Getting your car repaired at a body shop can be an extremely confusing process. Especially when you hear things that have to do with your car and you don’t know what it is. You want the best repair out there for your car, and your insurance company wants you to get your vehicle back to you as soon as possible. It sounds like they would be the same thing, right? Wrong.
Your insurance company wants the fastest repair possible because it’s also the most affordable. Fast repairs don’t necessarily mean the best repairs. But before we go into that, here’s what you need to know about OEM Parts and Aftermarket Parts.
What is OEM?
OEM stands for “Original Equipment Manufacturer.” These are the parts that are made by the vehicle’s manufacturer and are the best parts for your car since they are directly from the factory. Cars used to be repaired all the same year with just a variety of different tools. The way you repair cars today is entirely different due to the advancements in car technologies, such as ADAS systems. ADAS, or Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, are the technologies built into the car that has been engineered to keep you safe on the road. Some of the popular ADAS systems in cars are:
-Blind spot detection
-Lane departure warning
-Rearview camera
-Forward collision warning
-Emergency driver assist
-Lane change assistance
And much more!
Nowadays, technicians require a specific skill set to be up-to-date on the latest repairs that follow these OEM repair procedures. In fact, if they don’t follow the strict repair procedures directly from the car manufacturer, then it could cause more harm than good to your car.
What are Aftermarket Parts?
There are several repair shops out there still use aftermarket parts, which is a fancy way of saying used parts. When insurance companies are putting on the pressure for technicians to perform faster repairs, this means they will cut corners to get the repairs done in the deadline.
Technicians will use aftermarket parts instead of OEM parts because there’s no downtime in waiting for the parts to arrive from the factory. Aftermarket parts are significantly less expensive than OEM parts, and insurance companies want the cheapest repair out there. However, using aftermarket parts instead of OEM parts can damage or destroy the safety features cars today are built with (such as ADAS). For example, if your ADAS system was damaged in a crash and wasn’t repaired with OEM parts, then those advanced safety features will no longer work. When that happens, you’re that much more susceptible to be in an accident.
Now, there are specific scenarios where using aftermarket parts on your car are acceptable for the repair. It’s sporadic, so always opt for OEM only parts for your repair.
Who can I trust to repair my car the RIGHT way?
We at 3D Collision Centers know that you have many choices when it comes to choosing where to get your car repaired. Each one of our technicians has gone through extensive training and are I-CAR Gold Class certified, which is the highest level of certification an auto repair technician can receive. We follow OEM repair procedures and aim to give you the best possible repair for your car.
We have 7 different locations across Montgomery, Chester, and Delaware counties. Feel free to give us a call at anytime at (877)-692-7776. Or, to contact us at any of our locations directly, click here.
We look forward to hearing from you and showing you the 3D Difference!
