Opinion? - How do you feel about OEM parts -vs- aftermarket?

Speaking strictly about the engine, powertrain, and emissions system...

Years ago I used to think that the quality of most aftermarket parts were just as good as the OEM. Probably like many of you, I've spoken to parts store owners who say, "The factory provides the specs of the original parts and as long as the aftermarket part manufacturer meets or exceed those specs...you're golden, blah, blah, blah".

Over the years, I've changed my opinion; I think (at least for Toyota) if you really want your vehicle to last, perform at its best, etc., you should always use OEM parts. *I* think it's a very rare instance (but yes, there are some exceptions) that an aftermarket part is as good as an OEM Toyota.

Just one of many examples that comes to mind are the oxygen sensors. I've probably read most of the feedback that you all have commented and the conclusion I come to is: use the OEM Denso - it just works...nuff said.

How do you all feel about OEM -vs- aftermarket parts.

 

I'm a auto tech and alot of the aftermarket parts today are made in china. Even my denso radiator that i installed in my 4runner is chinese, it's a shame. I'm trying to locate american made brake shoes for my tacoma, contacted 3 of the parts warehouses that my work deals with with no luck. I was surprised that bendix and wagner shoes were made in china. Pads were american but the shoes weren't. Toyota dealer wants $81.00 for a set, i think i may have to order them.

 

See, you have to look at the TRUE definition of OEM. Toyota does not make the Denso Oxygen sensors. Therefore if you use a Denso Oxygen sensor, then technically you are using aftermarket, because Denso make THOUSANDS of parts for most all vehicles. The same goes for the spark plugs, etc. Toyota does not make them, they buy them from a manufacturer. Nippindenso, the alternators that are in the Toyota vehicles is another company, not Toyota.

I have worked in dealerships for some 20+ years, and have owned my own shop for 4. So I get a HUGE amount of exposure for OEM and aftermarket parts. That being said I know that typically when a Toyota or Nissan need spark plugs, I have found that NGK will usually perform the best. For GM vehicles, NGK do not work as well, but AC Delco work best. (Granted GM does own AC Delco, but AC Delco does make parts that fit many other types of vehicles) Fords like Motorcraft, but they also do well with spark plugs by Champion. With the Tacoma in particular I have been able to use many aftermarket timing belt and water pump kits with a 100% success rate so far. You need to learn who makes quality stuff, and who makes junk.

 

If you do get the Toyota brake shoes, I would look at the packaging. I had a customer who insisted on getting all his parts from Toyota. The box came in with the Toyota label on them, and the inside said "Made in Taiwan".

 

I work in the aftermarket wholesale biz so like the others that posted, I see my fair share of parts in-and-out the door daily. I will say like said before, you can't trust the box they come in. We get paid my GM, Duralast, and others to rebox parts. The way it works is lets say a store has an entire line of Thermoquiet pads and shoes stocked. They get paid by a competitor brand to remove that line and put their line in its place. The line that was removed is shipped to us and then is reboxed and sold to whoever the high bidder is for the parts.

All that to say that no matter what brand the box states, you need to look at the actual part and find brand stamps or part # stamps to determine where they are made and who made them.

Because of that, I choose high end aftermarket companies for maintenance parts. Denso, Timken, Spicer, Moog. The good ones.

 

When it comes to my Tacoma I typically stay with OEM parts, but mainly because I've worked at a few dealerships, which has made my biased. As for my POS daily driver Camry, I throw aftermarket parts at it, simply because it's lifespan is a potentially any day, month, or year.

I've gotten away with aftermarket "OEM quality" parts from your typical parts store on many of my previous vehicles and 9/10 times never had any issues. One thing I've realized though, especially for my Tacoma, is that when comparing parts prices, the OEM (purchased from Toyota dealer) parts are typically not too far off in pricing versus the aftermarket parts at the auto parts stores.

 

Same with a brakes. Lots of manufacturers use Brembo or Nissin calipers.
And our rusty frames were made by Dana, not Toyota.


Just because an OEM part is made overseas doesn't mean its better or worse than an aftermarket part made along side it. Toyota (or other OEMs) have specific specifications they require whether the part is made in North America, Asia, Europe, or where ever else. Many cheap aftermarket parts just are simply made with less concern for quality to save money. That doesn't mean some aftermarket parts aren't good and some OEM parts aren't bad and entirely overpriced.

 

I've been using aftermarket all my driving life and never had a problem. Like mentioned alot of times whether OEM or aftermarket they all come from the same place. As to Toyota parts bein as cheap as aftermarket parts, that's horse@#$% when I had to pay $130+ for a 2.5 foot long throttle cable for my '97. Unfortunately for some reason no one makes an aftermarket one or that's what it'd have.

 

I also think a lot of problems lie with quality control, and acceptable losses. For example say you have 2 companies. Company A is well known for it's quality parts, Company B is well known to have several bad apples. What is the difference?

Well company A receives 1000 calipers a day from their manufacturing plant using Machine XXX-1000, and each one goes through stringent testing, including x-ray of the metal, hydraulic pressure testing, and stress testing. About 500 units a day pass the test, and the failed units get melted down for recasting. Out of the 500 that pass on to the consumer, only 10 eventually fail, for a low 2% failure rate.

Company B receives 1000 calipers day from their manufacturing plant using the same XXX-1000 machine, and they test 50% of them using basic eye inspections, and hydraulic pressure tests. 750 units a day are approved. (estimating that 250 would possibly fail an x-ray test, but passed the others) Now assuming that since all of these calipers are made with the same machine, that there is a 5% failure rate. Since Company B sends out 750 units a day, they would have approx 15 units fail.

What does this boil down to? Well both companies have the same equipment to build their units, and have the same failure rate, but Company B has a bad rep because their inspection process is different. Quality control is different. Their calipers are essentially the EXACT same, but they allow a larger percentage of bad units to pass. This gives them a reputation for making bad parts, when in actuality they are offering the same BUILT parts, just a QC system that is sub-par. So if you did get a good unit from Company B, it would last just as long as a good one from Company A, as they are essentially the same unit.

 

How can you qualify then that the Toyota part is more expensive than an aftermarket part, if there is no aftermarket part available? Makes no sense. Perhaps if someone DID build an aftermarket cable, maybe theirs would be priced at $130 as well? I'm not saying that Toyota parts are all lower priced, but I have seen a LOT of manufacturers whose parts are the same, or even LESS than ones in the aftermarket. I've seen it first had in numerous situations, as I buy from aftermarket AND dealerships on a regular basis.

 

Not sure if this was due to my comment bout prices, but I don't see a valid point if there was no aftermarket comparison for your throttle cable. And I know not ALL parts are comparable in prices, but more tines than not I've found a minimal difference, granted your bringing quality into the picture. Just my thoughts.

 

I've been into motorized vehicles of all different sorts for all my life and have bought many a cables for many different applications and for a cable that short with no special features I've never paid anywhere near that. As far as not having an aftermarket piece for comparison, for the 1st Gen 3.4 there is aftermarket cables that can be had around $60, which I do believe are longer even. I couldn't find anywhere that sold one for the 2.7 other than the dealer, and in my experience what I paid vs what I got was overpriced. I'm sure there are some things that Toyota has that are priced inline with aftermarket, but foreign car parts often are overpriced compared to the domestics.

 

Part of that is import tariffs and taxes.

Unless I'm after something custom, like a suspension or armor, I buy TGP from Camelback Toyota. Decent prices, quick free shipping on orders over $150 and TGP quality.