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After-market does not mean counterfeit. In most cases the after-market companies are the same ones that supply the genuine parts to the manufacturers.

Now this is not to say that you should not be aware of and avoid counterfeit parts, because you most definitely should. Counterfeit parts are cheaply made pop-offs of not only genuine manufacturers parts but also of quality after-market pieces. They usually are made of sub-standard materials and can vary from having poor wear characteristics to being out and out dangerous.

So, what is an after-market part?

An after-market part is a quality part made and distributed by a known manufacturer of automotive parts. Examples of quality after-market stock replacement parts would be TRW, Moog, Champion, Clevite, NGK, McCord, Fel-pro, Detroit Gasket, Wagner brakes, etc., etc. All of these companies, and many more, not only sell their parts as replacement products under their own brand names, they also supply OEM parts to manufacturers and in some cases to each other. An example of this is timing chains and gears. For years if you bought TRW or Sealed Power timing components they would have Cloyes, which manufactured them, cast or stamped right on the parts.

There is also a complete hi-performance after-market industry which once again supplies parts through OEM hi-performance outlets and through speed shops under their own brands.

So, what do you need to know to safely use after-market parts on your vehicle?

Firstly, educate yourself. Know what companies are reputable suppliers of quality replacement parts and know what the normal price range is for these parts. If you are getting a part supposedly from a reputable manufacturer for much lower than the norm, then it is probably a counterfeit part, not after-market.

Know that there are no known problems with specific after-market parts on your vehicle. In the '70s and '80s quality after-market brake pads did not work on Volvos because they had a problem with pad material build-up on the rotors, even with their own regular replacement pads, and developed special high-abrasive pads to combat it. A reverse of this is when Chev had problems with camshafts and after-market cams fixed the problem until GM had a recall on them.

Know your warranty. The times when the manufacturers could void your warranty for using after-market parts is past in many areas. In most cases, as long as you use quality after-market parts which are approved for use

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