The purchase of spare parts for car repairs is of vital importance for the car owner. One has to deal with originals, counterparts and other product variants, among which there are often genuine counterfeits. One can browse through catalogues, but even here many questions arise. The experts at Avtopro Marketplace give you an insight into the structure of the market so that you can find your way around when choosing parts for a repair.
A little about the general structure
Although the number of offers from manufacturers and new suppliers is growing every year, the market itself is invariably divided into several main segments:
1.Ordinal components. Parts that are used in the assembly of motor vehicles in the car manufacturers’ factories;
2.Non-original equipment. These are aftermarket products, which are very large. Parts from large manufacturers, small plants or workshops and others, including counterfeit parts. Until relatively recently, original parts accounted for 80% of the parts market. These were components that were officially produced by supplier factories that had contracts with the vehicle manufacturers. Today, the share of originals in the market is rapidly decreasing. As a result, there are many counterfeits and other low-quality products on the market. Many cheaper counterparts have appeared to replace the originals. Cheap products are in demand and the market reacts to it.
Product classification
As a result of the market analysis, certain product groups can be identified. Original car parts are divided into groups:
So-called “white” originals. Products in branded packaging with the company logo of the car manufacturer. This can be Toyota, Lexus, BMW, Volkswagen and others. The products are sold through authorised dealers in the service centres of the respective model. They are of the highest quality, backed by a warranty, reliable and durable;
Original “Greys”. They are considered unofficial products. Produced by various manufacturers. In European countries they are imported through unofficial channels. Quality almost identical to original parts, but at a lower price.
Non-original parts are also divided into groups:
A group of products manufactured by the same factories as the original products. They differ from the originals in that they do not have the vehicle manufacturer’s logo, but bear the imprint of the factory where they were made. Cheaper than the originals;
Reproduction parts. Manufactured by companies that do not have a contract with a car manufacturer. These companies copy parts and sell them under their brand name. Examples: Febi, Hans Pries, Meyle, others;
Parts packagers. Packaging companies, for the most part, do not manufacture products, but simply package parts from different manufacturers. Some of these companies have their own production facilities.
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