement part. It could end up saving you a lot money.