When It comes to car parts there are a number of different options you can consider buying if your vehicle needs repairs. From the genuine manufacture parts, to salvaged parts and right down to aftermarket parts, there is plenty of variation in the market. There has been increasing evidence in recent years which suggests that aftermarket parts can be both dangerous to our health and to our bank statements. To help you fully understand the dangers of aftermarket parts, here are four of the main dangers.
Safety
As new, your car will (obviously) be made up entirely of genuine car parts, made by the manufacturer specifically for that particular model of car. These parts have been through vigorous testing in the development of that car by the manufacturer and have been put through internationally recognised safety tests like those done by EuroNCAP. All this testing ensures that those specific parts work efficiently and correctly in your particular car.
Aftermarket parts have been through no such testing. Speaking to genuine Honda parts retailer Cox Motor Parts, they explained how “Aftermarket parts are generally produced by companies which have little or no affiliation with the genuine manufacturer, this means that they cannot be put through the same safety tests.
They are even more unsafe because there is no 100% guarantee that they are made from the same material, weigh the same or fit correctly, all things which could put you and your vehicle in danger when installed.”
Warranty
As mentioned in the point on safety, aftermarket parts are more often than not entirely produced by secondary companies who have had not been officially approved by genuine car manufacturers.
What this means in terms of warranties is that it could potentially ruin your cars current warranty. If you have a new car, but need a repair, installing an aftermarket part could make the warranty void, potentially causing you a good chunk of money if anything substantially bad happens to it.
Aftermarket parts often do have warranties for themselves, which can be helpful if the part is installed and then is the same thing which causes you a breakdown, but of course that is either very lucky or very unlucky, depending on your outlook.
Vehicle value
Providing cars avoid encountering substantial damage, they generally have a steady depreciation in value(find out yours on this handy calculator), because of increased mileage and the usual wear and tear of the road. Obviously accidents and damages can further devalue your vehicle, and are further exacerbated if you decide to repair your car with aftermarket parts.
While this seems frustrating, its worth considering from the other side of the fence. Imagine you go to buy a car, the current owner tells you of a previous accident and that the car was repaired afterwards.
He then stresses that the part it was fitted isn’t actually specifically for that car, but works nonetheless. Hearing information like that would either make you question the current price of make you wonder how unsafe the car might be if you own it. Either way you are les likely to want to buy as advertised.
Performance
It would be unsurprising to read after what has been mentioned so far that aftermarket parts can also effect your vehicles performance once installed. Because there they have not been effectively tested in your exact model before hitting the shelves, there is a considerable chance that they either won’t fit exactly right or work as efficiently as a genuine part, all meaning your car won’t perform to the expected standard.
Imagine if you replace a part of your car’s front axel and then after a while you realise your steering isn’t what it was. This could well be down to that aftermarket part you installed.
Aftermarket parts can be more attractive simply because they are regularly cheaper, but for the reasons above, its fair to say its worth spending that bit extra for the correct quality. Failing to do so means that your putting your own safety more at risk, hindering your cars performance, throwing away its warranty and reducing its value.