What Parts Will Be Used On My Body Repair?

I have talked about parts before but hadn’t defined some of the questions you need to ask.  Parts can vary widely to what will be used on your vehicle.

The repair shop could use OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer), Automotive Aftermarket, Reconditioned original Equipment and Used parts.

Usually with a one to two year old vehicle, parts will be replaced with new or OEM parts.  Your son’s nine year old car will receive used or aftermarket parts.  We have had clients where their insurance company provides aftermarket parts as part of their policy but will allow the customer to upgrade to OEM and pay the difference.  The cost can be minimal in most cases to retain your cars value.

So what are aftermarket or as I call them, ‘imitation’ parts?  According to the aftermarket industry they say its products are built to industry standards and are as good as those produced by the OEMs. I will just tell you to check with your body shop what parts will be used on your repair and their experience with such parts.

In any case the decision for what parts are used will depend on the age of your car, the terms of your insurance policy and the size of your wallet.

Tim Welch
General Manager