These are the spare parts you should not buy second-hand

A good idea for getting spare parts at a good price for your car is to opt for scrapyards and the second-hand parts you can find there. And that is fine, in general. There are many parts that can give our car a new life and that can be used beyond their first installation in a car. But there are also other elements that should not be used second-hand.

They are very delicate elements, related to the safety of the vehicle and essential for the car’s operation. So, thanks to our colleagues at RO-DES, the operational network of scrapyards in Spain, we are going to review those second-hand elements that we should avoid using second-hand.

Tyres

We have talked about this on other occasions. Tyres are the point of contact between the vehicle and the asphalt, so they must be in good condition to provide all the safety they need so the car keeps its stability. Using second-hand tyres is not illegal, but it can pose a safety risk.

A second-hand tyre does not offer any guarantee that it is in good condition. We do not know how it has been used and, once fitted, it will probably have quite high wear. This not only reduces its service life, but can also cause loss of control while driving. Cracking or perished rubber can go unnoticed, and we could end up buying tyres in poor condition.

Timing belt

The timing belt is a very important part of the car. It has a limited service life and wears quite quickly. So we know it can fail over time. It is very difficult to determine when it may fail, and when buying a second-hand timing belt we do not know how long it will last once installed. It is important to buy a new timing kit, although it is one of the most expensive elements to replace. It is advisable to also change the water pump, which should also be new, to avoid surprises.

Battery

The service life of a battery is about 4 years, so if you use a second-hand battery you may end up with one that is about to run out of useful life. Furthermore, given the difficulty of examining the interior, it is not possible to check for structural damage that could be dangerous due to leaks of toxic and volatile chemicals.

Brake discs and pads

The wear of brake discs and pads is very irregular, as it depends greatly on driving style. In any case, when we buy these elements second-hand, they may be worn and may fail when braking. Brakes should always be bought new to guarantee safety.

Shock absorbers

Shock absorbers should be replaced every 300,000 kilometres, and it is difficult to know what level of wear used ones have. If bought second-hand, they must be thoroughly inspected, and this requires greater attention. The best option is to forget the second-hand market and in this case also buy new parts with full guarantees.

Second-hand spare parts usually go through quite demanding checks, and commercial outlets generally provide full guarantees for their use. But even so, these are fundamental elements for the correct functioning of the car and for ensuring safety. Safety must always take precedence over savings.