First things first; genuine, also referred to as OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts are those which come recommended and supplied by your car manufacturer and are what your car was originally built with. Aftermarket parts are those which are basically manufactured by anyone else and are generally less expensive than genuine.
It would be fair to assume that because genuine parts are more expensive than aftermarket, and come recommended by car manufacturers, that the warranty on genuine parts would far exceed that of an aftermarket product. However, it may surprise you to find that almost all genuine and aftermarket products carry an industry standard warranty of 1 year. While most products will last a great deal longer, it’s a good idea to ask about warranty before repairs are carried out on your car.
If you’re like me, you want to save a few dollars where you can, but also want to ensure you’re getting only quality products. Here at Mr Cool we import aftermarket and genuine parts from our suppliers located all over the world and test them right here in our workshop using state of the art testing facilities. So we know, and you know, that every part we fit to your car is of the highest quality and stamped with our seal of approval. Not only do we use our parts in our own workshop, but we supply these parts to hundreds of workshops all over Australia!
Frosty fact: Did you know the automotive aftermarket industry is worth over $11 billion a year in Australian alone? Mind blown! That’s a huge turnover, but it makes sense considering Australia is ranked 7th in the world for having the most motor vehicles per capita, with 723 motor vehicles per 1000 people. For those wondering, and I know you are, the number 1 spot goes to San Marino with 1263 motor vehicles per 1000 people!
So there we have it. A bit of an explanation and information on genuine and aftermarket parts. Which is better is a matter of opinion, we’ve had customers who will use only genuine parts and are all too happy to foot the bill. We’ve also had customers who will only use aftermarket parts and will even wait longer to have special orders shipped in from our overseas suppliers, saving hundreds of $$$. What you use is entirely up to you and now you know a little bit about the two!