If you’ve been following our articles, at this point you might be wondering what the difference really is between OE and OE Replacement parts. It’s worth talking a look at the life cycle of car parts to make sense of it all.

First, the definition: Original equipment parts are the ones that come on a car from the factory. You might not realize it, but two identical cars, of the same make, model and year, could have different parts on them. Manufacturers make mid-cycle changes all the time, suppliers come and go, stocks run low and new designs get introduced. Original equipment doesn’t mean a specific water pump, for instance, but one that meets all the requirements for a new car.

There’s a lot of money in making cars, but automakers aren’t in the business of selling parts. In reality, it’s a long way from the days when Henry Ford owned the mines that produced his iron–there’s a lot more assembly than manufacturing involved today. They do own the patents and other intellectual property associated with the cars, however. And they do want high-quality parts to be available after they stop assembling cars. So they license the manufacture of parts to OE parts makers.

That’s what OE Replacement sells. When a supplier makes parts that are OE quality, they make them to at least the same standard as parts used in the original car. Sometimes, it is the same company that supplied the manufacturer; after all, the supplier had already gone through all the work to set up their manufacturing process. These are sometimes called Original Equipment Supplier (OES) parts, and they may or may not have the brand stamped on them, depending on the licensing agreement.

But other companies can manufacture the exact same part, too, if they obtain the license. They might not look exactly the same, but in fit and operation they will be identical to what came on the car. If a car or truck is still under warranty, that’s what a dealership is using for repairs. In fact, if they’re smart they’re getting their OE parts from OE Replacement, because OE Replacement doesn’t sell anything else.

If the difference between OE and OE Replacement parts is subtle, the difference between OE and aftermarket parts is anything but.

That’s not to say there aren’t good aftermarket parts, and good aftermarket parts makers. After all, all performance parts are by definition aftermarket parts, even if they come from Subaru STi, Ford Racing or MOPAR Performance. They may be made by the manufacturer, but they didn’t come on a new car.

The consumer is on their own in the aftermarket arena. Many brands do offer warranties and take the time to research and test their products, but none of them has the resources of the OE manufacturer, whose parts have gone though the entire product development cycle of a new car. No offshore manufacturer is spending millions of dollars and thousands of hours testing their products, and we’ve seen the effects of that in Chinese tire recalls, and many other less spectacular failures of accessories and components.

Upgrades are one area where a consumer is likely to find a safe benefit from aftermarket parts. If a car didn’t come with HID headlights, for example, upgrading to a bright white or blue halogen aftermarket bulb, or even an HID conversion kit, can be a real improvement. Likewise, installing premium flat wiper blades is an easy way to improve visibility; after all, if it doesn’t work out, you don’t exactly have to take the car into the shop to put the old blades back on.

But when it comes to major items like water pumps, clutch kits or transmission, a cheap replacement could be a huge mistake. These are auto accessories that are vital for the operation of the car. If you know what you’re doing, you might want to install a performance aftermarket part, with the understanding that there’s almost always a trade-off in longevity or comfort. Using OE parts from OE Replacement whenever your car or truck needs new parts will give it a new-car feel literally forever.

When a parts store sells a belt, headlight, filter or wiper blade over the counter, consumers are resigned to a retail markup, usually a minimum of 100 percent–but on small items like bulbs, we’ve seen over a thousand percent markup! Can you imagine: A 37-cent bulb, being sold for $3.99? But that’s what the parts store would charge you; in fact, it’s not worth their while to sell something that costs less.

So you take your car to the dealership for work; surely they’ll treat you right. Well, they’ll treat you right as far as the work on your car is concerned, but they’re not letting car parts go without a profit–how many 37-cent items have you seen on an invoice? More likely, there’s an item that lumps them all in together, with a nice, convincing number attached. Your local independent garage might do better, but they’re at the mercy of the parts store, too.

You can get wholesale auto parts, however, direct from OE Replacement. There is literally no way to get a cheaper part, and at the same time guarantee 100% Original Equipment quality from a company that refuses to sell inferior car and truck parts.

So why not just go to the supplier and buy a part yourself? You’re welcome to, if you want to place an order for 10,000 car radiators. Yes, you’d get an excellent price…just back that rail car on up to your freight terminal….

OE Replacement, however, can buy directly from the manufacturer, and they do get that excellent price. Now, it’s like you’re the manufacturer, getting high-quality, warranted parts at wholesale prices. There’s no confusion about what the price really is, no question about whether it will fit or not, and no worries about quality.

Whether you’re a home mechanic who wants to get maximum value and quality at the same time, or an independent garage that wants to be able to state proudly that you’re using only the best while still keeping costs in line, OE Replacement is as close as dialing 877-OER-8778.

The Automotive Industry is ever changing, but never quite like this. The consumer is now in an awkward position. In today’s economy, drivers are thrown into a guessing game- Will the company that made my vehicle still exist when my leasing term is up? Will they be there when my car has reached its routine service interval? Where will I go if my dealership has gone out of business and who will have the proper parts for my repair?

OEReplacement.com has been introduced to help the consumer with the uncertainty of today’s market conditions. In previous years, the Repair Shop and Do-It-Yourself (DIY) market has had extremely limited options when considering how to identify and where to purchase OEM replacement parts.

Complicated questions with one simple answer. OEReplacement.com has the expansive product selection you can have confidence in. We buy directly from OE manufacturers and bypass all the middle-men in order to provide you substantial savings without sacrificing OEM quality.

In April, OEReplacement.com has introduced 7 new product lines: Conversion Clutch Kits, Clutch kits, Performance Clutch Kits, Flywheels, Hydraulic Master Cylinders, Hydraulic Slave Cylinders, Ignition Wire Sets. You can witness this trend first hand by watching our product offerings to grow weekly.

Product line suggestions?
We look forward to your input.

Please Contact us.

On the 5th of January, 2009, the launch of a small family owned website OEReplacement.com set out to change the way auto parts are sold on-line. “You are never sure what you are getting when you buy a part over the internet.” commented Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Josh Kaplan, when asked why he was pursuing a change.

The primary task was to come up with a way to complement the internet with customer service so that the customer receives what they expect without any unnecessary misunderstanding. One year before the launch of OEReplacement.com it was obvious to Josh Kaplan and Chief Information Officer (CIO), Josh Razgunas, that this was not an easy task, and that many of the automated processes which make selling products over the internet so inexpensive had to be revised. “Many companies lack the key pieces of information that tell the customer what to expect with their purchase, and it isn’t enough to just place it in a text box and hope the customer sees it.” stated Josh Razgunas.

So how does a company compete with prices on the web and still find a way to give the customer what they expect? “Contact! Contact! Contact!” remarked Andrea Kaplan, Director of Internet Operations. “We have found that the best way to make sure the customer is satisfied is by picking up a phone and contacting them, not only after the sale is completed, but before the sale ever takes place.” The company has two major points of contact. The first is within 24 hours of the order being placed, in most cases less than an hour. The second point of contact is after the order is delivered. The customer is contacted to ensure that the order was received, the contents were as expected, and that the customer is pleased with the order.

The OE replacement auto parts sales team expects that this will be a new frontier for internet sales – The one that finally takes the “robot” out of the equation. This is a mixed media format, combining telephone with internet sales. Many companies have been known to have separate divisions for both formats, but few if any have ever made the leap into combining these experiences. This is why OEReplacement.com believes that the winner will ultimately be the customer. They believe that with the right price and the right customer experience there is no reason for you to buy parts for your vehicle anywhere else.