Finding parts by registration number - or not

  • eurogricer's Avatar
    A general question, so if it's OT for this forum I apologise. Mods - please refer me to the right place!

    I have an 04 plate Fiesta and if I enter the registration number in any of those 'find a part' sites it comers back saying it can't find the vehicle. Not all of them have the 'look it up by make and model' facility so I'm not able to find parts there. The DVLA database has the car with all details correct, so it does offiicially exist and can be checked for tax, MoT, insurance etc. There is, presumably, a database which is available to traders but not individuals which is accessed by the parts sites. So the big question - how do you get your car put on that database?

    Any advice would be gratefully received - the older the car (and I) get, the more difficult this becomes.

    Dave
  • 5 Replies

  • Santa's Avatar
    You need to go 'old school' and note the exact model Fiesta, the engine details and the date of manufacture. That should help you find the parts you need. Bear in mind though that if you are replacing worn out parts, they are also likely to be worn out on the scrapped car.

    When I was in my twenties and messing about with cars, there was a warehouse on the Wembley Stadium site called Midnight Motors. They stayed open all night and had used car parts laid out on trestle tables so you could walk around and find what you needed. In the days before forums (or indeed the internet) this was where one went to find stuff out; there were always people there you could ask - "Will this starter motor fit a '55 Morris van?" or "does anyone know where I can get my Mini sub-frame welded up?" They also had a stock of useful stuff like oil, gaskets, locktite and tools (new and secondhand)
  • eurogricer's Avatar
    Thanks, Santa. What I suppose I was really asking was who maintains that database that the likes of Europarts, Kwik-fit, Blackcircles etc. all use; the one that says that AB04ABC (number changed to protect the innocent!) is a 2004 green Fiesta Ghia with a 1398cc petrol engine, so that I don't have to type it all in. Most sites seem to use that now so it's only occasionally that I can use the car spec rather than the reg number. You'd think the DVLA would be the holder of such gen, but whilst they know about my car (you bet - couldn't tax me otherwise!) they don't give enough detail on the public interface through gov.uk. I really need to be able to say 'please can you put my car on your database' but to do that I need to know who to ask and how to contact them. In fairness, the car's so old it'll probably be scrapped soon so it won't matter any more, but it would be interesting (and useful) to know how it's done.
  • wagolynn's Avatar
    Guest
    The car spares people pay the DVLA for access to their database.
  • eurogricer's Avatar
    Thanks wagolynn, that's the answer I needed (and should have asked more clearly for!). Looks like my next stage should be to ask the DVLA why this has happened. I can imagine how much interest I'll (not) get...
  • OldTownRoad's Avatar
    Hi, everyone!
    I don't know whether I chose the right topic or should I create a new one, but I need your advice. Recently I faced the problem of a clogged catalyst, then I changed it to a new one. But I heard that you can make a good money by selling catalytic converters. So I decided to sell old catalyst from my Nissan, but I don't know where I can do it. If I understand correctly, repair workshops do not deal with it. The Internet proposes me catalyst catalog https://autocatalystmarket.com/gb/en . Has anyone used it before? Or should I take a look at other sources?
    I'll be really grateful for any help.