When you are looking for an auto body repair shop or collision center for your car following an accident, one of the questions that you should ask is whether the repair shop uses original equipment parts, also known as OEM parts. Unfortunately, most people are not familiar with this term. Getting answers to the questions you have about it will help you understand what OEM parts are and why it is important to find a repair shop that replaces the parts in your car with them.
What Are OEM Parts?
Original equipment parts, or OEM parts, are parts that are manufactured and produced by the manufacturer of your automobile. So, for example, if you have a Honda, you will want Honda OEM parts used in your vehicle. These parts are made by Honda specifically for the make and model of automobile you have. The alternative to OEM parts is aftermarket parts which are not made by the manufacturer of your car and are often designed to work in a variety of different types of vehicles.
What Are the Benefits of Using OEM Parts?
The reason why it is so important to use OEM parts in a car when possible is that these parts are designed by the manufacturer to work specifically in your car. They are designed to work with all of the other OEM parts already in your car to help your car function properly and last as long as it is designed to. When you use aftermarket parts, those parts are not designed specifically to provide you with the best fuel efficiency, lifespan or work properly with other parts in your car.
Does Insurance Pay for OEM Parts?
Your auto insurance company will pay for OEM parts for the most part. If you have an older vehicle and OEM parts are not readily available, insurance may not have to pay for OEM parts. But as long as the parts are readily available for the manufacturer, insurance will cover them.
Have you been involved in an auto collision? If so, you will want to find an auto body shop that uses OEM parts when repairing your car. Here at Suburban Auto Body, serving the greater Twin Cities area, we are proud to say that we use OEM parts when possible. Turn to us when you need accident repair, auto body and paint repair, glass repair and insurance repair. Call us now to make an appointment to have your car inspected and repaired.