Should you buy a radiator online?

The risks of purchasing a radiator online

These days, online ordering is often the one-stop-shop for a lot of people — understandably so. You can save a fair bit of cash and conduct your own product research, all without leaving the house.

You get a (usually) speedy arrival, package tracking and save the trouble of travel cost. Not to mention avoiding chatting to salespeople who are probably trying to sell you something you don’t want.

The option is pretty compelling, and the platform has definitely become more reliable over time, but there are still risks associated with it. Find out more about these risks below.

Natrad is Australia’s most trusted name in vehicle heating and air conditioning. Contact us to find out more about our range of radiators.

The potential risks of buying a radiator online

For radiators, inexpensive purchases may save you in the short term, but you could be compromising on durability and quality. This means you might end up with a whole different bucket of problems…

With the complexity of automotive parts and anonymous nature of shopping online, it’s important to be as informed as possible — otherwise, it’s pretty easy to find yourself with a radiator which doesn’t work for your car.

So if you’re considering this path with your car, there are a few things you should keep in mind to arm yourself.

Verifying parts becomes really difficult

The trouble with online purchasing is the inability to properly inspect and verify the product. The most you’ll get are images and videos, and, until it arrives on your doorstep, you won’t know a thing about its condition.

A radiator is one of the most important parts of your car. If you purchase the wrong radiator, or an inadequate one, your car could be irreversibly damaged. So, how to prevent this from happening?

• Inform yourself as much as possible prior to making a purchase
• Look up the person or company selling you the product and make sure they are legitimate
• Contact them to ask them questions about their product (this also gives you a good idea of how often they respond, and how quickly)

If you’re looking to replace a radiator with an exact replica, get the details and verify its specifications. Get in touch with a dealer and confirm the part number specific to your vehicle.

Expert advice is hard to come by

The buying platform limits the amount of communication you have with the seller, and, depending on the site, customer support may not be very helpful or easy to access.

Without professional guidance, you could struggle to find reliable resources and potentially end up with even more costly repairs down the track. If you’re getting a radiator online, it’s a good idea to get it installed by an expert to at least avoid some of the risks.

Natrad has radiator shops across the country. These cooling experts can install your radiator as well as inspect and conduct full cooling system checks to keep things running smoothly.

It’s hard to enforce warranty online

Each website will have individual warranty specifications and, unlike trusted specialists like Natrad, their guarantee may not be sturdy.

Some sites are probably pretty good, but others may be very tricky to enforce. The limitations of liability explanations are often vague and can leave you in hot water if things go wrong.

Without professional installation and solid guarantees on the product’s expected life span, you’ll struggle to find assistance and a cost effective solution. The cost of repairs could end up heftier than the savings you made from the original purchase.

Natrad’s radiators give the peace of mind with a 3 year nationwide warranty, and if installed with the qualified technicians, will guarantee this warranty holds. If things go south, Natrad can assist you with any problems that may crop up.

Should you buy online?

If you’re ready to make the purchase, the above considerations will help you navigate the online sphere in a more successful way.

You can get fast delivery, so you can get your car back into working order pronto. Just remember there are risks associated.

If you want to ensure your replacement is a safe choice, Nip into Natrad for professional advice and installation.