Auto Parts: OEM vs. Aftermarket
When it comes to replacement parts for your vehicle, you’re not only faced with a choice between new and pre-owned parts but a choice between genuine parts, OEM parts, and aftermarket parts. Although all the parts were designed to do the same thing, they often can carry vastly different price tags, and may not all perform equally. This article will quickly cover the difference between the different types of parts you can get and what kind you should buy when it comes time for you to replace a part on your car.
When a car is first made, all of its parts are genuine parts, or a part installed when a car is first manufactured and comes with the manufacturer’s logo. These are typically the most expensive parts you can buy however you know they’ll perform as intended since they are the same parts used when the vehicle was first manufactured. It’s important to note, however, that this doesn’t necessarily mean that they perform better than OEM parts or even aftermarket parts, and typically you’ll only want to use a genuine part on an older/specialty vehicle that’s no longer in production, or in a restoration project.
If you want the same quality and performance as genuine parts at a lower cost, and if you’re okay with your parts not carrying the vehicle manufacturer’s logo on them, your best bet is to pick up OEM parts for your project. OEM parts, or Original Equipment Manufacturer parts, are parts built by the same company that initially made the parts for the vehicle manufacturer. This means they will boast the same quality and performance as genuine parts and they’re guaranteed to fit and work with the vehicle, however they simply were not made in conjunction with the vehicle manufacturer and thus will have a different logo.
Once a vehicle is in production, equipment manufacturers are able to buy the rights to manufacture replacement parts for the various parts on the vehicle; These are known as aftermarket parts. Aftermarket parts carry the most variation in terms of price and performance when compared to other types of parts; Genuine and OEM parts are both guaranteed to perform the way your car performed when it first left the factory, however OEM parts are a cheaper option. Aftermarket parts, however, can range from low-quality, cheap parts that don’t last long to performance parts that cost more, yet perform better, than genuine parts due to advanced reverse engineering. There is also a wide range of aftermarket parts you can select from that are designed to be direct replacements for OEM or genuine parts, and therefore may not only cost less than OEM parts but can actually be installed without voiding your vehicle’s warranty.
If you’re looking to save as much money as possible on maintaining your vehicle, your best bet is to find a reliable brand of aftermarket parts to stick with and use their parts for the majority of your repairs and replacements. However, it’s still recommended you use genuine or OEM parts for things like your engine and transmission or for body parts, as you definitely want those to fit and perform perfectly on your specific vehicle. If you’d rather stick to genuine or OEM parts but still want to save a couple bucks, consider stopping by a trustworthy salvage yard and picking up tested pre-owned parts. These parts are genuine or OEM parts that have been removed, cleaned, and tested by the staff at a salvage yard and approved for continued use. These parts come from scrapped vehicles, and sometimes have little to no signs of use on them. For example, a brand-new car may get badly rear-ended to the point that repairs aren’t worth it; The entire car is scrapped but the engine, belts, tires, and more may still be in like-new condition. Because the parts were technically used, however, they can be sold at a huge discount to drivers.
If you’re looking to save money on high-quality auto parts in the Detroit area, be sure you stop by Holbrook Auto Parts! Holbrook carries a huge selection of new aftermarket parts, as well as tested pre-owned genuine and OEM parts for nearly any vehicle make and model. With multiple salvage yards and locations around the Detroit area and the option to special order or deliver parts, it’s no wonder why drivers all over Detroit choose Holbrook Auto Parts to keep them On the Move!
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