Should you consider Aftermarket/Generic Spare Parts?

Aftermarket spare parts, Yay or Nay??

There have been a lot of queries around what are the pros and cons of aftermarket / generic spare parts? And if one should use genuine spare parts or generic ones? After all you’ve spent so much on your equipment, the costs of maintenance and replacing spare parts eventually adds up.

What are aftermarket spare parts?

Aftermarket spare parts, or generic spare parts are parts that are made by 3^rd party companies that are not your equipment original manufacturer(OEMs). However, they are not used parts and most of the time are brand new spare parts sold by 3^rd party companies.

Why are there generic spare parts?

As original equipment manufacturers(OEMs) start selling genuine spare parts in the market, 3^rd party companies can use the specifications of the genuine spare parts from the OEMs to create manufacturing moulds and produce generic spare parts.

Why are they cheaper than genuine spare parts?

Original Equipment Manufacturers are brands like Kubota, Caterpillar, etc, where they research and develop new technologies for their engines/generators. They push the boundaries of current technologies, to improve on current performance, new designs to meet the demands of the market. These research and development requires huge amount of investment, thus to recoup the costs on these R&D work, OEMs tend to sell their spare parts are a higher price. While generic parts manufacturers do not have R&D costs as they simply copy the design and specifications of these spare parts and reproduce it, where some 3^rd party manufacturers do not adhere to standard quality assurances to reduce on costs thus being able to sell them to you cheaply.

Should you use genuine or generic spare parts?

After using your generator or Kubota engines for some time, you would need maintenance or replacement of spare parts due to wear and tear. Thus you’d be evaluating the cost and benefits of using genuine/generic spare parts.

1. Genuine spare parts are a perfect fit in terms of specifications and dimensions to your engine, as they are designed and manufactured alongside the engines that OEMs are supplying to you.  
2. Genuine spare parts do not void the warranty of your generator/engine.
3. You receive direct technical support for your equipment from the manufacturer.
4. All spare parts are tested and subject to quality standards.

What about generic spare parts?

They are cheaper than genuine spare parts, however afew pointers to note when considering generic spare parts.

1. Is your equipment still under warranty from the manufacturer? If yes, then by using generic spare parts will void the warranty.
2. Do you have the technical know-how to troubleshoot the equipment, as there wont be any direct support from the manufacturers when using generic parts.
3. Do you know the 3^rd party manufacturer well, if their generic parts are subjected to quality assurance, and have compatible specifications to your equipment. Given the industrial nature of the equipment, a slight difference in specification may have a huge impact on the performance/operational/safety of the equipment.

In conclusion, pricing may be a huge factor when considering genuine/generic spare parts, however in the long run, using Genuine spare parts will generate greater savings, due to the support provided by the manufacturers, 100% compatibility to your equipment and no unnecessary risks taken due to substandard quality.