Today we travel into the shadowed world of auto parts, along
the thistle road and under the iron bridge; we look at what is best for your
car. Have you been tempted in the past by cheap non-branded parts, only to be
stung 3 months down the line with a bill for a replacement plus damages
incurred by its faults? Torque Auto would suggest buying genuine parts, every
time, and here’s why.
Not all parts are created equal, and that’s why “the same
parts” vary so much in price. But after shopping parts you can get a feel for
what the average price should be for a particular part. Be wary of drastic
differences: Higher isn’t always better but cheaper almost always means
inferior quality. Brand parts for instance
Ford Parts are created in fulfilment,
therefore they have every part for your Ford car, always and probably at a
close distance dealership, especially if you have a
used car.
Let’s take a look at some of the common replacement parts
and what the effects of “fixing it on the cheap” can be.
1. Brakes - Brakes are one of the most common repairs people
have done on their cars, and one of the common areas in which corners can be
cut. Brake shoes and pads are friction materials that rub against brake drums
or rotors, slowing the rotation of the wheels. The friction material is usually
made of a semi-metallic mixture (ground up metal mixed with other stuff). The
friction materials of cheaper pads or shoes tend to contain more metal and thus
are of a harder composition. Pads and shoes are bonded to a steel backing and
in cheaper pads the bonding material is often inferior, unlike the more
expensive pads that are riveted or bonded with a high quality bonding.
Poorly bonded brake pads and shoes wear out faster and can
possibly fail to stop your vehicle for several reasons. The harder composition
of the cheaper pads and shoes generates more heat when the brakes are applied
and doesn’t dissipate the heat as well. This heat crystallizes the glue, which
causes the pad or shoe to separate from its backing. The use of inferior glue
speeds up this process in a vicious circle. In addition, the hard composition
of the cheaper friction material tends to crack when heat is applied. To top it
all off, the contact of the harder friction material on the drums or rotors
wears out these parts more quickly.
In choosing drums and rotors, you should always buy the best
products available. Cheap drums and rotors are made of sub-standard steel and
therefore wear out prematurely, especially when they come in contact with
sub-standard friction materials, as mentioned above. Rotor and drum warpage and
premature wear are common when cheap parts are used in a brake job and warped
rotors result in decreased braking performance, which is a safety hazard.
2. Batteries - In a cheaper battery, the case is less sturdy,
the quality of the posts is compromised, there are fewer internal plates and
poor plate connection can cause the battery to fail when it is subjected to
vibration. Just because it “looks the same” as your old battery doesn’t mean
that it matches the performance of your OEM unit. Furthermore, installing a
battery that is rated at fewer cold-cranking amps than what is required by the
manufacturer is just asking for trouble.
3. Oil Filters - The oil filter keeps dirt out of your
engine, which is an important job if you want it to last. Quality oil filters
have a check valve, designed so that the engine has oil pressure immediately
upon cold start up, preventing wear. Many cheap filters lack this critical
element, or even worse, don’t have the fine filtering media necessary to
capture the smallest particles of dirt. This is not an area to try to save a
few dollars.
4. Alternators/Starters/Water Pumps - Alternators, starters,
and water pumps are the sorts of parts that, when they fail, can be rebuilt.
When this is done right, the end result is pretty much a brand new part,
although it is sold for less. Cheap rebuilt parts, however frequently lack
attention to the details that result in dependable performance. The companies
that produce low quality rebuilds replace only what is obviously bad and leave
the rest, hoping the part will outlast its short warranty. Selling these sorts
of parts as “rebuilt” is really a misnomer, as it would be more accurate to
describe them as “repaired.”
5. Spark Plugs and Ignition Components - Spark plugs and
ignition system components power the engine, and low quality products usually
result in poor performance or a car that doesn’t run. Years ago I did an
investigative report for a local TV station. It involved taking two GM ignition
modules, one an OEM part, the other, a knockoff. Both units looked the same and
had the same electrical connections and mounting configuration. Even the cases
looked the same. But once I opened them up, the similarities came to a
screeching halt. The OEM part was stuffed full of electronics, whereas the
knockoff had a mostly empty case. You only had to look inside these units to
understand the significant price difference.
We hope this helps guide your future part purchasing decision-making,
share with Torque Auto your parts stories and tips!
