Are substitutes for cars worse than the originals?

As a car owner, you think that the substitutes is a lower quality part that has a shorter lifespan and a higher failure rate. Myths, myths and more myths and don't believe that you are losing anything because of a substitute. If you give up good quality spare parts, you lose a lot

The most important remark at the beginning – in most car brands, 80% of component production is outsourced to external manufacturers. This means that during the first assembly at the factory, the company assembles the car from up to 80% parts produced by other manufacturers. What does this mean for you?

Your car is not the product of one factory and one manufacturer. Most components are produced by contracted external contractors – up to 80% of the components. Then the parts go to the Opel, Audi, Mercedes or other brand factory and are assembled there. Component contractors are, of course, experts in their fields who specialize in specific parts. How does this apply to spare car parts?

Feel free to use spare parts and profit

Car manufacturers recommend replacing parts with new, original ones during the warranty period. However, you will rarely hear information that these parts should meet certain standards and not be purchased from the manufacturer. Yes – the European Union took away the monopoly of manufacturers on replacing components, but made it subject to regulations. After all, they are manufactured by external suppliers anyway.

On 01 June 2010, the European Commission legally made it possible to repair cars using spare parts from other manufacturers, which, however, meet strict requirements. Repair outside the authorized service centre is possible, but only in a reputable one. It must be carried out in accordance with the car manufacturer’s recommendations and, what is important for you, you can use substitutes that are up to 35% cheaper. However, new components must meet certain standards.

What parts can you use to avoid voiding your vehicle’s warranty?

OE parts are original parts bearing the logo of the vehicle manufacturer, such as Ford, Mercedes or VW. In turn, OEM or Q are original spare parts offered by renowned companies, e.g. LEMFORDER, TRW, LUK, SACHS, ATE or BOSCH. They offer the same quality as OE, are manufactured using the same technologies, and their price is on average 15-20% lower.

OEQ or P are spare parts of comparable quality to OE parts, supplied by reputable companies as an alternative substitute. They may differ slightly in technology, but maintain the quality requirements of the vehicle manufacturer. The PJ marking means that they are recommended by the vehicle manufacturer, and their price may be up to 35% lower than OE parts.

Which parts void the warranty?

AM or Z are aftermarket spare parts produced by less known companies. They do not meet the quality standards of the vehicle manufacturer and are not approved for use in authorized service centres. The price of these parts can be up to 60% lower than the price of OE parts.

Unfortunately, in this case you will lose your car warranty. You will only have the manufacturer’s warranty for the part installed in your car.

You know that you can use a cheaper substitute, but which one should you choose?

In the market you will find many authorized manufacturers of high-quality spare parts that meet the requirements of your car manufacturer. Examples of such manufacturers are the Frey and Birth brands. The difference is that Frey specializes in BMW and Mercedes components. Birth, on the other hand, is a universal manufacturer supplying parts for most car brands.

Will the substitutes really fit your car? They can even be better than the original when made of better materials. The quality is simply better, the price is lower, because you don’t pay for the vehicle manufacturer’s logo.

What are you talking about, a substitute better than the original?

In some cases, yes. For example, let’s take the oil housing filter for the BMW F20 model. The original is made largely of plastic, which:

• is more susceptible to deformation and leakage,
• is less resistant to high temperatures

The substitute is largely made of fiberglass and aluminium with higher resistance to high temperatures, deformations and mechanical damage. What is important for you, the price difference is also “nice” – in this case, the Frey substitute is several hundred zlotys cheaper.

It’s even cheaper than you think

BMW service is not the cheapest. The brake disc for the X5 model alone costs PLN 2,400. An expense that, of course, guarantees the professionalism of the service and maintenance of the car warranty.

By purchasing parts with the same specification and appropriate legal standards, you will reduce your purchase costs to approximately… PLN 625 for the disc alone. The difference in price is huge, and when it comes to quality, the Frey substitute is practically better, because it is made of better materials.

Offer for drivers and service centres

Stationary and online stores such as Motores often offer replacement parts to both retailers and car services centres. In this case, you can order a substitute yourself and benefit from a lower price.

In addition to the price gain, you will also retain the warranty on your car. If you look carefully, you will still find parts that are better made than the originals – longer lasting. If you are not an expert and do not feel able to assess the quality of the parts, talk to a consultant. A good specialist will advise you and agree on the price, quality and warranty.