Ever heard of the phrase penny wise but pound foolish? It means to be extremely careful about small amounts of money and not careful enough about larger amounts of money. And this phrase is especially relevant when it comes to cars. When times are tough, people tend to cut corners when servicing and buying parts for their vehicles. While this may be tempting, it could cost you so much more in the long run.
Your car is made up of thousands of pieces perfectly put together to form the whole. Stick in an outsider part, and you jeopardize the integration and functionality of the whole vehicle, explains GMSA Senior Manager, Aftersales, Llewellyn van Antwerpen.
Non-OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts might look the same as the original, but they are not created equal. There is no way of knowing how they will perform. Thats a risk that could affect the safety of the vehicle and its occupants, jeopardize the validity of your warranty, as well as the performance and lifespan of the vehicle not to mention the expensive consequences should major components fail.
Cost vs. Quality
Why is it so much cheaper than the original parts? Well, thats probably because they werent engineered, tested or certified to OEM specifications. There is, of course, a cost to the engineering and stringent testing that ensures that each part operates optimally and is perfectly integrated with other OEM parts. The knock-offs are usually simple copies, often of low-grade materials, with no quality testing to ensure performance, said Van Antwerpen.
While you may shun approved car dealerships and service centers because you assume a private garage will be cheaper, if you do some research you will find that this is not the case.
Customers can only be assured of having genuine parts fitted by servicing and repairing their vehicle at a manufacturer-approved dealership or body repairer, such as those in the countrywide Chevrolet, Opel or Isuzu network, van Antwerpen points out.
Additionally, all approved service and repair work is carried out by trained technicians, using specialist diagnostic equipment and tools. With increasingly advanced levels of technology in todays vehicles, the special tools and access to technical information and training require a substantial investment and one that only a manufacturer-approved service provider is willing to make regularly. Nobody knows your vehicle better than these trained professionals.
The corner dent guy offers no guarantees that repairs are to manufacturer standards. In support of our customers, GMSA has a network of close to 400 GM-approved body repairers, who have met our stringent requirements with regards to equipment, qualifications, and customer service and satisfaction. We monitor their performance to ensure that only the best quality of repair is delivered to our mutual customers, and would support any customers if there are any issues with repairs.
Van Antwerpen believes that at the end of the day you get what you pay for. Personally, I cant understand why anyone would put the safety of their family and the value of their expensive asset at risk by not servicing and repairing with providers approved by the manufacturer.
