One of the most common questions we get here at Maverick is why are our prices so much lower? First, our technicians are like ninja warriors. Not accountants. They are ASE certified, and have years and decades of mechanical and body shop repairs under their belt.

But, the second difference is that we specialize in making repairs that fit the overall budget and condition of your vehicle. That requires an explanation of the different types of parts you can choose for your vehicle. It doesn’t make any financial sense to put a $4000 transmission in a car that’s only worth $3000. Likewise, using a cheap aftermarket fuel pump on a $40,000 BMW is a recipe for disaster. Getting the right “mix” is the key to cost-effective repairs.

A lot of shops use jargon like “we only use OEM parts” and, there’s something to that. The bottom line is that yes, OEM parts sourced directly from the factory are going to be the best choice for your vehicle if it’s under warranty, if you’re not concerned with budget and you simply want that. And yes, if you want OEM parts we will use those.

However, it’s very important to understand the different types and kinds of alternatives, and speak candidly with your service advisor about your situation. So, let’s break down the different types of parts for you, talk real numbers and help you get the most life out of your car for the best price.

OEM/Original equipment.

OEM parts are the exact components that came on your car from the factory. These are the most expensive category of components that make your car get down the road. Typically, if you’re doing an expensive repair such as an engine, transmission or electrical repair you are going to want to use OEM parts. The drawback here is simply cost. OEM parts are typically 30-40% higher than aftermarket. Some (but not all) OEM parts are better and the reality is that on European and Asian vehicles, only OEM parts will work. We will get into the examples of component pieces that are OEM, but manufactured by exact replacement aftermarket parts in a bit.

Aftermarket Parts

Aftermarket parts get a bad rap. Some legit, some not-so-much. An aftermarket part is a component that is divided into two categories. One is Exact Like Kind Quality- which means that it is actually the same part as the OEM, and even made on the same assembly line. This happens frequently on alternators, fuel injection, fuel pumps, spark plugs, belts, hoses, some engine components (such as valves, pistons, rings) and auxiliary engine components like A/C compressors, power steering pumps, suspension components and the like. The other category is just Like Kind Quality. These are parts that are engineered to be exact replacement parts but may have slightly different materials in the finished product. These tend to be wear-and-tear items like brake pads, spark plugs, wires, filters and component pieces that just wear out over time. Each manufacturer is different, and only experience can give you a good indication which aftermarket parts are good or not. In terms of warranty, aftermarket parts will typically have LONGER warranty period that OEM parts. One word of caution: stay away from the eBay and Amazon aftermarket parts. That sounds like painting with a very broad brush stroke but the reality is that those aftermarket parts are often sub-par, and even brands that you can trust and buy at your local retailer won’t be the same. This has been a very valuable lesson to learn, and we’ve made this mistake.

Used Parts

Used parts are just that. Typically, sourced from junk yard or salvage operations, these are component pieces which have already been in a vehicle and will be anywhere from 50-70% less than their new counterparts. Used parts start off being about half the price, but after testing, refurbishing, seals, gaskets, they can quickly increase in total overall cost to you. We never use untested used parts. If the customer provides their own used parts, we have no warranty coverage on our repairs.

Remanufactured Parts

Remanufactured parts – also known as Reman- are a specialty component and aren’t frequently utilized. They are nornally just as expensive as brand new parts. They usually have a component of metal and rubber- things like shock absorbers, control arms. Also, some exhaust system components have to be remanufactured due to cost controls. As a general rule, we don’t use reman parts unless there are no other alternatives available. Even though it’s a similar word to reconditioned parts, the devil is in the details.

Reconditioned Parts

Reconditioned parts start off at the end of their life- from the junk yard. Essentially, recon parts are taken down to their component pieces and rebuilt using factory oem component or aftermarket component pieces. Whew! That’s a mouth full! The advantage of reconditioned parts is that the shop does the work, and we can fully quality control the work. This is a great hybrid of used and aftermarket. Typically, reconditioned parts are things that don’t break but need to be brought up to factory spec. Examples are transmissions, engine cylinder heads, intake and exhaust components. Recon parts are a viable option if you’re on a budget and you don’t want to take a risk with used parts.

So, what should I use?

What’s this all mean? IT means there’s a lot of choices, and it means you can really win-or-lose if you use the wrong parts. Oftentimes, availability is a larger determining factor than price.