Advertisement
Please note that it is not permitted to have referral links posted in your signature. Keep these links contained in the appropriate forum. Thank you.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2055940817/signature-rules
Help Keep Boards Alive. Support us by going ad free today. See here: https://subscriptions.boards.ie/.
https://www.boards.ie/group/1878-subscribers-forum

Private Group for paid up members of Boards.ie. Join the club.
Hi all, please see this major site announcement: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058427594/boards-ie-2026

How do you know for sure if car parts fit your motor online?

  • 09-06-2026 01:20PM
    #1
    Fancy_ward
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18 ✭


    Im looking to sort out some new brake discs and pads for my Ford Focus but im a bit worried about getting the wrong ones. Ive seen some decent Ridex parts online but I dont want the headache of returning them if they are wrong mate.
    Do you lot just trust the registration checker or is there a better way to do a proper compatibility check before buying? Im thinking of finding the OEM numbers directly on the old parts first just to be safe :-) Any advice for a bloke trying to save a few quid on DIY repairs would be smashing!

    Tagged:


Comments

  • #2
    mk7r
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,162 ✭✭✭mk7r


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058439587/how-do-you-know-for-sure-if-car-parts-fit-your-motor-online

    You don't know for sure, and please don't buy that ridex rubbish, get a decent brand like Bosch, textar, brembo, delphi, TRW etc



  • #3
    Buffman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,513 ✭✭✭Buffman


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058439587/how-do-you-know-for-sure-if-car-parts-fit-your-motor-online

    Apart from getting out your Vernier calipers and measuring everything, which isn't too practical when the parts are still on/in the car, OEM numbers are the only way be sure.

    The below is a general 'signature' and not part of any post:

    FYI, if you move to a 'smart' meter electricity plan, you CAN'T move back to a non-smart plan.

    You don't have to take a 'smart' meter if you don't want one, opt-out is available.

    Buy drinks in 3L or bigger plastic bottles or glass bottles or cartons to avoid the DRS fee.

    Public transport user? If you're sick of phantom ghost services on the 'official' RTI sources, check bustimes.org for actual 'real' RTI, if it's on their map it actually exists.



  • #4
    Seth Brundle
    Moderators, Politics Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 46,218 Mod ✭✭✭✭Seth Brundle


    Are you going with Ridex parts because they seem cheap? Don't skimp on brakes FFS! Anyhow google's AI says this...

    1000059497.jpg

    Help Keep Boards Alive. Support us by going ad free today. See here: https://subscriptions.boards.ie/ .



  • #5
    GavPJ
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,636 ✭✭✭GavPJ


    Just go to your local motor factors. There will be very little difference

    in price and if they are wrong you can bring them back and deal with someone

    face to face rather than a bott or sending emails back and forth trying to return

    them.

    Shop local, you will miss your local motor factors when they are gone.



  • #6
    Del2005
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,162 ✭✭✭✭Del2005


    Any of the sites that you put your reg in and it gives you the parts never worked for me. They where telling me that I needed H7s when my car had factory HIDs, if they can't get that right then no way would I trust them with safety critical stuff.



  • Advertisement
  • #7
    Fancy_ward
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18 ✭Fancy_ward


    I get where you're coming from. I've had a couple of cases where the registration lookup wasn't 100% accurate either. In my experience it's fine as a starting point, but I always double-check the part numbers and vehicle specifications before ordering anything. For anything safety-related like brakes or suspension parts, I always verify the details against the VIN or the original part number before buying.



  • #8
    bounccat
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7 ✭bounccat


    As said above, go to your local motor factory, most likely they will know what you need, and if it's not right they will change it if wrong



  • #9
    greasepalm
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,322 ✭✭✭greasepalm


    another thing to note is the type of braking system on your car as might be bosch or girling and they ask you what system is on your car.



  • #10
    PukkaStukka
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,420 ✭✭✭PukkaStukka


    Safest thing you can do online is try match parts based on the car manufacturers part number for same. The likes of Autodoc and Mister-Auto are usually good at matching parts that way, and offer free return of parts for an extra few quid. Also echo from personal experience what woeful junk Ridex is. Avoid.



  • #11
    zg3409
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 7,660 ✭✭✭zg3409


    Ask at main dealer what part number you need for your specific car. Then look up compatibility tables for the bigger brands and then buy local. Ring around motor factors if you are price sensitive.



  • Advertisement
  • #12
    fatbhoy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,292 ✭✭✭fatbhoy


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124544076#Comment_124544076

    I'm pretty sure autodoc accept refunds/returns but it's up to you to ship the parts back to them, which costs a fortune.



  • #13
    fatbhoy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,292 ✭✭✭fatbhoy


    What I normally do is get the OEM number of the part by phoning the dealer (VW Liffey Valley, parts dept.), to whom you give the vehicle registration number. They then give the OEM number of the part, and you can also ask them how much their version of the part is so that you can compare. Then I go to Autodoc and look at various manufacturers' versions of the parts that have that OEM number (as someone else said, Autodoc are good for having lists of OEM numbers on each part's webpage), and then I just choose what I think is a good quality version.

    Only once did I get the wrong part, Brembo brake disks for a Peugeot 607, but that was my own fault because I made a mistake with the OEM number (I realised later: if I was on the ball at the time I was choosing it I would have realised what I had chosen wasn't the same OEM number as the OEM number I had been given by the dealer).



  • #14
    GavPJ
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,636 ✭✭✭GavPJ


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124544644#Comment_124544644

    When I worked in main dealers I used to hate people ringing up to ask questions like that.

    You might as well ring up and ask them straight out do they know where they could get the part/parts cheaper

    and be done with it.



  • #15
    User1998
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,269 ✭✭✭✭User1998


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124545022#Comment_124545022

    Not that expensive. Its around €20 with DPD. Bulky items are probably more tho.



  • #16
    Miley Byrne
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,568 ✭✭✭Miley Byrne


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124545046#Comment_124545046

    Just refuse to give the OEM part number?



  • #17
    User1998
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,269 ✭✭✭✭User1998


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124545046#Comment_124545046

    I'm always buying second hand and spurious parts and never have the balls to ring and ask😂 Its so cheeky



  • #18
    GavPJ
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,636 ✭✭✭GavPJ


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124545764#Comment_124545764

    I'd always ask them why they wanted it. They would always be just time wasters

    while you had a line of paying customers at a counter and phones ringing around you.

    I don't miss that crap.



  • #19
    GavPJ
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,636 ✭✭✭GavPJ


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124545799#Comment_124545799

    It's pure brazen!!!! Friend of mine works for the Gowan Group so I tend to only buy and sell

    cars that they import. I can order anything from her and get it at staff prices. Cheaper than the

    dealer can buy. I'm blessed and hope she never leaves! I drop crates of beer and wine to her

    door every few months.



  • #20
    PukkaStukka
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,420 ✭✭✭PukkaStukka


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124545022#Comment_124545022

    They do, and as I said because I've done it before, I used their discounted returns service to get either faulty or mismatched parts returned. The "extra" few quid I mentioned to return parts free is paid when you place the order, not afterwards



  • #21
    Kevindiyer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11 ✭Kevindiyer


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124538900#Comment_124538900

    My local motor factors are daylight robbery for private motorists compared to online motor factors . But I agree if not sure if parts going to fit better off with motor factors



  • Advertisement
  • #22
    User1998
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,269 ✭✭✭✭User1998


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124547521#Comment_124547521

    Even as a trade buyer you can often get the parts online for half the price



  • #23
    delboythedubd2nd
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5 ✭delboythedubd2nd


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124544076#Comment_124544076

    I use Local Autocare several times and never had an issue. I did order a light lens from an certain online retailer and it took 2 weeks to get here to me.



Advertisement
Advertisement