There are plenty of quality manufacturers of non-OEM auto parts.
Posted on 06/28/2016 6:33:14 AM PDT by MichCapCon
Right now, if a Michigan citizen goes to get a car repaired, it is fairly simple for the owner of the vehicle and a mechanic to decide what kind of parts to use to provide the fix. Unless a bill that has passed the Michigan Legislature is vetoed by Gov. Snyder, that process is about to get a lot more complicated.
There are two main types of auto parts: Those made by original equipment manufacturers (OEM) or those made by other companies (aftermarket). By and large, insurance companies, crash tests and research findings do not find a safety difference between the two — but OEM parts are usually significantly more expensive.
The makers of OEM parts, the large automakers, want a larger share of the auto repair parts market and have convinced a majority of Michigan legislators to make it harder for people to choose aftermarket parts. Despite the fact that there’s been no evidence provided that there is a systemic problem with aftermarket parts, House Bill 4344 has passed the Michigan Legislature and is on its way to the governor.
For the first five years of a car’s warranty, should the bill become law, mechanics could not use aftermarket parts on many components unless directed by the owner of the vehicle in writing. Parts manufacturers say this will harm and perhaps even cripple their industry and are urging a veto.
“The legislation discourages the use of aftermarket and remanufactured components in vehicle repairs, and in doing so will have a negative impact on Michigan companies, sales, and jobs,” Steve Handschuh, president and CEO of the Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association, wrote to the governor. “In addition, consumers will have fewer repair choices presented to them, resulting in higher prices for parts needed for their vehicle repairs. We urge you to veto this legislation in support of the Michigan aftermarket industry and to preserve consumer choice in recognition of the high-quality and cost-effective repair options for their vehicles.”
Competition between parts manufacturers is good for consumers and repair facilities. It makes parts better, helps keep down the costs for consumers and can even put downward pressure on the cost of auto insurance. Legislators should be encouraging more competition, not less.
This doesn’t seem all bad to me. The problem is that sometimes you don’t know, or are deceived, as to whether you are getting OEM or lesser quality parts. The focus should be not on a blanket five-year ban, but on transparency. “If you get this, it costs X, if you get this it costs Y.”
After market parts are of the same or better quality than OEM parts.
Consumers - not bureaucrats - should decide how best to fix their cars.
The MI bill is a problem in search of a solution.
It was vetoed- yesterday.
CC
This reminds me of when I had a chance a decade ago to purchase a number of cheaper laser cartridges for my local Air Force unit printers. I could have bought a whole pallet for what amounted to 60-percent of the normal price, and I kept asking how the dealer could undersell and there was no explanation.
Eventually, someone laid out the issue....these were not name-brand printer cartridges....they were Chinese copies. I just sat there asking myself if they would be as good as the normal cartridges and I didn’t get that warm fuzzy about reliability. So I walked away.
I’ve seen this come up over and over in the past decade...cheaper replacement parts that undersell but aren’t of the same quality. What you don’t want is some bearing on the vehicle as some replacement part.....that utterly fails after four months in a disastrous way, and triggers an accident.
Sometimes, but not always.
“After market parts are of the same or better quality than OEM parts.”
OEMs do not manufacture parts. Parts are all made by outside contractors, but some are purchased by OEMs for the manufacture of vehicles and sales as spares. OEMs have huge markup on products that carry their name, and price has little to do with quality or service.
The Moog ball joints for my truck are better quality than the OEM part. Ditto any number of other parts. In some, but not all, cases, the non-OEM part even costs more.
I read up on this bill, and it was mainly aimed at collision repair. During that initial 5-year period, if someone got in a wreck, the body shop often substituted cheap overseas copies of body parts, which fit poorly and were flimsier than the original. Since the shop gets paid a set amount by the insurance, they get to pocket the difference. This wasn’t about forcing consumers to buy the Delco air filter over a Walmart unit; this was about making sure non-maintenance repairs used parts that didn’t compromise the vehicle. That said, this (as with so many other things) is not an area that should be open to control by the government. People need to take responsibility for themselves. A car is a major investment, so it ought to behoove the owner to learn enough about the vehicle that they can make educated decisions concerning it.
Two other places where there’s an explicit difference (if you ask):
- Sheet metal parts like fenders (the double sided galvanizing may not be as good)
- Brake pad/shoes
They have that now, that is why people go with aftermarket parts. They dont have a difference in quality overall and are a lot less expensive.
This bill takes away the choice of people to pick a less expensive part and gives big auto monopoly protection for 5 years of every new car.
A year and a half ago I needed tires for my 03 Mach1 Mustang. The original Goodyears were $188.00 each. I asked about cheaper ones. They had a Bridgestone off name tire for $86.00 each. I thought it was a no brainer. 4 Tires for less than the price of 2. I bought them. Big mistake. The Mustang which has traction problems to begin with has turned into a dangerous car on wet roads. I think I will do some burnouts and be rid of them.
I had a fuel leak in a high-pressure line under the hood. I took it to the Lincoln dealer, and the part was NLA, so they had one custom bent for me. Total cost, including a wash and oil/filter change: Under $200!
They also explained why the part failed: The clamps had been installed incorrectly by the previous shop (Before I owned the car).
Dealers are not always bad.
Yep...big time on the brake pads. Some professor ought to do a study with the cheap import brake pads and regular pads. I’ll bet they last only half as long.
Unless the repair shop tells you they are using OEM parts, you can guarantee they aren’t.
The simple solutions is: (1) ask, and (2) make sure the repair comes with a guarantee.
There is nothing wrong with after market parts. NAPA parts (for example) are a good as anyone’s. The OEM’s (like Ford) try to scare you into using Ford parts. FUD: fear, uncertainty, doubt.
Some time ago I had a 2003 Impala. The car had very good brakes when it was new. After about 50-60 K miles, I replaced them. I think I was offered something like 4 grades of brake quality, and since it was an older car, I picked #3 (with 1 being the best, so-called OEM). They lasted about half as long as the originals (although by then my son was driving the car, not me).
There are plenty of quality manufacturers of non-OEM auto parts.
“The legislation discourages the use of aftermarket and remanufactured components in vehicle repairs, and in doing so will have a negative impact on Michigan companies, sales, and jobs,” Steve Handschuh, president and CEO of the Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association, wrote to the governor.
...
He should say it’s bad for the environment and will cause global warming.
There are 3 choices for body parts: new OEM, new aftermarket, and junkyard.
The best quality/price combo for body parts is from a junkyard. Cars totaled in an accident generally have a number of good body panels left intact.
Many people on this thread obviously don’t work on their own cars. I’ve kept cars running just fine for years with non-OEM parts at less than half the cost or better.
“After market parts are of the same or better quality than OEM parts.”
This is seriously untrue especially when comparing German-made bearings for auto parts to Chinese-made bearings for auto parts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsFF2AqYD7M
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