Wednesday 24th August 2022
When you flick through a company’s catalogue, you may notice some of their trailer parts haven’t been branded. This is because the products aren’t from an OEM.
Or when the time finally comes to change a certain nut, bolt, or bigger component of your trailer you will need to make the controversial choice of whether to go with a genuine or non-genuine product. This article is here to inform you of the pros and cons of both so you can make a decision.SO, WHAT IS AN OEM?
OEM stands for original parts manufacturer. This means that the Original Equipment Manufacturer provides the components for the finished products of another company. So, to help you get a clearer picture Towmate may have its brand of jockey wheel but there are still other non-genuine jockey wheels available from AlphaParts.
AVAILABILITY
OEMs normally tend to only sell their products to authorized dealers which can make them harder to locate if you are further out in the countryside or just not near one.
WHICH IS BETTER?
Here are some of the top arguments people have for and against non-genuine parts;
Having a genuine trailer part eliminates the problem of having to find which parts will fit your trailer. Each replacement part has a part number which can be found with a component that goes alongside perfectly. This can be very useful with smaller more technical parts like nuts and bolts. Brands normally offer a warranty and/or guarantee alongside a genuine part they have made. Brands specialise in what they create. Therefore, this means that the product has been designed more carefully and is usually more reliable. If a brand made an unreliable product this could ruin its name whereas a non-genuine product doesn’t have a reputation to uphold. There may not be anything to cover you if there is a mechanical fault so you may need to do some background checks on the product and see if it is reliable in your opinion or not. This is where the part number issue can come into play – as it is a non-genuine product it is hard to identify the exact part number so finding reviews can prove more difficult.
WHAT IS MORE COST-EFFECTIVE?
When it comes to cost it depends on the reliability you need of the product. Non-genuine parts are often cheaper than genuine. As mentioned before a genuine product has been carefully designed to do the best it can for what you need whereas a non-genuine can be less thought through. It can depend on the scale of the product – how much it would cost you if it broke? Will it compromise the warranty of your trailer? Most non-genuine products come without a warranty meaning you will have to absorb the cost of them failing.
MATERIALS
Non-genuine products can seem more cost-effective but as with most things, this is for a reason. Having less money to create and research the design of these products and outsource metals etc the quality can be reduced. This can increase the likelihood of your product failing and lower its durability.
Contact us today on 01206 585438 or email sales@ate-uk.com.
