With the stellar prices of car repair services in auto shops nowadays, the more sensible choice between near-bankruptcy and investing in some D I Y maintenance and repairs seems very obvious. When doing D I Y repairs, all you need are the right tools, an intelligible instruction manual and the correct parts for the job, whether that means buying new auto parts at a discount or used parts for your vehicle.

However, not all parts are made equal. In this highly commercialized world, you'll find two or three competing brands for even the rarest, most exotic or most esoteric auto parts. Regardless of their brand or the fancy packaging they might have, all those auto repair parts can be classified into two general categories.

On OEM

OEM parts come from the original equipment manufacturers (hence the acronym) who made your car or the original parts for it. That means a 'real' or original Toyota part for a Toyota, or a Ford part for a Ford car. The best thing about OEM parts is that you're certain that you're getting the part that was made specifically for your car's make and model. After all, you bought the part from people whom you're sure know your car inside and out. When you're dealing with more technical repairs like engine parts or transmission gears, it matters whether the part will work on the first try.

However, OEM parts might not be for all car owners and budgets. Because you're getting an 'original' part, you'll most probably have to buy it from a dealership, and that usually doesn't come cheap. It might be a little hard on the pockets of cash-strapped car owners, who are the people most likely to be doing D I Y repairs in the first place.

Talk about Third Parties

Your alternative source to OEM parts would be third parties - those companies who aren't affiliated to the original manufacturers in any way but are selling new car parts at cheaper prices. Third party repair parts are popular OEM alternatives in car repair stores and auto shops themselves.

In terms of price, third party replacement parts have the upper hand because they almost always come out significantly cheaper than OEM parts. These new car parts at cheaper prices, as budget-friendly as they might seem, aren't completely problem-free.

Because the part didn't come from the manufacturers themselves, there's much less of a guarantee that it'll work the first time around. It's possible that the part won't work as intended and you'll have to buy a completely new part again. Also, you don't get as good a warranty on new car parts at cheaper prices as you do with OEM.

Used Parts

Sometimes you can find used parts for your vehicle, and this can be a very budget-friendly solution. Of course, used parts for your vehicle are not always available, and require a little more effort to track down, but for older vehicles in particular it can often be better to buy refurbished used parts for your vehicle.

There are basically two conflicting things in the question of parts procurement. You have quality assurance on hand and budget friendliness on the other. It will all boil down to which you need to prioritize and if you can find a compromise between the two. When you are doing D I Y repairs, you need to exercise your judgement as to whether you can use suitable used car parts, or new car parts at cheaper prices, or whether it is best to invest in OEM parts.

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Filed under: Cars