Drive Carefully

Like I was saying on Wednesday. People doing stupid things in cars will be an endless topic of conversation. This one needs no explanation...

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120MPH Ford Focus Crash

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Subaru Fun

Children... Don't treat your cars like this. Or maybe you should because I promise something will break and you will need auto parts... Yeah, go have fun!!

Subaru Fun - More amazing videos are a click away

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I Love My Car !!

People are funny... We all work hard to express our uniqueness in many ways. One of those is in the choice of vehicle we drive. Whether we are aware of it or not, a lot can be told from our car.



I'm not really talking about the value of the car. Many people are driving much more car than they can afford. I'm speaking more about the size, shape, type and condition of our cars. We all know someone that has a very expensive car or truck that has not been washed or cleaned out since it was driven off of the showroom floor. We probably also know people of wealth that drive a vehicle beneath their means, like Sam Walton's famed old pickup truck. Then there is the traditional mid-life crisis car where an older person chooses to drive a sports car that seems more befitting of someone younger.



My favorite however is the "classic car" owner like the Chevette in the picture above, lined up with other muscle cars. I promise you would be entertained by speaking with this person. Whichever vehicle you love, we understand your passion. Cars are sometimes our best friends and sometimes our worst enemy depending on their state of repair. At Autopartstomorrow we want to work with you to make sure your car is in perfect running order, every day... especially tomorrow.



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Legal Is Boring...

Many companies out there feel it is OK to try to deceive their customers and relabel or sell as OE, when it's really not. Like I tell anyone who will listen, "I'm just not smart enough to keep up with all that".



Our main line of auto parts are ACDelco and Motorcraft, direct from the manufacturers. Where they sell parts with the exact same number (but made by someone else), ours are exactly the same as if you paid for it at the parts counter of your local GM or Ford dealership. While we carry several full lines aftermarket parts, they are clearly marked by their manufacturer.



If you ever have a question about a part you bought from us please call. We will walk through the issue with you and make sure you are completely satisfied before you get off the phone. Your happiness is more important to us than any deception might be worth... besides, that would be illegal. The way we do business may be boring, but it is the right way, and our customers seem to appreciate it.



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Is This Part Original Equipment?

The answer to this question is becoming more obscure each year. We are an authorized distributor of, under contract with, ACDelco and Motorcraft. Our business model, beginning in 1924, is to play our role in the distribution chain for GM and Ford parts divisions. As such we buy millions of dollars in auto parts each month straight from the manufacturers regional warehouses so that we will have them locally available to dealerships in our areas. If you take your vehicle to a GM or Ford service department in our area, and they need a part that is not in stock, they will pick up the phone or order that part online from our parent company... and we will put it in a delivery truck and get it to them ASAP. Even if it comes from their stock, if it is ACDelco or Motorcraft, chances are they got it from us.

Now back to the complicated part of the question. Over the years GM and Ford have slowly changed the process by which they have their parts manufactured. It used to be that most parts were actually made in their own plants. Little by little they have offered the rights to supply these parts to other manufacturers who agree to build the parts to their very strict engineering guidelines, at the cost needed (a bidding process). As such, it is possible that the actual OE part that comes in a Motorcraft or ACDelco box may be marked as a Standard or Four Seasons or any other manufacturer. As an example, I was speaking with a woman just the other day who said the original ECM on her Pontiac Vibe had a Toyota label on it.

In today's interrelated world there are many opportunities to streamline manufacturing processes and save on production costs by using this bidding process. It should not however cause anyone to lose faith in the actual part provided in a manufacturer box. The same stringent engineering guidelines are applied to the process, whether the part is made next door in a warehouse owned by the manufacturer, or overseas on a contract basis. The company making the part understands that if at any point there is a breakdown in the quality standards dictated, they could lose the contract and potentially be out of business. It is different than the old days, but seems to be working better in cost, quality and speed of delivery. We will stand behind these products because we have seen that they are indeed the best available for OE applications.

Autopartstomorrow

Why Should I Change Auto Parts Suppliers?

If we were just another auto parts store that might be a legitimate question. Autopartstomorrow.com is a different auto parts PROCESS that has been designed to save You money through OUR efficiencies.

When you buy from Autopartstomorrow you are buying from a warehouse distributor. We do not have the expense of maintaining auto parts stores all across the country. The rent, utilities, fleets of vehicles, employees, advertising, promotions, etc., the costs of running a retail business, all need to be folded into the cost ratio of the parts being sold. As such, the profit margin between what was paid for the actual auto part and what that part can be sold for needs to help pay for those expenses. As a warehouse distributor we basically have one HUGE warehouse per region, and UPS and FEDEX come to us to pick up the pallets of auto parts we ship each night.

Don't get me wrong, we still have support costs, but we keep those at an absolute minimum so we can sell our auto parts for less than the competition could even think about. We will be opening more large warehouses as we go to make sure we can get you your parts next day in every corner of the United States, but we promise to be frugal about the way we handle expansion to make sure we are always the best value for your auto parts needs. Our customers seem to think we have made the right choices so far.

Thanks !! Autopartstomorrow

How to Spot a Bad Mechanic

There are great mechanics out there, and typically their hourly rates are reasonable for the work being performed. There are however, some shops that should be avoided. Unfortunately, whenever we deal with people there will always be a wide range, and a few of those towards the bottom of the list need to be left alone. Since a majority of our customers are the other mechanics, the ones at the top of the list, they will agree... the terrible ones give the industry a bad name.

Rule #1 Ask around. Even if you have just moved into an area, there are people around you that would love to help a newcomer out. Mechanics are classically advertised by word of mouth. For every good referral you will get, you will also hear horror stories about the ones to avoid.

Rule #2 Look around the lot. Are there quite a few vehicles in various states of dismantlement? Does it look like they have been abandoned for months? Is the general condition of the premises at least organized looking. A repair shop cannot always be spotless because of the nature of the business, but the good shop owners take pride in their job and have procedures to keep the place clean and safe.

Rule #3 There is nothing wrong with checking out the Better Business Bureau for your area just to make sure there aren't outstanding complaints. Appearances can sometimes be deceiving. Dishonest mechanics can get by on appearances for a while. You don't want to be one of the victims before Rule #1 catches up with them.

Rule #4 Fear Tactics. This is one my wife ran into years ago (and I am still steamed about it). She got a coupon for an unbelievable deal on a front brake job. She asked me about it and I told her it couldn't be true ($59 front brakes-$99 all four). If it were true the brakes themselves would be of terrible quality. Anyway, like every good wife out there she felt she needed to check it out anyway. That afternoon I got a tearful call from her after the mechanic told her it would be $500 to repair her brakes and he was going to call the police if she tried to drive away because they were so dangerous. I called him, then called their corporate office in another state, and went by to get the car released.

There was NOT a safety issue with the brakes. Brake shoes have a safety mechanism built in to warn you that it is time to replace them. Most of the time when you hear that awful noise of metal on metal, it is the "chirper" tab. It is time to replace the brakes, but if you can stand the noise you have a few days to get the car somewhere for repair. The moral here is "If a mechanic uses coupons to bait you in and then fear tactics to take your money, it would be better to tow your car somewhere else". Let me add one thing here, use Rule#1 and tell everyone you know about their deceptive practices.

Mechanics should be your friend and trusted partner. There will be times that they have to share bad news with you, but knowing you can trust them makes it easier to take. There is no place for deception in the automotive trade. If you give your business and money to the honest mechanic, and tell everyone you know about the bad ones, it will be a better industry for all of us.

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Wholesale Delco and Motorcraft Parts

The Premier Place to Buy Your Wholesale Delco and Motorcraft Parts

Those who own Ford or GM vehicles know how important it is that parts are available and made in the United States. That is why Auto Parts Tomorrow makes it their focus to sell wholesale auto parts for Ford and GM vehicles. Are you looking for wholesale Delco and Motorcraft parts? Auto Parts Tomorrow has them, and you can buy them by calling us directly or by ordering them online. Either way, we are here to offer you what you need, and offer quick shipping to your door.

Choosing Where to Buy Your Wholesale Delco and Motorcraft Parts

When it comes to buying wholesale Delco and Motorcraft parts, there are several places you can look. Auto Parts Tomorrow can get you alternators, starters, brakes, tune-up parts, and more. Just call us with a part number if you have it, or if you know the make, model and year we can get everything together for you. You won’t need to worry when it comes to buying wholesale parts. You can find out more about what Auto Parts Tomorrow has to offer by visiting us at www.AutoPartsTomorrow.com.

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Car Maintenance Is Important !!

Ask any auto mechanic... the cars that have not been cleaned in forever, probably haven't had the oil changed in longer than that. Something about pride of ownership just makes people take care of things from top to bottom. It is something you should consider when you are looking at cars to buy from an individual. While you will probably get a better deal on the car as far as price is concerned, you might also have a potential problem with repairs sooner than you would want.

Now far be it from me, an auto parts salesman, to try to talk you out of buying a car that needs repairs, but it does need to be something you think about. With this in mind, I typically buy the dirtiest cars around. One of the benefits of being in the auto parts field is that I can get auto repairs done much cheaper than most others can. I can also identify which repair might be needed and which auto part it would need. I can buy a dirty run down car (without dents or tears in the upholstery) and put my blood, sweat and tears into fixing it up. Then I can drive it for a year or two and sell it for the same thing I bought it for. It is not the path I would suggest for everyone, but it works pretty well for me.

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2012 Volkswagen Beetle Commercial

The new Beetle has been unveiled now and people have mixed reviews as to what they believe it's popularity might be. You have to admit though, their commercials have gotten much better. Between Volkswagen, the Korean manufacturers (KIA and Hyundai) and a newly energized Big Three (GM, Ford and Chrysler/Dodge), the Toyota's and Honda's of the world need to take note. Things are getting interesting around here again!

Motorcraft and Ford parts

Shopping for Your Car

Your car is one the place in the world where you can feel truly alone. It is for many drivers an oasis where you can find solitude, as you listen to your music on a sound system, or simply have a few minutes alone with your own thoughts. What you don’t want to experience on a drive to work, home, or out for an evening is a mysterious knocking or grinding noise. Leaving a car’s maintenance up to fate almost ensures this will eventually happen. Keeping a car in good repair is the best way to enjoy its smooth running longer. Ordering parts should be simple. If you own a Ford for example finding the Ford part# doesn’t have to become arduous, if you know where to look right away. The Ford part# is there to make ordering the correct part that much easier.

To ensure that you are ordering the correct part using the Ford part# is the only way. The problem many owners have is they are unsure where to find the number. It is common to wonder if they are looking in the right place, and this is the main cause of frustration. It’s not actually worth driving into a repair shop and paying a higher price simply because the Ford part# is not immediately evident.

Every Ford auto part is individually assigned two numbers for the lifetime of the part. For some owners this is confusing, but when looking for the correct Ford part# it is necessary to know the difference between these two numbers. Each number is a Ford part# but serves a different function. One is the engineering number, and the other is the service number. For the most part the engineering number will not be of as much importance to the owner as the service number.

When looking for the Ford part# it should be understood the engineering number is used while the car is being designed. If your car is an older model this Ford part# can be used to determine when the car part was manufactured, but otherwise the service number is more important. The easiest way to get the right service number is to go online. Using your car’s VIN number, you can assess Ford’s official parts database. If you have the original paperwork and manual for the car the VIN number will be listed, but if not it is usually located on the dashboard in an upper corner near the windshield. By accessing the site, you can enter the year and model number of the car itself if you can’t locate the VIN.

The Ford part # can be accessed by Ford’s site, but if there is a problem contacting a dealer in car parts is the next best chance of finding the right service number. Keep the Ford part# as a record to save time if you need to replace the same part again. Trusted dealers like Auto Parts Tomorrow can help in ordering the right part, and getting you, what you need for less. Keeping a car in great running shape for less money and frustration is worth the few minutes spent on time finding the right part.


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Watch Out For That Truck !!

Long ago, at a now out of business local Atlanta Pontiac Dealership, they had a unique practical joke that they played on customers in the parts department. First let me pause and caution that "You should not try this at home". Underneath the GM parts counter they had installed a HUGE 18 wheeler air horn connected to a 12 volt car battery. They also wired it so that you could push a door bell type button and just about blow the glass out of the waiting area.

So picture a customer walking through the glass door, inset into the glass wall that looked out over the service lane. If the customer proved to be just a bit too meticulous about the exact color, size and fit of the part, and continued to insist that he wanted to keep looking at more parts until he found the one that perfectly matched the one from his cherry 1969 Corvette ("Don't you have one in the old style ACDelco parts box?")... the parts guys would look at each other and nod.

One of them would scream with a terrified tone and expression "That truck isn't going to stop!!" and dive behind the counter one way. Then the other would Scream "WATCH OUT!!", press the button and dive the other. When the 800 decibel horn blasted from directly underneath the customer, the reaction would be instantaneous, hilarious and almost always not fatal.

Needless to say, either the customer would become great friends because he appreciated the practical joke, or he would never be seen again. Either way it would be considered a win...

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Need Auto Parts Fast?

You’ve come to the right place for help! At Auto Parts Tomorrow, you can browse a full selection of top quality auto parts with FREE Overnight Delivery. When you need parts right away, there is no one better. We carry only the top brands so you can find the quality parts you need for your car. Why trust anyone else when you can shop with the best?

Auto Parts Tomorrow Carries Top Brands Including:
• AC Delco Auto Parts
• Bendix Global
• Denso
• Fel-Pro
• Fleetguard
• Global Parts Distributors
• Motorcraft
• Premium Guard
• Wagner Brake Products
• GM Parts
• And More!
Our easy shopping experience allows you to shop by category, brand, or by the specific make and model of your car. Whatever you need, we make it easy to find it.

Shop Categories Including:
• Ignition Engine Filters
• Belts Cooling
• Fuel Emission
• Electrical
• Heating & Air Conditioning
• Brakes/Wheels/Bearings
• Chassis Steering
• Exhaust Clutch
• Engine
• Drive Train
• Vision, Manuals, Miscellaneous
When you’re ready to find the AC Delco Parts, GM Parts, or other brands—we’re here to make it easy.

Top Quality Accessories for Your Car

When you’re shopping for accessories, Auto Parts Tomorrow has a full array of vehicle accessories to help you keep your automobile in top condition. Shop accessories such as Hood Shields, Air Deflectors, and Floor Coverings. We are the leading supplier of ACDelco parts and accessories on the net, so let us help you with your vehicle needs today. When you need it at the last minute, we’ve got you covered. Cars, trucks, and more are much easier to keep in top condition when you shop with Auto Parts Tomorrow.

In addition to our full line of ACDelco Auto Parts, you will find any accessory or part you need. Even hard to find items are right here! Whether shopping by vehicle make/model or part type, you’ll find just what you need in no time. With more than 80 years of experience in the AC Delco auto parts and GM parts industry, we have a track record to prove you can trust our quality, selection, and service. Our Lowest Price Guarantee proves that you won’t find better prices—anywhere else! We are 30% below the competition on our every day low prices—so you can save more on the AC Delco parts you need for your vehicle.

Next Day Delivery—Or Your Entire Order is FREE!

When we say next day delivery, we mean it! We understand how important it is to find the right parts for your car—when you need them. That’s why Auto Parts Tomorrow guarantees your parts will be received the next day. Our goal is to get you back on the road right away. With low prices, outstanding service, and super fast shipping—you can’t go wrong when you choose Auto Parts Tomorrow. Are you ready to start saving on the AC Delco parts you need? We’re here to help! Should you have questions at any time, please feel free to contact us at 1-800-547-2052 or via email at HelpDesk@AutoPartsTomorrow.com.

Car Maintenance Tips

I say it over and over again, but it bears repeating; Just because I (you) know how to do something does not automatically mean that everyone else does. I find in many areas of my life, when confronted by something new, the person I am dealing with begins their explanation at a level that may be beyond my basic understanding. I am an Electronic Commerce Manager which puts me in that "Computer Guy" territory, but if someone asks me how to set up a virtual network for a server farm my eyes are going to glaze over just like yours.

Sometimes in the auto industry we make assumptions that because someone uses the term alternator it immediately means they know what it looks like, how to diagnose problems with the electrical system, whether it needs a new voltage regulator or the whole assembly, and how to make the needed repairs (especially if it is a male we are speaking with). There are varying levels of understanding what is needed to maintain your car, and increasingly fewer and fewer people are doing the work themselves. I fall into the half and half crowd in that I know how to do many of the minor repairs (from experience), but I choose to allow someone else to do most of them because of time and laziness.

There are many people out there who have basic mechanical skills but may have never done the repair they need right now. I have found a great resource online that will help get beyond that obstacle. EHow.com has a Car Repair an Maintenance section that has numerous How-To articles and videos that will walk you through how to do most of the basic car repairs you might need. Every car will be slightly different so you might need to use some modifications of their instructions, but since the basic job is the same it should be pretty easy to use logic to understand the differences. If you are willing to take some time to learn and buy your auto parts online from us, you can save yourself HUGE amounts of money over the life of your car. While we specialize in wholesale GM parts and Ford parts, you can get auto parts for just about every late model vehicle sold in the US. Do a little work, save a little money... we could all learn to do more of that couldn't we?

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Why we don't carry EVERYTHING?!

I posted a few days ago about why we don't do special orders for auto parts here at Autopartstomorrow.com. Along that same line of thinking is the process by which we select the parts that we offer for wholesale purchases online.

When a customer is in need of auto parts (GM parts, Ford parts, Mercedes parts, etc.) they would love to be able to log in and immediately find all of the parts they need, at wholesale pricing and delivered next day. That is actually the experience we would like to offer at Autopartstomorrow.com, but it gets a little complicated when you begin to consider the scale of what it would take to stock all of those parts. So what happens most of the time with auto parts stores is they do tons of research on which parts need to be replaced the most, on which vehicles, in what areas... and then put as many of those parts as possible into stock in the areas as close to the customer with that car as possible.

So, as an example, we are much more likely to have brake pads for a 2003 Chevy Malibu than the glove compartment latch for this Lamborghini. Even on that 2003 Chevy Malibu we need to make decisions; we carry 4 different brake manufacturers and most pieces will be available, but we do not carry any of the body pieces or window glass. When you step back and really begin to think of the 10's of thousands of auto parts on every vehicle year, make and model still on the road it would take a parts warehouse the size of Texas.

So, companies specialize to a degree. What we do at Autopartstomorrow.com is focus on late model (1990-2010) service parts (tune-up, brake job, electrical repair, high failure rate wear items, etc.) for the most prevalent cars on the road in the Eastern United States. We stock those parts in warehouses from Southern GA to Northern PA, so that we can get them to you the very next day. Then we make sure our prices are the lowest that can be found so you can repair your vehicle with the very least out of pocket expense possible. We may not have every part for every car, but we will probably have almost everything you need for your car and get it to you fast and cheap every time. It seems to be working as we continue to double in size every few months. We pledge to continue to increase our inventory and keep our price low, so that you will keep coming back and tell ALL of your friends!!

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Great News for the Big 3

It seems that the good news items for the big 3 auto makers in Detroit just continues to roll in. Ford was able to avoid the Federal stimulus money by just squeaking through the worst automotive downturn in decades, and now they are setting new profit records. Dodge repaid over 5 Billion in fed money just yesterday. General Motors emerged from bankruptcy a few months ago and is doing very well. This press release today from GM highlights a major uptick in hiring and production, all in Detroit (and they really need it).

It seems the unexpected windfall being reaped by the Japan Earthquake induced production halt is causing shortages of vehicles of all makes. On my ride into work the expressway passes by several new car dealership lots. One of the fixtures for the last few years was an over the road trailer parked against the back fence facing the road with a painted ad "$10,000 off new F-150 trucks!". This morning there was a banner covering up the "$10,000 off" that now says "We Have / IN STOCK". It is a great thing for the economy and great for us because the more domestic vehicles they are able to sell, the more OE auto parts we will be moving in a few years.

Autopartstomorrow.com

Are You Sure This is the Right One?

Hopefully when all manufacturers adopt the AAIA catalog standards, look-ups like this one will quit happening...

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Cheap Classics?!

I am not sure what the reasoning may be but I seem to be seeing a trend towards affordable "classic" cars now available from locations around the U.S.. It probably is a combination of factors; bad economy, the emergence of resto-mod vehicles and newly available restoration parts from overseas, but I am happy to see it. I fall into the category of aging baby boomers wanting a piece of their history (on the very youngest end that is) and we seem to be driving this market. It may even be just a function of the internet making cars that were once a regional phenomenon, now available for purchase worldwide.

Either way, there are sites like this one in Texas that have regional cars at reasonable costs... and they seem to be pretty good deals. I am certainly no expert on what each vehicle should go for based on pedigree, etc.... I just know that I would probably rather have a classic vehicle that is unique for less than $20K than a run of the mill new sedan for $30K. Maybe we need to consider hanging on to those obsolete auto parts for a while longer. We probably do a pretty good job with the older AC Delco parts but I am not sure on the Ford parts. Just call us and we will check the inventory. That's what our auto parts specialists are here for!

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Pause for Classic Cars

Sometimes it's just good to sit back and look at a beautiful car... Plus I'll throw in a link to a place in Texas that has a few more, for sale!

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