Ordering Parts

GENERAL INFORMATION

The use of high-quality spare parts and consumables intended specifically for your vehicle plays an important role in repair work.

In general, spare parts can be divided into two main groups:

Original spare parts. These spare parts are distributed through the official representatives of the vehicle manufacturers. They always come in the original packaging and bear the vehicle manufacturer's markings. The quality meets all requirements and is guaranteed by the vehicle manufacturer itself. The official representative of the vehicle manufacturer stocks all spare parts for the given vehicle. If any part is not in stock at the representative, it is delivered in a short time from the central warehouse.

Non-original spare parts. The term "non-original" says nothing about the quality of the spare parts. It means that they are not sold in the vehicle manufacturer's packaging and are not distributed through the official vehicle dealers. The core of this group consists of well-known spare parts manufacturers that supply parts to the vehicle manufacturers' assembly lines. Since their equipment and technologies allow them to produce parts for the vehicles of many other manufacturers, they make parts not only for the assembly line of one or several vehicle assemblers, but also for sale on the open market. These parts have the packaging and markings of the parts manufacturer. The quality is not inferior to original spare parts, and prices can be much lower than for original parts (the difference can reach 50% in favor of non-original parts). The range is somewhat more modest than that of original spare parts. The program includes the most common parts in greatest demand.

Many large Western spare parts dealers use their own packaging, purchasing a wide range of non-original spare parts in large batches directly from manufacturers and selling them under their own trademark.

Non-original parts are, as a rule, distributed through independent spare parts stores, independent repair shops and service stations.

Special

CAUTION

attention should be paid to the quality of the spare parts purchased. Avoid buying very cheap spare parts (compared with original and non-original parts from well-known manufacturers), as they often do not meet quality and safety standards. If low-quality trim moldings only affect the appearance of the vehicle, installing low-quality brake pads or an oil filter can pose a threat to passenger safety or cause serious engine damage, so repair costs may exceed many times the amount saved by buying the cheap part. Therefore, use either authorized dealers (genuine parts) or well-established suppliers of non-original spare parts.

It is also possible to purchase remanufactured parts, in which case you return the old part. This applies primarily to complex, expensive parts such as the engine, alternator, starter motor, etc. This option is sometimes offered by both official representatives and independent spare parts sellers.

This also saves a considerable part of your money, in most cases quite significantly. In addition, the company selling the remanufactured unit gives almost the same warranty as for a new one.

Identification of spare parts

The vehicle manufacturer constantly improves its products and continually introduces changes into the design. It may happen that within one series and one version of the vehicle, some assemblies and units may differ slightly from each other, and a spare part from, for example, an earlier version will not fit another. Therefore, when purchasing spare parts, it is very important to provide the seller with as complete information about the vehicle as possible. The more accurate information about your vehicle you provide, the less likely an error will be.

In addition to the standard data, including the model year, body type, body version, chassis number (VIN), engine number, etc., the seller may be interested in the following data:

Whether any additional equipment is installed on the vehicle (for example, an auxiliary heater, a more powerful alternator, air conditioning).

Transmission type.

Is a catalytic converter fitted?

Type of fuel injection system, etc.

Installation location of the part.

If for any reason the documents reflecting this information are not available, it is recommended to consult specialists, for example by visiting an authorized dealer.

Sometimes, when buying a particular part, it is very useful to take the old part to be replaced with you for comparison.