Certified Replacement Parts vs Acura OEM Parts

Nov 2009 2

Certified Replacement Parts vs Acura OEM Parts

Living in the Dallas area, I know you’ve heard and seen commercials from certain collision repair facilities touting the use of “Certified Replacement Parts”. The truth is certified replacement parts are not what were originally on your Acura when it was built but are produced by an aftermarket supplier, usually in Korea or China. Original Equipment Manufacturer parts, also called OEM, are the terms used to describe parts made by the factory and are of exactly the same fit, finish and quality of the damaged part that is to be replaced on your Acura.

Sometimes, as a cost saving measure, an insurance company will specify the use of aftermarket, reconditioned, salvage, recycled and LKQ (Like, Kind and Quality) parts. Aftermarket parts (aka certified replacement parts) are knock-off copies of the original parts and might not be of the same fit, finish and quality of the OEM parts produced by Acura. Reconditioned parts are previously damaged OEM parts that have been repaired by an outside company and may not be of the same fit, finish and quality. Salvage, recycled and LKQ parts are those that have been removed from an Acura like yours at salvage yards to replace the damaged parts on your Acura. These parts are usually of the same fit, finish and quality of your OEM parts but they may require some minor repairs before they are installed on your Acura.

So, if you ever find yourself in need of collision repairs in the Dallas area, be sure to ask if original Acura parts are being used to repair your vehicle. Depending on which insurance company is covering the repairs to your damaged Acura, it may be possible for them to include the use of OEM parts if your policy allows for it. If your policy doesn’t, now is the time to ask your agent about one that does.

In most cases, your repair facility would rather use OEM parts. The fit, finish and quality is guaranteed to make the repair process easier, quicker and more trouble free while returning your Acura to its pre-accident condition.