OEM Parts versus Aftermarket Parts
Have you ever wondered, "what is the difference between original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts and those provided by aftermarket vendors? And why is there such a difference in price?" These are two of the oldest questions ever asked of a parts person. First, the difference is the original equipment replacement parts are built and designed to meet the requirements set out by the factories. Although aftermarket parts can be of similar quality they often do not meet the specific standards that were originally required by the manufacturer. Also, aftermarket parts may be designed to fit a larger group of applications thus being less specific to the original equipment. Also the companies providing the parts for the manufacturer are held to these higher standards which increases their cost of production, which is then transferred to the auto franchise and then passed down to the dealer who in turn passes it along to the consumer. This does not mean that the OEM parts are always higher in price; the Parts Department at Irwin Ford can provide several instances where the original equipment is in fact less money. Another issue that can effect pricing is the level of warranty and after-purchase service on the part. The manufacturer stands behind their OEM parts, offering not only a warranty for the part but in most cases the labor to replace and also towing to the dealership. The warranties an aftermarket parts are rarely as comprehensive as those provided by the OEM. This means that even though the sticker price on OEM parts is sometimes higher, the total cost of ownership can actually be lower, due to better warranties.
