So your car needs some work done and that means looking at
some new parts. These days however it can be quite confusing whether you will
need your garage to get genuine (OE), OEM or even aftermarket parts.
No one wants to pay a higher cost if it’s not required and
you don’t want parts that won’t last or are a lower quality. This is all before
you even think about warranties and the confusion that then arises from what
seems to be an industry filled with jargon and almost too much information.
Genuine Parts are also known as OE (Original Equipment) and
they are the same parts your car was fitted with when it was made. The parts will
more than likely come in a branded box to your garage. This is the most common
option on newer cars still under the warranty. This due to the reassurance of
the quality and have a manufacturer’s guarantee.
This is also however, why these parts are considered to be
the most expensive.
OEM parts stand for Original Equipment Manufacturer. These
are parts made by the original manufacturing company that may have provided the
car maker with parts for the build. These parts are normally identical to the
above genuine parts but instead these are sold by the original manufacturer
instead of being branded by the car companies to be resold.
The quality of these parts is identical to the OE parts
meaning you may be able to use these and not have to worry about voiding any
warranty on your vehicle. These parts are also usually cheaper than the branded
options.
Confusion is common with aftermarket parts due to vast
variety in quality and price. Aftermarket parts in many instances may outperform
OE and OEM variants due to the manufacturing companies analysing faults and
improving the designs over the stock versions. This can be due to higher
quality materials or a revised design.
On the other hand, aftermarket also relates to cheaper sub
quality parts designed to be a cheap alternative to the stock options. Garages
may have to adpart parts to fit your model of car or they can be made from
substandard materials.
As a basic check, make sure any parts have an ISO
International Organisation for Standardisation stamp. This guarantees a certain
standard of quality from the part. Aftermarket parts often invalidating warranties
and in some cases even car insurance if your insurer is not informed.
