Non-genuine parts - why the brand is important and how to choose a good part

The issue of selecting high-quality, but at the same time inexpensive spare parts remains relevant today. As noted in the Avtopro.es marketplace, many drivers prefer spare parts from the so-called. low level packers. They offer inexpensive parts with a small operational resource. Spare parts from certain categories serve 12-18 months. Why do drivers demand such products? It's all about the price. We offer to figure out how spare parts are made and whether it is possible to choose "your" manufacturer.

Production specifics

Many drivers are sure that almost all Chinese spare parts cannot boast of decent quality. In reality, the situation is more complicated. The better the plant is equipped and the better the technological process is optimized, the higher the quality of the manufactured products. If a packaging company places an order for the cheapest possible spare parts with a Chinese factory, it will fulfill such an order without any problems. And in the end, only the buyer will be dissatisfied. Usually unscrupulous manufacturers and suppliers try to save on such automotive products:

• Body parts;
• Components of brake systems (usually only pads and discs);
• Autochemistry, such as oils, antifreezes and other things;
• Wiper components;
• Bearings;
• Running elements.

As the reader has probably already guessed, the above items correspond to consumables or spare parts with a relatively small resource that require replacement every few years. The quality of the products is usually at an acceptable level, but with a high probability they are made according to the principle “get old faster - buy a replacement faster”. Brake pads are a good example. Typically, cars coming off the assembly line are equipped with hard pads. Analogues from the secondary market are softer and last less.

Making a smart purchase

Experts note that original spare parts are usually superior to analogues in all respects. But there are times when non-originals are almost as good as factory parts, but they are significantly cheaper than the latter. For example, most of the market for drive belts today is occupied by three companies: Dayco, Gates, Contitech. They also supply their products to automakers. When choosing replacement parts, pay special attention to the manufacturer's brand. The most interesting information is:

• Does the manufacturer use special security features, such as holograms and verification codes;
• Is the manufacturer among the official suppliers to the factories of auto concerns;
• Does the company have recommendations from automakers.

Also, the driver should study reviews of spare parts from different product categories. For example, many customers were dissatisfied with the quality of Bosch wiper blades. But the German giant company makes good brake pads. If the manufacturer's brand is well known, the driver should be wary of fakes. You can identify a genuine spare part by its overall quality and the presence of protective features.

When choosing spare parts, you should check the product packaging, labeling, as well as pay attention to a number of small details. For example, the quality of welds. In some cases, fakes have the wrong name. You should also pay attention to the manufacturer's logo, batch code, article number and place of production; the quality of work with metal, the quality of painting, printing, reading the inscriptions embossed on the body; special security features: holograms, one-time codes and QR-codes. Depending on the manufacturer, the list of security features will be different. For example, boxes with KYB shock absorbers must have a bar code, a sticker with information about the product. The shock absorbers themselves must also have inscriptions and the company logo. Bilstein protects its products with QR codes and holograms. In the case of Sachs, the driver must compare the names of the product lines on the packaging and shock absorbers.