Should you always buy car parts from the manufacturer?

OEM parts vs aftermarket parts

CLUNK! Oh no. That is never the sound you want to hear while backing out of the driveway. Something has just gone wrong with your brakes, and you are quite certain that the sound you heard is not what it sounds like when a brake just needs to be checked. You are going to need new brakes. Now the question is, should you get original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts, ones that were made by the manufacturer of your vehicle specifically for that model? Or can you just go with some aftermarket parts? Will it make much difference? Let’s take a look at OEM parts vs aftermarket parts.

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Differences between OEM auto parts and aftermarket auto parts

OEM and aftermarket parts each have their pros and cons. It all depends on what you are willing to pay and what kind of peace of mind you want. A few key differences of OEM parts and aftermarket parts are as follows.

  • OEM parts are the exact same parts that were already in your vehicle, whereas aftermarket parts were reverse-engineered to fit certain models.
  • The quality of aftermarket parts may vary widely, from being superior to an OEM part to being wildly inferior. OEM parts may not necessarily be the best, but should be the same quality as the part that was in the vehicle when you bought it.
  • OEM parts tend to be more expensive than aftermarket parts, but less expensive isn’t always better.
  • OEM parts are not as available as aftermarket parts. For OEM parts, you will have to go to the dealer, but for aftermarket parts, you can find them at just about any auto parts store, or even at the gas station.
  • With an OEM part, you can generally get a good, lengthy warranty, which may not be available for aftermarket parts.

The bottom line is, aftermarket parts offer a bit more risk than OEM parts, although they do so at a generally cheaper price. OEM parts are not as easy to come by, but their quality and their ability to work well inside of your vehicle has a better guarantee. Stay in touch with the Hall Cars blog for more tips and tricks!