Mercury is a division of Ford. It has gone through changes over the years, and its parent company has not always given it the best treatment. But it has been involved in some interesting marketing attempts, and has been the home of several entertaining cars. Ford has treated it as a mere adjunct to the high-profit Lincoln models, but even that has changed over the years.

Mercury was a brand of its own in the fifties. Although they used Ford engines, the cars were different in appearance, and they were aimed at a separate market. Ford’s failed attempt to expand their market share with the Edsel scared management to the extent that they reduced the Mercury division to the sale of rebadged Fords. Mercury dealerships have sometimes been given imported Fords to sell, usually European models. Ford felt that the Mercury franchise was too small to suffer from the failure of these attempts, and they may have been correct. Some cars on this list are the Pantera, German Capri, Merkur, and Australian Capri. These cars were considered odd by Americans, and none of them sold well.

Repairing a Mercury is exactly like repairing a Ford. While some of the trim and sheet metal is different from the equivalent Ford model, Ford dealers are happy to sell them. Parts are, therefore, easy to obtain. With the exception of Mercury-specific parts, and those of the foreign-made cars, parts are also widely and cheaply available at aftermarket parts stores and salvage yards. VIN numbers are important when parts are needed for the newest cars, but that’s always the case.

Interestingly enough, there is a sales trend applying to the Mercury products of the last half-dozen years that even Ford did not anticipate. Market research shows that Mercury cars and SUVs appeal more strongly to women than their Ford counterparts. Ford has begun to exploit this more openly, and has given Mercury some of the most stylish interiors in the business. This has not affected the parts business much, as women seldom do their own repairs.

Lincoln is the luxury division of Ford. It is traditionally teamed with Mercury in one dealership. Although Lincolns share basic structures and power plants with Ford, they are not always interchangeable. Buying parts for a Lincoln requires a little planning.

Engines in older Lincolns are generally identical to those found in their Ford counterparts. Since the advent of emissions regulations it has been too expensive for Ford to build special versions of any power plant just for Lincoln. Some of the latest models do allow Lincoln a few unique features, resulting in a bit more power, but they are still Ford engines. Transmissions are always shared, as most buyers do not care so long as the car goes when you tell it to.

Sheet metal and trim are completely different on Lincolns, but a number of components are shared beneath the surface. Crash parts for Lincolns are as easily obtained as those for Ford, and Ford dealers will not have any problem furnishing replacements when the Lincoln dealer is not convenient. Most electrical parts are shared between the brands, but Lincoln items are frequently furnished with different finishes or decoration. Depending on the item, one shouldn’t be afraid to give the Ford item a try when the price differential is great.

Undercar components unique to Lincoln are very few. Their exhaust systems frequently will incorporate additional resonators and other features designed to keep the noise level down. Isolators and bushings will sometimes be specified from softer materials for the same purpose. Brakes use materials selected for noise reduction, but very few mechanics will source brake parts at the dealer because of the large price difference. Usually the Lincoln dealer will be the only source for noise abating parts.

Used parts for the Lincoln are readily available, and are preferable to new parts in many instances. Body repair with good used sheet metal is always much cheaper and frequently gives a superior result. Salvage yard operators will know which items from Ford cars can be substituted successfully for Lincoln parts, so don’t hesitate to ask for them.

Land Rover has long set the standard among off road and utility vehicles worldwide. Since 1944, its name has continued to represent durability and reliability. The latest 2010 Land Rover LR2 and LR2 HSE Sport Utility features new trims, color options, and customization options like never before. While shopping for new vehicles, consumers will be pleasantly surpised by these options, which have yet to be disclosed to the general public.

The British-made Land Rover is legendary in its own right. Since 1944, its name has been synonymous with all-terrain maneuverability. As the vehicle of choice for British military squadrons, it must meet specific, stringent guidelines. These guidelines are not easily matched by other competitor makes or models. Likewise, Land Rover auto parts are few and far between, primarily because replacement parts are in less demand. Used or recycled parts are equally hard to find, since the vehicle is less likely to find itself in a used car or salvaged car lot.

Theall-new 2010 Land Rover is highly advanced in terms of all-weather and all-terrain driving capabilities. Modern technological features allows the vehicle to immediately adapt to various and ever-changing road conditions. From climbing mountains to racing along flat, continuous plains, from crossing frozen rivers to blazing through a scorching desert, the Land Rover is designed to conquer them all.

Replacement LandRover auto parts typically require factory direct orders. Few used or recycled parts are available on the market today. Consumers may also find replacement parts at LandRover dealerships or certified Land Rover repair shops.

While the Land Rover in and of itself is a mechanical masterpiece, some consumers prefer to customize their driving experience. Some of the most common after-market Land Rover auto parts include rims, seats, accessories, stereo systems, GPS navigation systems, and storage compartments. While some of these parts can be interchanged easily, others require simple tools and a bit of elbow grease.

This month, in a sign of the continued success of the Hyundai and Kia brands, South Korean auto parts maker Mando Corporation has announced that it will be going public in the second quarter of 2010. As a major supplier to Hyundai Motor Company (manufacturer of both the Kia and Hyundai brands), Mando’s increasing profitability and need for expansion is an indicator that the Hyundai brands are in very good health. Mando’s initial public offering is being managed by JP Morgan and Woori Investment Securities Co.

In related news, Kia Motors of America is releasing the 2011 Sorento, the first Kia to be manufactured in the USA. These vehicles are being produced at the Kia plant in West Point, Georgia. This model is assembled with Mando parts from North Korean as well as with American manufactured parts. Not surprisingly, Mando Corporation also has manufacturing facilities in the United States and supplies parts to the American Kia and Hyundai plants. With the expansion of Mando expected to increase the company’s global presence, expect to find that the demand for Mando’s OEM parts by Hyundai and Kia will continue to grow.

Don’t look for Kia auto parts made by Mando to shop up in the replacement parts market any time soon. While you are likely to find some of the company’s parts at service centers associate with Kia dealerships, the big box automotive parts stores carry replacement parts from a variety of manufacturers who cater specifically to the replacement parts market. In fact, you shouldn’t be surprised if the Kia auto parts you buy outside the dealership will likely to have been manufactured in China. So while we are encouraged by the growth at Mando (and thereby Kia) in the OEM automotive part industry, we still should look for a quality alternative manufacturer of Kia replacement parts that can be sourced outside of dealer channels at lower cost.

Anyone handling the repairs of their Jeep by themselves has many options when it comes to shopping for the right parts. Jeeps are famous for their rugged nature, but there are many that succumb to accidents or mechanical failures and end up in salvage yards. Those looking for the cheapest used Jeep auto parts may want to start their search there. Those looking for new Jeep parts have only a few choices: shop at local supply outlets or via the Internet.
The Internet is arguably the best choice for buying most new Jeep parts, both genuine and third party. Online vendors have limited financial commitments to costly storefronts and many economists have pondered just how long it will take e-tail to kill many sectors of retail. While it is unlikely that auto parts will ever be a 100% online shopping market, it seems that a paradigm shift is certainly underway and it will forever change the way people shop for auto parts. The Jeep brand vehicles are certainly no exception to this, and that should come as no big surprise as Jeep owners tend not only to be interested in the great outdoors, but also well-informed. After all, they did buy a Jeep.
Buying Jeep parts online is a very easy experience that makes shopping at the local auto-parts store seem complex by comparison. Simply visit the site, enter the model, year, and trim (if applicable) and an entire inventory of available part categories is shown to enable easier searching. This can be narrowed by menus showing the most popular Jeep parts for the most popular Jeep models based off of painstakingly gathered statistics. The result is that parts can be located quickly and efficiently with no technical expertise or computer knowledge required.
With the proper part or parts selected, all one has to do is enter contact data and the site will search the inventory of various providers and warehouses automatically to come up with all the best options. Only the best prices are shown, completely removing the need to comparison shop. Until someone thinks of a way to have psychics order parts before an accident, shopping online for quality Jeep parts is probably as good as it gets.