Carparts shop how organize groups, attributes and features...?

[goabroad]

Hi
I haven't got much experience in e-commerce. I am creating carparts shop for my friend and I found some difficulty in creating groups and attributes. I am not sure what would be the best to create them.

I have got following cattegories and subcategories:
BRAKES
- rear brakes
- front brakes
ENGINES
OILS
- syntetic
- mineral
ELECTRIC PARTS
-cables
ACCESSORIES
and more....


I will be selling parts for
- different brands - eg. FORD, AUDI, MERCEDES, CITROEN, PEUGEOT (about 30),
- different models -eg. focus, escort, audi 100, audi a4, citren saxo, peugeot 106,
- different production years - eg. 1998 -2000, 1997 -1998, etc.
- and different engines - eg. 1.6 16V, 1.8, 2.0 TDi, 1.1. etc.

I am not sure how to organize groups and attributes.

Would be good to create group FORD and attributes escort, focus ?
group AUDI and attributes audi 100, audi 80...
group Citroen and attributes saxo, c5....
...about 30 brands groups
then

group YEARS and attributes 1998-2000, 1997-1998 ...

then

group ENGINES and attributes: 1.6, 1.8, 2.0....
????

At the beginning I thought to create group called BRANDS and attributes FORD, AUDI...
then 2nd group MODELS with attributes focus, escort, c6, saxo but in this case all the models will mix and will be difficult to find and asign to correct group.

I appreciate any suggestions....

Thank YOU in advance.