by Scott Allison

Created on: December 05, 2008

Aftermarket parts used to maintain or repair of one's car or truck has it's pros and cons. Just like anything else, both should be weighed in making a decision to use them or not. The first and foremost decsion to be made is concerning the warranty applied to the vehicle. Very few mechanical parts will void the warranty of an automaker but there are some electronic parts that have to be replaced with an OEM replacment. Most auto parts outlets won't even stock these parts either for non-availability or for concerns of automakers warranties.

Another consideration to be taken is the warranty on the replacement part. Auto parts stores will generally offer a couple of different options when choosing the part to be replaced. Of course the more expensive part they offer will more than likely include a better warranty than the cheaper part. Some of these warranties include a lifetime, as long as you own the car, replacement guarantee. The next comparison should be to the OEM part. Will the manufacturers part match that kind of warranty? If both warranties are the same, the next step is to compare the price of both parts. If one is more expensive than the other, why not buy the cheaper part and save some money?

One of the biggest concerns is to ensure that the aftermarket part is identical to the part that is being replaced. Purchasing a part from an OEM distributor leaves very little chance the part being replaced will be a match for the engine or vehicle it is to be placed on. A more "exact match" will be acheived from the people that assembled the vehicle to begin with. That doesn't make it a better replacement though. There may be a reason for the failure of original part and there are times the aftermarket part is actually better in quality than the stock item. But the aftermarket part should be compared to the original very closely to ensure it will mount on the engine or vehicle correctly.

Also give some thought to the actual availability to the part being replaced. How far would one have to drive to the closest dealer of the vehicle being worked on to obtain an OEM part? Most small towns will offer auto parts outlets but not necissarily an auto dealer of all manufacturers of automobiles. For an example, a traveling couple near my home blew out the side tank of the radiator on their Dodge pickup. Without a Dodge dealership in town, I was able to find the radiator for their vehicle at a local parts outlet less than two miles from where they were broke down. The

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