Disclaimer

Reference pricing only

Every figure on PartPriceGuide.com is a statistical summary of asking prices observed in used-parts marketplaces at the time of collection. They are not appraisals, offers, quotes, or guarantees that any part can be bought or sold at any listed price. Actual transaction prices depend on negotiation, condition, mileage, fitment, and local supply.

The distinction that matters most: we index what sellers ask, not what buyers pay. Used auto parts are routinely negotiated, bundled, or discounted for local pickup, so the price a part finally changes hands for is often below the advertised figure. Use our medians to judge whether a quote is in the normal range, not as evidence of what any specific part is worth.

Asking prices are not settled prices

A listing that sits unsold for months still counts as an asking price while it is visible. That means a category with slow turnover can read higher than the market genuinely supports, and a category that clears quickly can read lower than what you will actually be quoted, because the cheap listings disappear fastest.

This is inherent to any index built from open listings, including ours. It is why we publish a low, median, and high figure rather than a single number: the spread tells you more about a used part market than any single value can.

Prices exclude extras

All figures exclude shipping, core charges, taxes, and installation labor. A part's delivered and installed cost can be substantially higher than its listed asking price.

The gap is largest on heavy and bulky items. Freight on a used engine or transmission can add hundreds of dollars, core charges are often refundable only if you return the old unit in acceptable condition, and installation labor on a drivetrain component frequently exceeds the price of the part itself. Compare a salvage yard quote against our figures on the part price alone, then add the extras separately.

Condition grades are seller-reported

Grades (A, B, C) reflect how sellers described their parts. We do not physically inspect parts, and grading standards vary between sellers. Treat grade-level medians as directional, not definitive.

Part condition grades are not a regulated standard. One recycler's grade A is another's grade B, mileage bands are applied inconsistently, and a self-service pick-and-pull yard may not grade its stock at all. Where a listing gives no usable grade, it contributes to the overall figures but not to any grade-level breakdown.

Regional and source variation

Used parts pricing is a local market. Supply depends on which vehicles were sold and scrapped in a given area, so the same component can differ substantially between regions, and rural markets with fewer auto recyclers within driving distance often price higher than dense metropolitan ones.

Sales channel matters too. Full-service salvage yards, national recycler networks, online marketplaces, and pick-and-pull lots occupy different price tiers for identical parts, with self-service junkyard prices typically at the bottom and warranted, tested, delivered parts at the top. Our figures blend the sources we observe and will not match any single channel exactly.

Coverage is uneven

Some parts and vehicles are covered by hundreds of listings; others by a handful. Thin samples produce noisier medians and wider spreads, and rare, late-model, or low-volume vehicles are the most affected. Where a sample is too small to summarize responsibly, we would rather show nothing than publish a figure we do not trust.

Data freshness

Listings are collected on a rolling basis and each guide shows when its data was last refreshed. Between refreshes, market prices may move, particularly for fast-moving categories like engines and transmissions.

Always check the refresh date shown on the guide you are reading before acting on it, and treat older figures as a rough baseline rather than a current market rate.

Not professional advice

Nothing on this site constitutes financial, legal, insurance, or mechanical advice. For decisions with significant consequences (insurance claims, commercial purchasing, legal disputes), consult a qualified professional.

In particular, our figures should not be used on their own to settle a total-loss valuation, support a diminished-value claim, price an insurance settlement, or decide whether a repair is economical. Those judgments need a qualified appraiser or technician who has seen the actual vehicle and the actual part.

Fitment is your responsibility

Confirm fitment with the seller before buying any second-hand car part. Interchange across model years and trims is complicated by mid-cycle revisions, regional variants, and engine or transmission codes that are not obvious from the year and model alone. Verify the part number or VIN-based fitment, and confirm the seller's return policy, before you pay.

No affiliation

Vehicle make and model names are used for identification only. PartPriceGuide.com is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any vehicle manufacturer, marketplace, or salvage network.

We do not sell parts, take referral commissions on parts sales, or accept payment to change a published figure. Our independence from the sellers whose listings we observe is the reason the index is worth reading.

External links

Links to third-party sites are provided for convenience. We are not responsible for their content, accuracy, or business practices.