Original parts or replacement?
The offer of auto parts on the market is very large, and in addition to original parts intended for the so-called. First factory assembly A number of replacements are available. Before deciding which one to choose, you should find out what are the actual differences between them and how they affect the operation of the vehicle.
Original parts or replacement?
Original parts intended for first factory assembly are available from authorized service stations and both the packaging of these items and the products themselves are signed by the specific vehicle brand. Unfortunately, such elements are characterized by a high price, which in our time is a real problem for many drivers. The way out of this situation is a wide choice of substitutes. However, it is widely believed that these are elements of lower quality with a shorter service life, which, however, is not necessarily true.
Replacements are classified into categories and the first is the Premium spare parts group. These are the same parts as the so-called. originals are usually produced on the same assembly lines and the main difference between them is that they are not "branded" by a particular brand of car. The other, perhaps most important from a driver's point of view, is the price, often as much as 60% lower. The next group of parts are substitutes known as "cheaper quality" parts. They are produced by specialized companies that have had a strong position in the aftermarket for many years, but do not fit the group of suppliers of factory equipment. The elements they offer are made of good materials and most often have the appropriate certificates that fully allow their use. The offer of these parts is wide, and as a result, the buyer can choose a product of relatively good quality and low price.
“Selling cheap low-quality spare parts is completely unprofitable from our point of view. First, we lose customer confidence, and the costs of complaints or compensation for failures caused by the use of low-quality components usually exceed profits. Therefore, distributors must know everything about their offer and thus be sure that they offer products that guarantee correct and safe operation,” says Artur Szydlowski, Motointegrator.pl expert.
Cheap fakes
Nowadays, there are very few things that cannot be counterfeited. Counterfeit goods are often confusingly similar to the originals, but their quality leaves much to be desired. This also applies to auto parts. There is a huge supply of tempting low-priced fakes on the market, and some drivers still quite mistakenly confuse them with full-fledged, legal substitutes. Counterfeits do not have quality certificates and their use often leads to serious engine damage, the elimination of which can be very expensive. This may be the case, for example, with timing belts, the strength of which is several times lower than that of the original products, and a premature, unexpected break most often leads to the destruction of many engine components. The extremely low quality of counterfeit parts also leads to a drastic reduction in driving safety, especially when it comes to elements of the brake or drive system.
To avoid buying counterfeit parts, the first red flag should be an unnaturally low price. However, the most reliable source of information is the quality certificates provided by distributors. Some of them are issued by PIMOT (Institute of Automotive Industry); Certificates "B" for safety and road clearance. The largest distributors of spare parts additionally check their quality. Often they have their own laboratory, where each new range of components is tested. In combination
the presence of appropriate certificates ensures that only high-quality goods are offered.
Remanufactured Parts
Many elements and components of the car undergo regeneration, which allows them to be reused. However, this is not always beneficial or even possible. There are factories that specialize in remanufacturing parts, although their services do not always go hand in hand with the corresponding quality. Refurbished parts, while cheaper than new parts, often have a much shorter life, making them more expensive to use in the final economic calculation than new ones.
There is also a group of factory parts that can be recycled, such as electrical equipment, alternators, starters and clutches. However, this procedure is performed using advanced technologies and as a result they become full-fledged components.
“At Inter Cars Group, we have the LAUBER brand, which, in addition to producing new elements, also specializes in the regeneration of worn ones. To ensure they meet new product standards, they go through a multi-stage quality control process, after which we provide a two-year warranty on them,” says Artur Szydlowski.
Remanufactured parts also mean significant savings for your wallet. When returning the removed item from the car, the so-called. core, you can save up to 80% off the price. You should also be aware that factory remanufactured parts must be specifically marked so that the buyer is fully aware of what he is buying. Parts remanufacturing is also a tribute to sustainability for manufacturers. It makes no sense to throw away those elements that are not subject to wear during operation or are subject to wear to a very small extent.
How to choose the right spare part?
Choosing the right part for your car is not always easy or obvious. It happens that even within the same car model different elements are used, and then it is not enough to know the year, power or body type. VIN can help. It is a seventeen-digit marking system containing all the necessary information about the manufacturer, characteristics and year of manufacture of the car. When purchasing a part, providing this code should result in an accurate specification of the original serial number for the particular item. However, this process can take up to one day.
“If the customer already has the symbol of the original part, it is much easier to find a suitable replacement, for example by entering it into the search engine on our Motointegrator.pl platform. Then he will receive an offer of all components at different prices,” says Artur Szydlowski.
Vehicle replacement and warranty
As part of the regulations meeting the expectations of consumers in Poland, the provisions of the GVO have been in force since November 1, 2004 in accordance with the regulation of the European Union. They allow drivers to decide for themselves which parts should be replaced on their vehicle under warranty without losing or limiting it. These may be original parts supplied by the customer or parts with a so-called “comparable quality” standard. However, they cannot be defective items of unknown origin.
