Hey! What's With The Dog?

Lots of our customers have asked.   Especially since we've been including "Gus" in our email promotions.   

Chuck and Eddie's logo has the image of a bulldog peering out from a tire with, of all things, a car in his mouth.   I guess we get an A+ for thinking outside the box on that one!   If you're on our email list (if you're not, you're missing out on some great deals), you'll recall that we've been including photos of a real bulldog.  That's Gus.  He's a regular here at Chuck and Eddie's.  He's actually the Boss's pet so he gets quite a bit of attention around here.

Gus really likes to come to work.  He supervises the shipping department, keeps a watchful eye over the parts counter and keeps us office staff on our toes.  And of course, lunch time is nap time for Gus.   All hard workin' dogs need their rest.  

You'll be seeing a lot more of Gus.  We've decided that he should appear in all of our promos and he'll be a celebrity guest at our up-coming Anniversary Celebration in September.   We hope you'll be able to visit us then.  Meet Gus, have some food, and get some free stuff.   Details of this event can be found by clicking the banner on our homepage.

Oh...before you go, CLICK HERE to get on our email list. You don't want to miss any more of our great deals!

Perfect Parts? Not Always

Purchasing used auto parts makes sense now more than ever.   Not only do you save a trunk-load of money due to the low cost of used parts verses new, but you also help the environment by recycling a part that might otherwise end up in a place it doesn't belong.  

Most of the time, used parts work just fine, but every once in a while a customer will complain of receiving a part that just plain doesn't work. 

Sadly, it's virtually impossible to test every single part we sell but we do inspect each part for wear and look for signs that the part might not be in operating condition.   Most of the time we're able to weed out parts that might not be reliable, but every so often one will get past us and end up with a customer.

We understand that even though we take the defective part back and issue a full refund that it's still very inconvenient for our customers.   The parts team at Chuck and Eddies Used Auto Parts makes every effort to deliver a part that not only is in working order but one that will last for a long, long time.

To the few of you who may have received a less-than-perfect part, we sincerely apologize.  We also encourange you to continue to purchase from us.   Be it people or parts....nothing's perfect!

Smashed and Mangled but WHY?

Every once in a while a customer will ask us why we use photos of smashed cars in our product listings. Believe me, we would much prefer to use photos of each individual part that we offer,but in an effort to keep our parts pricing low, we felt it would be in the best interest of our customers to keep our product listing costs as low as possible.

We realize that a listing for a starter motor should show a photo of a starter motor. This would require that we remove the part from the car, transport it to a spot where it could be photographed. Then the photo would need to be downloaded from the camera, then tweeked and resized for display on the product listing. Multiply this process by hundreds of thousands of auto parts and we're looking at a major expense that would ultimately have to be passed on to you, our customer.

To compensate for the fact that you can't always view a photo of the EXACT item you're buying, we offer a SIX MONTH guarantee.  If you receive the item and find that it's not right for your application...send it back for a full refund.  To further that, if the part IS correct for your application, but it fails within the six month guarantee period, you're still 100% protected.  

We try to describe our parts in our product listings well enough so that you'll know which item to order, but if after shopping our onlines stores, you still have questions, simply send us an email or use our live online chat.  One of our professional  parts specialists will be happy to assist you.

Chuck and Eddie's wants to be your ONLY source for used and new auto parts.  ALL of our decisions are made with YOU in mind.

FEATURED LISTINGS

Excellent values on excellent parts...

A HOT Car Isn't Always a Good Thing

It's one thing to have someone compliment you on your "hot" car, but it's a very different thing if your car is hot due to overheating.

This time of year, it's important to take extra precautions to prevent heat related automotive issues. Consider this...On a 90 degree day, the heat radiating from the road can be as much as 150 degrees. If you don't have the correct coolant mixture, your radiator could suffer. Also consider your fuel. In most parts of the country, Ethanol is mixed with gasoline. Ethanol is alcohol and has a much lower boiling temperature than gas. When temps reach to the upper ends of the spectrum, Ethanol can begin to boil casuing a problem similar to vapor lock. Fuel pumps can fail when this happens.

If possible try to avoid long trips when the tempeture climbs into the 90's and higher. If you must drive, try to stear clear of rush hour traffic. sitting idle with the engine running takes its toll on an engine that isn't in tip-top shape.

Keep a close watch on your gauges. If you see that your car is beginning to overheat, pull to the side of the road immediately, shut down the air conditioning and turn the car's heat all the way up. This will quickly remove much of the heat from the cooling system which in turn could prevent you from having to call for a tow.

One more tip...if your car DOES overheat, DO NOT attempt to remove the radiator cap. This will cause extremely hot water to be released under pressure. The end result could be disastrous.

Replacing Interior Car Parts - The Color Challenge

It's fairly easy to find used auto interior parts at auto recycling yards like Chuck and Eddies, but it's not always so easy to find the color that will match your car's interior. 

Not to worry!  With today's advances in paints and polycoats, there's a good selection of quality Leather and Vinyl paints manufactured exclusively for car interiors.

So let's say you're trying to replace your worn black center console in

your vehicle.  You've found plenty of used consoles that will fit, but of course, nothing in black.   Just buy the console that appears to be in the best shape regardless of color.  Then stop by your local auto supply store and pick up a couple of cans of Leather or Vinyl Aerosol paints (depending upon your application). 

The next step would be to remove the old console and set the newer one in the space provided just to make sure you purchased the right one.  Now that you know you have the right part,  scrub it well with warm, soapy water.  Rinse it and let dry. 

Now you're ready to paint.  For best results.  Warm the console a bit with a hair dryer.  Don't make it hot, but warm it up to a little above room temperature.  Then warm the paint can to around the same temperature.  This will insure that the paint will be adequately atomized to produce a fine mist.  The end result will be a professional looking finish. 

Use light, overlapping strokes while painting and allow at least 5 minutes between coats.   You decide how many coats the piece will need. 

It goes without saying that you need to work in a well-ventilated area and use eye protection and gloves.

After about four hours, the piece should be dry enough for you to install it in the car.   Just take your time so as not to scratch that work of art you spent so much time on. 

Don't Be Dirty!

Dirty engines can cause trouble down the road.  The greasy grime that tends to coat some engine parts increases the change that at some point the car will overheat.  Dirty engines also fall out faster.  Overheating causes the oil to reach higher temperatures which decrease its effectiveness as a lubricant. 

Dirt and grime around electronic components tend to hold in moisture which can eventually cause the components to fail. 

Dirty engines are also a safety risk.  A car can overheat and catch fire in some cases.    

So how do you clean a dirty engine?   Our advise would be to take it to a professional.  Cleaning an engine yourself could cause damage to the vehicle or to yourself.   

Several degreasers are petro based and can catch fire if the car's engine isn't completely cool.  You could cause damage to the electrical system if cleaner or even water were to get on the parts.   Steam cleaning which is a common degreasing method may also damage engine parts if not performed by a professional.

A professional clean can cost around $50 to $80 .  It's well worth the price considering the mess and possible dangers you face by attempting the job yourself.