No matter how carefully you maintain your car, there are always times when a repair is necessary. When that happens, the big question is: where do you go for the right car parts and service? Should you choose the official dealership’s repair department, or opt for an independent shop? It’s a decision many car owners face, especially when it comes to sourcing quality parts for the job.
When it comes to car parts, it may be cheaper to go to an independent garage, you’ll likely receive aftermarket parts as opposed to genuine ones at an official dealership but just what does that mean and how important is it to go genuine every time?
We spoke to Cox Motor Parts, a supplier of genuine Honda parts who explained: “While people may sometimes be sceptical to spend that little bit extra on genuine parts, the quality that you receive is ultimately worth it. “Compromising quality on one aspect of your vehicle can have a much bigger knock-on effect than you realise, so is it worth taking the risk?”
So just how big a deal is this? Is that extra money worth anything? We’ve taken a look at the pros and cons of both, but as you might imagine, the bottom line is you get what you pay for!
Aftermarket Parts
Aftermarket refers to any parts that are not sourced from the vehicle’s manufacturer. These parts are manufactured by other companies and are usually (but not always) of a poorer quality than those from the manufacturer. On the whole, aftermarket parts are considered to be cheaper than the ‘genuine’ alternatives.
However, a 2014 study found that for certain jobs, a genuine dealership can be just as competitive, so it’s definitely worth shopping around before making a choice based purely on saving a couple of quid. There’s also a much greater choice when it comes to aftermarket parts, with hundreds of different companies offering their alternative on the part you need, all at different prices. However, the flipside to this is that can you end up spending a lot longer deciding which parts to use, especially if you have a fairly limited knowledge of this kind of stuff.
The main downside to aftermarket parts however is their fairly questionable quality. While some car parts may perform just as well as genuine ones, they often use lower-quality materials and don’t come with a warranty. A car is one of the most expensive purchases you can make, so do you want to put it (and yourself) at risk by purchasing lesser-quality parts?
Genuine Parts
On the other hand, genuine parts are guaranteed to be produced by the manufacturer and were specifically designed with your vehicle in mind.
Firstly, it makes the decision-making process a lot simpler. Instead of trying to process the plethora of aftermarket options available, you’ve usually just got the one available type from the manufacturer. But of course, the main advantage is the guarantee of quality. As said, these car parts were made to fit with your vehicle in mind, and it’s great to have the peace of mind that comes with your trusted manufacturer.
Yes, they may be more expensive however the difference may not be as much as you might think, and as we said, you get what you pay for!
Something else which is worth noting is that a lot of insurance companies prefer you to use aftermarket parts when making a claim, as seen in this instance from a couple of years ago in Northern Ireland. Make sure to be vigilant and keep an eye out for your own insurance company trying to shave a little off their bill by getting aftermarket parts installed on your car!
