By Kate Elliott, CEO of Right to Repair

An important part of owning a car is keeping it in good running condition and as we all know, services and parts are not cheap, especially when budgets are stretched to the limit.

Kate Elliott, CEO of Right to Repair, an organisation committed to advocating for consumer choice, says replacing parts can indeed be a costly issue. The good news is that since the implementation of the Competition Commission’s new Guidelines in July last year, the consumer is finally allowed to shop around and use non-original quality spare parts which generally come with a more competitive price tag.

In the Guidelines "Original Spare Parts" are defined as replacement Spare Parts produced by, on behalf of or under the instructions/order of an OEM and in accordance with specifications and production standards provided by the OEM, as well as those Spare Parts distributed by the OEM or any other authorised distributors of the OEM or marked with the trademark of the OEM. “In simpler terms they are any part the OEM places its brand on or sells through its authorised dealers,” says Elliott.

"Non-Original Spare Parts" are defined as Spare Parts that carry a Warranty from its manufacturer and are legitimate and traceable for sale in the aftermarket, but that are not parts specifically commissioned, sold or branded by an OEM. Non-Original Spare Parts exclude counterfeit Spare Parts.

Elliott says the problem is that consumers are often led to believe that only an OEM branded part i.e an Original Spare Part is acceptable. “The reality is that car manufacturers are not parts manufacturers. They outsource the manufacture of their branded parts to parts manufacturers like Bosch, GUD and Mahle to name just a few. The parts manufacturers also produce the same parts that they produce for the OEMs under their own names and under white labels. So in reality there is no such thing as an OEM manufactured part, and parts produced by reputable quality parts manufacturers under a different name, are in fact of the same quality as those commissioned by the OEMs.”   

Elliott says she sees this as a big education drive in 2023 supported strongly by organisations like the Tyre Equipment and Parts Association which represents most of the quality parts manufacturers in the country.

TEPA believes that for too long now the consumer has been led to believe that that original or genuine parts are only those which come in an OEM branded box. 

Elliott concurs saying in practice many of the OEM commissioned parts are white boxed and rebranded - the label or brand being dependant on where they are being sold. 

“As long as the parts used in a vehicle are made of quality materials and have traceability, the consumer is not at risk. “The Guidelines state that a warranty on a vehicle cannot be voided because of the use of equal matching quality parts. It is only if such a part, or a mistake made during the installation thereof, were to cause a fault that a portion of the warranty may be voided,” she says.  

Consumers therefore need to be aware that they can still source their genuine replacement parts from their local spares dealer without fear of compromise on quality or warranty, provided the brand purchased is reputable and traceable. With this knowledge in hand, she encourages consumers to always shop around responsibly.