Repairs and servicing: Motorists given the power of choice
Although car owners have been given the freedom to shop around for cheaper car parts, they should be mindful of what they buy and how reputable it is.
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Cars are expensive and so is their upkeep, but without regularly servicing your vehicle, you will eventually find yourself stuck on the side of the road – with the prospect of even more expense.
Fortunately, new guidelines make it possible for motorists to shop around for cheaper parts, which is good news because Non-original spare parts are generally readily available and more competitively priced. But what will it do to your warranty?
Kate Elliott, the CEO of Right to Repair, an organisation committed to advocating for consumer choice, says replacing parts can indeed be a costly issue. The good news is that since the implementation of the Competition Commission’s new guidelines in 2022, the consumer is finally allowed to shop around and use non-original quality spare parts.
The new guidelines define ‘original spare parts’ as replacement parts produced by, on behalf of, or under the instructions/order of, an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and in accordance with specifications and production standards provided by the OEM. It includes those spare parts that are distributed by the original manufacturer or any other authorised distributors or marked with the trademark of the OEM. “In simpler terms, they are any part the OEM places its brand on or sells through its authorised dealers,” says Elliott.
‘Non-original spare parts’ are defined as spare parts that carry a warranty from their manufacturer and are legitimate and traceable for sale in the aftermarket. They are not parts specifically commissioned, sold or branded by an OEM. Non-original spare parts exclude counterfeit spare parts.
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It is important to remember, says Elliot, that car manufacturers are not parts manufacturers. They outsource the manufacture of their branded parts to parts manufacturers like Bosch, GUD and Mahle, to name just a few. “The parts manufacturers also produce the same parts that they produce for the OEMs under their own names and under white labels. So, in reality, there is no such thing as an OEM manufactured part, and parts produced by reputable quality parts manufacturers under a different name are in fact of the same quality as those commissioned by the OEMs.”
The Tyre Equipment and Parts Association believes that for too long now, the consumer has been led to believe that original or genuine parts are only those which come in an OEM branded box.
“As long as the parts used in a vehicle are made of quality materials and have traceability, the consumer is not at risk. “The guidelines state that a warranty on a vehicle cannot be voided because of the use of equal matching quality parts. It is only if such a part, or a mistake made during the installation thereof, were to cause a fault that a portion of the warranty may be voided,” says Elliot.
The long and the short of the matter is that although consumers need to be mindful of these issues, they can buy from reputable suppliers that can trace the production path of the parts they buy.
Source: Cathy Findley PR