What Is the Difference?
You have probably come across the terms genuine, non-genuine, reconditioned and secondhand parts for vehicles. However, do you know what differentiates one from the others and how this difference can impact the safety and roadworthiness of your vehicle? The effect of the difference can be dissimilar for different parts of your vehicle. For example, you may not want to purchase secondhand shock absorbers for obvious reasons but will do well to pick up a set of second-hand headlights. Similarly, you may not want to risk purchasing a non-genuine airbag.
When choosing between these different types of land rover spare parts factors such as price, availability, and function of the part to be replaced – whether integral to the safety and drivability of the vehicle or not, play an important role.
Genuine Parts
Genuine parts as the name suggests are parts that were originally fitted in your vehicle at the time of manufacture. You will know it’s a genuine part because it will always carry the company logo. So do fake parts, but that’s a different discussion. While genuine parts are the most expensive among the different types of spare parts available in the market it is good to know that they are not necessarily better than an OEM part or an aftermarket part. An OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) part is manufactured by the same company that manufactures the vehicle. An aftermarket part is manufactured by a different company.
Non-Genuine Parts
A non-genuine part has not been verified or tested by the original manufacturer of the vehicle. These parts are manufactured by third parties whose credentials are not made visible to those purchasing the parts, which in turn means they cannot be held accountable should something go wrong with the vehicle as a result of fixing that part. With non-genuine parts, you also do not know if the part has been put through the necessary tests and checks to ensure its reliability. Therefore, non-genuine parts are less reliable, particularly for replacing components that are critical for safety but may be a good choice for replacing less critical components of your vehicle.
Reconditioned Parts
Reconditioned parts are usually large parts of a vehicle such as an engine or a gearbox that have multiple components that work interdependently. Reconditioning such a part involves dismantling the part to fix one or more of the smaller parts within, to give it a new lease of life. To keep costs down, often the broken or worn-out component(s) may be replaced with a genuine but used part. If you are hesitant about replacing a large part with a second-hand part because it is integral to your vehicle’s reliability, a reconditioned part can be a good option.
Secondhand Parts
A secondhand part is usually salvaged from other vehicles, often scrapped vehicles. They are the cheapest that you can buy but because they have not been tested, and you have no idea how long it has been in use before it was salvaged, they may need to be replaced again quite soon.
