Guides
Used car part buying guides
Short, opinionated guides from people who actually buy used parts every week.
4 min read
How to find your car part number
Quoting the exact part number is the single biggest thing that gets you a fast, accurate quote. Here's how to find it.
6 min read
Is buying a used gearbox safe?
Used gearboxes can save you over £1,500 vs new — if you buy from the right yard. Here's what to check.
5 min read
Engine codes explained
Why a 2.0 TDI isn't always a 2.0 TDI, and how the 3-letter code on your block changes everything.
4 min read
Alloy wheel fitment — PCD, offset, width
The three numbers you need to buy used alloys that actually fit your car.
3 min read
Scrapping a car — the UK checklist
DVLA notification, V5C, plates, valuables — what you need to do before the truck arrives.
4 min read
What warranty should I expect on used parts?
30 days is the standard — some yards extend cover up to a year. Here's the lay of the land.
5 min read
Verified marketplace vs Facebook & eBay: what changes
Why paying through a vetted network beats a cash-in-hand DM — escrow, warranty, traceability and the scams it stops.
6 min read
Your UK consumer rights when buying used car parts
Consumer Rights Act 2015, Section 75, distance-selling, and what a 'sold as seen' line actually means (spoiler: less than sellers claim).
5 min read
How to spot a dodgy parts seller in 60 seconds
Stolen-to-order, ringer engines, VIN-cut shells — the red flags that separate a real breaker from a chop shop.
5 min read
How to check a used alternator before buying
Five 2-minute checks that catch a knackered alternator before it leaves the yard — output voltage, pulley wobble, the lot.
7 min read
Matching OEM part numbers — Audi, BMW, VW & Ford
Decoding 8E0, 4F0 and 7L8 Audi prefixes, BMW realoem trees and Ford Finis codes so the part you order actually fits.
6 min read
Used turbocharger buying guide — what to check
Shaft play, oil-feed history, actuator type and the one-letter part-code suffix that wrecks Golf and Focus owners.
6 min read
Used DPF buying guide — mileage, regens & fault codes
Backpressure, ash loading, P244A/P2002 codes — how to buy a used diesel particulate filter that won't block again in 5,000 miles.
5 min read
How to find your VIN and chassis number (UK guide)
Where to find your VIN on the car and V5C, the difference between VIN and chassis number, and how to use them to order the exact right part.
5 min read
MOT check explained — pass, fail, advisory
What every MOT result actually means, how long advisories take to become fails, and when buying a used replacement is cheaper than fixing.
6 min read
Used vs new car parts — when each makes sense
Used saves 50–80%, new gets you a fresh warranty. A part-by-part breakdown of which is the smarter buy in 2026.
6 min read
How UK car breakers work — scrapyard to driveway
What an ATF actually is, how donor cars get dismantled, and why buying from a verified breaker is nothing like Facebook Marketplace.
4 min read
Find car parts by registration — the UK guide
How reg-plate lookups pull your make, model, engine code and VIN — and why that one search saves you ordering the wrong part.
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Engines, gearboxes, brakes, body panels and more — sourced from 500+ UK breaker yards.
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Also known as
Guides for Spare Vehicle Parts & Any Vehicle Parts
These buying guides also power sparevehicleparts.com and anyvehicleparts.com. Whether you searched for spare vehicle parts or any vehicle parts, every Spare Vehicle Parts and Any Vehicle Parts guide is published here on SpareCarPart — used engines, gearboxes, DPFs, turbos, body panels and EV batteries for cars, vans and 4x4s, written by people who buy these spare vehicle parts every week.