OEM Vs Aftermarket Spare Parts: Taking The Right Decision

If you drive a used car and have it serviced locally, you are often presented with two choices for replacing your car’s spare parts. One is Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and aftermarket alternative spare parts. While both parts aim to accomplish the same purpose, both have their pros and cons. 

OEM spare parts have a higher quality and are more reliable, but are expensive and often hard to get, in the case of older, discontinued cars. Aftermarket alternative spare parts are significantly more affordable than OEM spare parts but are not as reliable and may have fit and finish issues. So, which one should you go for? Let's delve into it:

What Are OEM Spare Parts?

OEM or Original Equipment Manufacturer spare parts are basically the same parts that go into your car during production. The same vendor that manufactures your car’s original parts, also makes OEM parts. Manufacturers build these parts to the same exacting specifications, matching quality and fit and finish levels as parts originally on your car. 

Advantages Of OEM Spare Parts

There are many advantages of going for OEM spare parts. Here are the important ones:

Matching Fit And Finish Levels

OEM spare parts are built to the exact specifications as the original component in your car so there are no fitment or compatibility issues which is a problem with aftermarket spare parts. The OEM part quality is identical as well making it hard to identify that the specific part was ever replaced. 

High Reliability

OEM spare parts undergo rigorous quality control, often identical to the original parts your car comes fitted with. This ensures high performance and better safety standards. More importantly, these parts are highly reliable and durable and last a long time. 

Warranty Support

Often, OEM spare parts are backed by a warranty supplied by the car maker itself. This ensures that if the part fails, you can easily replace it under warranty ensuring peace of mind, a luxury not afforded by aftermarket alternative parts. 

Long Term Cost Savings

While OEM spare parts are expensive compared to aftermarket spare parts, their reliability and durability ensure they last for a long time and require less frequent replacements. The reduced likelihood of replacement saves money in the long run. 

Enhanced Resale Value

If you own an older high end luxury car, fitting OEM spare parts helps enhance its resale value as most buyers for these cars prefer the car to be as original as possible. Such cars are preferred more by enthusiasts who are willing to pay the extra premium for the added peace of mind. 

Disadvantages Of OEM Spare Parts

While there are many reasons to fit OEM spare parts, there are a few reasons to skip them in favour of aftermarket alternatives. Here's are a few important ones:

Higher Pricing

OEM spare parts are more expensive than aftermarket parts owing to their quality, the car’s brand value and sometimes even due to the carmaker’s policies. If it is a car that’s made outside India, the OEM spare parts can come with added custom duties. The high pricing sometimes makes opting for aftermarket parts more economically viable. 

Limited Availability

If you have an older car or one that has been discontinued, finding OEM spare parts for your car might prove to be difficult. Post the car being discontinued, generally carmakers ensure that OEM spare parts are available for up to 10 years. Sometimes, the spare parts need to be made post order which, while expensive, comes with long wait times. 

What Are Aftermarket Parts?

Aftermarket parts are spare parts manufactured by unofficial third party companies. These parts are made using the original component as a baseline reference. Manufacturers often reverse engineer original components to develop a dimensionally similar aftermarket spare part. These aftermarket spare parts look similar but could differ in terms of fit and finish and materials. 

Advantages Of Aftermarket Spare Parts

Aftermarket spare parts can prove to be a viable alternative to expensive OEM parts due to a number of reasons. Here are some important ones:

Low Pricing

Generally, aftermarket alternative spare parts cost 20 to 50% less than OEM parts while offering nearly similar and in some cases, even better performance than OEM parts. 

Easy Availability

Most online and offline parts store stock aftermarket spare parts. Regular running items like brake pads and wiper blades are even available in select petrol stations.  

More Options

While OEM parts come from a single manufacturer, there are more than five aftermarket manufacturers for the same original spare part. This allows you to choose the aftermarket spare part according to your budget and need. 

Better than OEM

In some cases, aftermarket specialists develop spare parts whose tolerances and performance standards exceed that of OEM spare parts while being priced similar or slightly higher. Some parts are developed to enhance performance while some to improve visual appeal. 

Disadvantages Of Aftermarket Spare Parts

While there are many advantages to opting for aftermarket spare parts, there are some reasons to skip them entirely. Here are the important ones:

Inconsistent Quality

In a bid to lower costs, aftermarket part makers often use lower quality materials and skip quality control checks. This often leads to inconsistent quality products which fail early or even affect your car’s performance. 

Fitment Issues

Cheaper aftermarket spare parts often suffer from fit and compatibility issues. So it is a hit and miss with budget aftermarket spare parts and you end up spending more than anticipated. 

Warranty Issues

Most affordable aftermarket parts do not come with warranty. Worse still, if your car is under warranty, fitting non-OEM parts can void your car’s warranty. 

When Should You Opt For OEM Parts?

There are several reasons you should opt for OEM parts, and times when you should skip OEM for aftermarket spare parts. Here’s when you should go for aftermarket spare parts:

• For safety components like brakes, ABS, airbags and engine parts. You should never skimp on safety
• For critical engine and suspension components. Using low quality parts could lead to critical parts failure causing a cascading effect where other parts fail
• For reliability. OEM parts might be expensive but worth the price for their reliability and durability
• For when your car is under warranty. Stick to OEM parts to avoid cancelling your warranty coverage
• For enhanced resale value. This especially if you own a high end luxury car. Sticking to OEM parts retains your car’s originality and should fetch better resale value down the line

When Should You Opt For Aftermarket Parts?

Aftermarket parts have the benefit of lower purchase costs. Here are some of the times you should opt for one:

• For not critical components like exterior and interior trim. You can get away with using cosmetic aftermarket parts and save money while doing it. 
• To save money. If you are on a tight budget and can’t afford OEM spare parts,do your research and buy the best aftermarket part your can afford. 
• If you have an older vehicle or if your vehicle is out of warranty, going for a non critical aftermarket spare part could be the most logical option. 
• If you are looking to enhance your car’s performance or dynamics, several aftermarket specialists offer performance upgrades for your car. 

Reputed Aftermarket Specialists: The Best of Both Worlds

A lot of prominient engineering companies have diversified in the field of aftermarket spare parts. These companies offer aftermarket parts at affordable prices with quality that matches and sometimes even exceeds OEM parts. Here are some of the well-known aftermarket spare parts specialists:

• Bosch 
• Continental AG
• Denso 
• Endurance Technologies
• Schaeffler India
• Sundaram Clayton
• ZF Friedrichshafen AG

Conclusion

While buying car spare parts, we can choose between OEM and aftermarket alternative spares. Original Equipment Manufacturer or OEM parts are made by the same vendor that manufacturers the original parts for your specific car. Aftermarket spare parts are made by unofficial manufacturers.

OEM spare parts offer quality, reliability and durability similar to the original car parts and are often backed by warranty. The trade off is that OEM parts are expensive. Aftermarket car parts are significantly cheaper and are easily available in the case of older, discontinued cars.  However, most cheap aftermarket parts have fitment issues and can void your car’s warranty. 

When choosing car spare parts, go for OEM spares in the case or crucial components and if you have a newer car under warranty. With aftermarket parts, you can save money and have the option to choose according to your budget. Aftermarket parts make sense if you have older, discontinued cars or are looking to enhance your car’s performance.