do you guys prefer to use off the shelf replacement parts from pepboys, autozone, etc. such as caps, rotors, filters, plugs etc... or would you rather go to the dealer for OEM parts. imo i think OEM parts are overated. i belive i get better performance from aftermarket parts.
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OEM vs. after market
- Thread starter glloyd
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I'll use OEM sensors and other electronic parts but aftermarket brake parts and engine parts like dist. caps, batteries, etc.
It usually depend on the parts for most people on a particular vehicle. For me i'd use oem parts for the radiator, starter, alternator, tranny parts & fluid, power steering parts & fluid, brake fluids, A/C & heater components, critical engine parts overall, etc. For aftermarket parts, i'd use air filters, oil filters, OIL, exhaust muffler, springs, shocks, tires/wheels, lights, fuel/oil caps, sparkplugs, any brake parts, battery, wiperblades, gotta have the good sound/audio system, etc.
glloyd
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quockieo- why do you prefer to use oem coolant. i thought prestone was the best at this stuff?
Depends on the part. Mostly I buy aftermarket just to spur competition and show the OEM that I don't tolerate outrageous pricing. That and I figure that if the OEM part was so great, I wouldn't have needed to replace it. But not if aftermarket is clearly inferior or priced too high.
On coolant, I use OEM on my Toyotas only because I can't find any aftermarket with very similar chemistry for significantly less $. On my domestics, I use aftermarket coolant. And Prestone got dropped as "my supplier" after they converted to an "all makes, all models" formulation.
On coolant, I use OEM on my Toyotas only because I can't find any aftermarket with very similar chemistry for significantly less $. On my domestics, I use aftermarket coolant. And Prestone got dropped as "my supplier" after they converted to an "all makes, all models" formulation.
one example of aftermarket being better than oem: front tranny seal on ford f250 diesel I had went. Had paid $3k at the dealer for a complete tranny rebuild and the front seal which was a ford part failed in about 10k miles. Mechanic friend did the work and knew about that problem, which ford won't acknowledge but tranny shops do, had a printed statement stating do not use Ford oem transmission seal because it won't handle the heat.
OEM is not synonymous with quality... more like expensive.
OEM is not synonymous with quality... more like expensive.
Still you have to be carefull with aftermarket parts. There are many imported parts that are inferior in quality and longevity.
For instance, fuel pumps. Many companies are importing them from China, sticking them in a box and sellign them under well known brand names. I know a local shop here the replaces a lot of fuel tanks (in rust belt) and he will not use anything but oem pumps (the in tank kind). Says he has had just too many failures to trust them. None of the OEM have ever come back but some aftermaket ones in less than a month.
Also the imported electronic parts that are on the cheap side can be nothing but junk. I think some of these far east companies purposely mfg junk parts just to sucker in buyers who want something cheap.
Talk to any good honest shops and you will hear of all the cheap qualtiy imported parts that are floding our market from the far east. Not saying all are bad but those looking for cheap parts may find exactly what they are looking for.
For instance, fuel pumps. Many companies are importing them from China, sticking them in a box and sellign them under well known brand names. I know a local shop here the replaces a lot of fuel tanks (in rust belt) and he will not use anything but oem pumps (the in tank kind). Says he has had just too many failures to trust them. None of the OEM have ever come back but some aftermaket ones in less than a month.
Also the imported electronic parts that are on the cheap side can be nothing but junk. I think some of these far east companies purposely mfg junk parts just to sucker in buyers who want something cheap.
Talk to any good honest shops and you will hear of all the cheap qualtiy imported parts that are floding our market from the far east. Not saying all are bad but those looking for cheap parts may find exactly what they are looking for.
I think it depends on the car and the part.
There are certain parts for my Volvo such as rubber/nylon suspension parts I will buy only OEM/Volvo. I can get away with buying Bosch tune up parts since they are OEM supplied to Volvo.
All the routine maintenance items I use are Bosch, or Mann. Usually I can buy them locally or on line for 1/2 to 1/3 of what the dealer charges. I refuse to pay 100% more just to have it say Volvo. Many of the guys on the Volvo boards swore up and down for years that the after market Turbo hoses and the all metal radiators were just as good or better than OEM aluminum/plastic units. Well they learned the hard way that wasn't true.
I have heard that the local Volvo dealer is buying FWD axles from the Advance Auto down the street due to the cost difference. I understand like 25% the cost of the Volvo/Ford supplied units.
There are certain parts for my Volvo such as rubber/nylon suspension parts I will buy only OEM/Volvo. I can get away with buying Bosch tune up parts since they are OEM supplied to Volvo.
All the routine maintenance items I use are Bosch, or Mann. Usually I can buy them locally or on line for 1/2 to 1/3 of what the dealer charges. I refuse to pay 100% more just to have it say Volvo. Many of the guys on the Volvo boards swore up and down for years that the after market Turbo hoses and the all metal radiators were just as good or better than OEM aluminum/plastic units. Well they learned the hard way that wasn't true.
I have heard that the local Volvo dealer is buying FWD axles from the Advance Auto down the street due to the cost difference. I understand like 25% the cost of the Volvo/Ford supplied units.
OEM does not necessarily mean dealer, it means original equipment manufacturer. So, If a Bosch, or Denso, or Delphi, or ArvinMerior part is priced lower at PepBoys than the dealer, buy it. As someone else stated, warranties are lifetime on many aftermarket parts, but not the dealer ones.
For the BMW, internet suppliers, like Pelican or Bavauto are as much as half off the dealer price, making shipping charges and waiting a couple of days worth it.
For the BMW, internet suppliers, like Pelican or Bavauto are as much as half off the dealer price, making shipping charges and waiting a couple of days worth it.
The OEM negative battery cable for my 1988 Mustang GT cost $27. The one that Autozone sells cost $8.
Frankly, the OEM battery cable looked like a $27 cable and the Autozone battery cable looked like an $8 cable. I believe the OEM battery cable is made with tinned copper, too (either that or it was crimped and soldered).
EDIT: The OEM battery cable has a better clamp, there is adhesive-lined heatshrink applied to the clamp and the cable, the OEM cable itself has rubber instead of PVC insulation and OEM cable has the proper ground ring and connector for the application (the Autozone one required splicing these wires) and these additional wires were all wrapped with harness tape.
The battery cable also had a label on it which indicated the design revision date of November 2004. Pretty interesting considering that the last car to use it rolled off the assembly line in 1993...
[ January 06, 2006, 03:43 PM: Message edited by: brianl703 ]
Frankly, the OEM battery cable looked like a $27 cable and the Autozone battery cable looked like an $8 cable. I believe the OEM battery cable is made with tinned copper, too (either that or it was crimped and soldered).
EDIT: The OEM battery cable has a better clamp, there is adhesive-lined heatshrink applied to the clamp and the cable, the OEM cable itself has rubber instead of PVC insulation and OEM cable has the proper ground ring and connector for the application (the Autozone one required splicing these wires) and these additional wires were all wrapped with harness tape.
The battery cable also had a label on it which indicated the design revision date of November 2004. Pretty interesting considering that the last car to use it rolled off the assembly line in 1993...
[ January 06, 2006, 03:43 PM: Message edited by: brianl703 ]
As Jimbo said "OEM does not necessarily mean dealer, it means original equipment manufacturer." And the original equipment manufacturer for a given part could be a number of companies. For some parts, the company that the vehicle manufacturer buys the part from changes from time to time, because the vehicle manufacturer gets a better price for the part from the OEM or(rarely in my opinion)decides that a different OEM makes a better part. I think that the vehicle manufacturers are willing to pay less for a lower quality part than pay more for a higher quality part.
I always shop around, no matter what the part, and I look at the quality of the parts offered in the aftermarket. Some aftermarket brands are better than others, and I've found very few parts as to which some aftermarket brand or the other is not as good as or better than the OEM part offered by the vehicle manufacturer's dealerships, which usually overcharge for the part. For many parts, such as spark plugs, belts and hoses, brakes, antifreeze, batteries, alternators, filters, oils, and other things that periodically need replacing, I don't even consider what the dealership has.
In addition, I've run into instances in which the vehicle manufacturer contracted with an OEM for a supply of a certain part (two that I can think of off-hand are stock tires and stock shocks)and the vehicle manufacturer imposed upon the OEM specifications for the part which resulted in the part that came stock on the vehicle being inferior to the same part from the same part manufacturer if bought in the aftermarket. This has made me real leery of dealership parts.
I always shop around, no matter what the part, and I look at the quality of the parts offered in the aftermarket. Some aftermarket brands are better than others, and I've found very few parts as to which some aftermarket brand or the other is not as good as or better than the OEM part offered by the vehicle manufacturer's dealerships, which usually overcharge for the part. For many parts, such as spark plugs, belts and hoses, brakes, antifreeze, batteries, alternators, filters, oils, and other things that periodically need replacing, I don't even consider what the dealership has.
In addition, I've run into instances in which the vehicle manufacturer contracted with an OEM for a supply of a certain part (two that I can think of off-hand are stock tires and stock shocks)and the vehicle manufacturer imposed upon the OEM specifications for the part which resulted in the part that came stock on the vehicle being inferior to the same part from the same part manufacturer if bought in the aftermarket. This has made me real leery of dealership parts.
I phone around to multiple locations, including the dealer, and compare prices. I then purchase the least expensive part of acceptable quality and warranty. I rarely end up buying dealer parts, but it happens once in awhile.
If you can get OEM parts directly that dealers sell with MFG name you can save a heap of cash too.
Example: Timing belt for my Volvo.
Online through CT: $8CDN
Local Volvo dealer: $35CDN
Same part: Contitech makes Volvo OEM t-belts.
Example: Timing belt for my Volvo.
Online through CT: $8CDN
Local Volvo dealer: $35CDN
Same part: Contitech makes Volvo OEM t-belts.
I always buy OEM parts from the local dealer for my Toyota with the exception of battery (Odyssey 1200) and oil (Mobil 1). If the OEM parts are available on internet with lower prices than the local dealer charges, I will definitely go for it. Anyone knows good web sites that sell Toyota OEM parts with low prices?
I know from my experience on Toyotas many OEM parts are by far superior to many aftermarket parts such as plugs, plug wires, ignition parts, PCV valves, radiator caps, starters, water pumps, brake parts, shocks, seals, coolant, and hoses. The only exception seems to be tires, batteries, oil, and filters.
Whatever is the cheapest. Parts that wear out like FWD axles, I get from Autozone/Kragen and they come with a lifetime warranty so when that CV boot rips I get a new axle!
sifan,
www.trdparts4u.com
part of toyota of dallas. Barbra King runs the sales off the site and they are good people to deal with. I broke a tensioner and had it delivered 2nd day for $23 less than my local dealer and he didnt have it anyway. these people have a good reputation on the tacomaterritory board and are just nice to work with. a case of oe-toy oil filters is 35.99 for my app. if they dont have it listed just give it them a call and ask for her.
..mudd
www.trdparts4u.com
part of toyota of dallas. Barbra King runs the sales off the site and they are good people to deal with. I broke a tensioner and had it delivered 2nd day for $23 less than my local dealer and he didnt have it anyway. these people have a good reputation on the tacomaterritory board and are just nice to work with. a case of oe-toy oil filters is 35.99 for my app. if they dont have it listed just give it them a call and ask for her.
..mudd
its really a toss up with the whole aftermarket/ oem parts. I know for dodge people have bought artermart O2 sensors for their trucks and still have a prob. they buy the dealer O2 sensor and prob solved. sont know why but many cases on a board I go too.
another prob dodge has is the 5.2 and the 5.9 V-8 belly pan gasket blowing. a very common thing. everyone that has one blew just replaced it with a felpro (spelling) gasket and never had a prob again.
so sometimes dealer parts are better. but mostly autopart stores are just as good if not better.
also have to becareful when you use aftermarket parts in general. alot of aftermarket parts are superior to dealer and OEM parts.
another prob dodge has is the 5.2 and the 5.9 V-8 belly pan gasket blowing. a very common thing. everyone that has one blew just replaced it with a felpro (spelling) gasket and never had a prob again.
so sometimes dealer parts are better. but mostly autopart stores are just as good if not better.
also have to becareful when you use aftermarket parts in general. alot of aftermarket parts are superior to dealer and OEM parts.
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