What You Need to Know When Shopping in Banawe

It's a love-hate thing when you shop in Banawe. It's great because car parts and car accessory prices are way cheaper compared to the same ones offered by casa shops. And you can also haggle for a much lower price. What's not so great is that it's a bit scary to go there, especially if it's your first time. There are quite a number of dubious individuals lurking behind this place, and your chances of getting duped by someone becomes greater if you're not paying attention to what's going on around you.

The best defense here is knowledge. Here are some things you need to know when you shop in Banawe:

Dress very simply -- and by that we mean SIMPLY

The more simple it is, the better. Take off your Rolex watch, ditch your Armani shirt and Ferragamo designer shoes. If you don't, then expect the sellers to jack up the prices way higher than they really are.

By the way, this rule also extends to your car. Don't expect to get a fair price for a cheap part if you park your Bentley on the driveway. It's all about making an impression--and making a profit. If you look rich, then they'll charge more because they know you have the money to pay for it.

The best outfit we recommend is a simple pair of shorts, a t-shirt, and a pair of slippers that you normally wear at home. Yes, that's how simple we want it to be. You need to blend in with the crowd, and not attract attention by flaunting your wealth.

Know which parts are safe to buy

The safest parts and accessories to buy here are the standard parts that you can also get on Ebay or other online shops. The critical parts, like brake and rotor parts, inner tie rods, and control arm are best bought from your car dealer or their accredited auto supply shops.

How will you know if a part or accessory is a critical one? Ask yourself if your life depends on it performing well 24/7. If it does, then it's too valuable to be replaced with a cheaper, "imitation" part.

Do your research

Go online and check out the typical price of an original part or accessory before you go to Banawe, or ask a mechanic about the typical service fee for certain car repairs or replacements. That way, you won't get fooled by sellers who like overcharging customers to gain more profit.

Make a list of the items you're going to buy

Making a list of what items to buy will make things much faster, especially during your transactions with store clerks.

Be prepared to buy an item if you took a lot of time asking and haggling for it. We don't recommend that you spend a lot of time inquiring about an item (you already did your research earlier, right?), haggling for the right price, and then finally saying that you need to look around first before you make a decision.

If your goal is to compare prices, then be direct by first saying that you don't intend to buy anything for now. Or better yet, do some window shopping by asking the store clerk about an item's price (and their "last price", if there's any), and then leave immediately. A minute or less is the way to go here. That way, you don't waste their time--and yours in the process.

Be very kind to the store clerks

This is a given already, but we have another reason why you should treat these sellers with respect: They can recommend another shop in case they don't carry the particular auto part or accessory you're looking for. What's more, they can ask the store to hand-deliver the item straight to where you are.

Actually, many of these shops are family-owned, and each shop is just part of a larger network of their business. So don't be surprised if one store in a given location sells automotive parts, while another store with a similar name and a different location sells car accessories or repair services as well.

Bring a sample with you when you go there

Do your best to bring your broken or damaged car part with you when you go there. This makes things easier for the seller to look for the specific item you need. Otherwise, you may have to wait a long time while they check service manuals and other reference materials to match the item that you're looking for. Besides, not all of them have these resource materials, so you'll end up wasting a lot of time just waiting for a shop to look for your car part or accessory from scratch.

A Word of Caution

Like Divisoria, Banawe is also a haven for shady people and petty thieves who like to prey on unsuspecting car buyers. However, don't let this discourage you from going there, since you can also find a lot of reputable and trustworthy shops if you know where to look. You just need to be vigilant and cautious when you're there at all times.

You can divide Banawe into two sides: the one on the E. Rodriguez side has busier shops placed near each other. The other side going to Del Monte has more shops that aren't spaced too close together, and often has better terms of services compared to the other one. Whichever the case, both sides have unscrupulous sellers that may sell you "questionable" merchandise from time to time. So always keep your eyes and ears open--whichever side you're on.

Be especially careful of "fixers" who seem to be helpful, but are really out there to get as much money from you as they can. Many of them will swarm all over you, and they'll point out at something in your car that needs "fixing," when in reality, nothing's really wrong with your vehicle. They're just trying to see if you'll bite the bait and shell out some money for a quick, "non-existent repair."

This is their number one modus operandi--so beware. If they do this and give you parts that are from unknown origins, then suspect the worst and get out of there fast. These parts might be stolen; otherwise, the fixers get a certain percentage from the shop they buy them from, which is around 10% of the entire cost of the car  part or accessory. Be especially cautious when you're in Cardiz Street, Dona Josefa, since many of these cases seem to stem somewhere within this location.

Where to Shop in Banawe

There are more than 100 shops scattered around the place, so it can be pretty intimidating to go to when it's your first time (or even your second). It's best to do your research and list down some of the shops you intend to visit before you go there. You can also feel more confident by going to the well-known shops first, such as:

ChristOne Auto Parts Trading

Trading Company

Address: 239, Banawe Avenue, Quezon City, 1113 Metro Manila

Phone: (02) 241 5254

Team Car Banawe

Auto Parts Store

Address: 30 Banawe St, Quezon City, 1114 Metro Manila

Phone:(02) 413 5996

Autobacs

Auto Parts Store

Address: 30 G H I Banawe St, Sto Domingo, Quezon City, 1109 Metro Manila

Phone:(02) 741 1947

Ginza

Auto Parts Store

Address: 30 Banawe St, Sto. Domingo, Quezon City, 1109 Metro Manila

Phone:(02) 741 1748

Auto Circuit

Auto Parts Store

Address: 42-G Banawe St, Sto Domingo, Quezon City, 1109 Metro Manila

Phone:(02) 415 8997

C3 Audio

Car audio equipment

Address: Banawe Avenue, corner Dapitan Street, Quezon City, 1100 Metro Manila

Phone:(02) 710 6994

C-3 Audio and Accessories

Trading Company

Address: 37-I, Banawe Street, Quezon City, 1100 Metro Manila

Phone:(02) 410 4379

Intense Car Accessories

Car Accessories

Address: 76, Banawe Avenue, Quezon City, Metro Manila

Phone:(02) 712 0904

Toto Auto Electrical Specialist

Electrical Supply Store

Address: 48-A Agno Street, Quezon City, 1100 Metro Manila

Phone:(02) 732 3145

Wilson & Jackson Automotive Repair Shop

Car Service

Address: 96 D. Tuazon, Santa Mesa Heights, Quezon City, 1114 Metro Manila

Phone:(02) 354 8899

Youngbros. Parts Centre, Inc.

Auto Parts Store

Address: 37 F Banawe St, Brgy.Lourdes, Quezon City, 1113 Metro Manila

Phone:(02) 732 4657

Yen Commercial

Automotive Parts

Address: 35 Banawe Street Corner Malaya Street, Quezon City

Phone:(02) 712 0286

HBK Motor Parts

Automotive parts

Address: E Corner Macopa Brgy. St., Banawe St, Santa Mesa Heights, Quezon City, 1114 Metro Manila

Phone:(02) 712 9963

Ultra Auto Parts

Car Repair and Maintenance

Address: 85-C Banawe Street, Quezon City, 1100 Metro Manila

Phone:(02) 711 2791

Fordland Spare Parts Corporation

Automotive parts

Address: 45 Banawe Street Corner Kitanlad Street, Quezon City, Metro Manila 1100

Phone: (02)4487740

Autospecs Motor Sales

Motorcycle Parts Store

Address: 37 H Banawe St, Santa Mesa Heights, Quezon City, 1114 Metro Manila

Phone:(02) 732 3835

Bless Car Accessories

Car Repair and Maintenance

Address: 35 I, Banawe Avenue, St. Peter, Quezon City, 1114 Metro Manila

Phone:(02) 732 8552

Jemson’s Auto Electrical and Jorge’s Radiator Shop

Car Audio & Video. Car Alarm. Power Lock. Power Window. Mechanism. Tint. HID. Carbon Sticker

809 Banawe St., Quezon City, Philippines

Phone: (02)4678131 / 09322222692 / 09395521116

Shopping in Banawe can be a rewarding experience if you prepare beforehand and practice caution at all times. This place is really a haven for all car lovers and enthusiasts, so going there is worth your time and effort in the end.--------

Updated by Wilbert Tan on July 30, 2020

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