Why we at Max Garage don’t buy the Cheapest Available Parts?
With the advent of the internet everything is openly available and recently one of our customers asked us why we don’t buy parts online which are at times much cheaper? Before I answer that, let me first give you an example of what we discovered, when we did buy brake pads online.
We found a LOCAL online website supplying Genuine Audi Q7 brake pads at 525/- while the same brake pads were available from the dealer for AED 920/-. With such a vast difference we needed to investigate and decided to place an order from the site. In all fairness, the site ordering experience was good and we received the parts within 7 days as promised. But after opening the package this is was we found
The Box did not look new, but rather worn out.
There was a seal but half of it was oddly missing so the box was basically open. The strange part was that it was done in a very neat and clean manner and if you did not have the original to compare, you would not have noticed.
The parts inside looked exactly the same, even down to the branding and the numbers. BUT there was a BIG difference in the quality of the Pad Material when compared to the original for example
Visible Carbon deposits – excess carbon means less abrasive material = lower braking ability.
Visibly more Copper – against industry standards to reduce or phase out copper.
Physically softer material – you could scrape the material off with your nail. You could not do that with the original
Conclusion, these parts were not Original but Counterfeit. Remember we did not order OEM or AM parts, the website clearly advertised Genuine Parts!
Would you risk putting your family in a car with possibly inferior brakes pads? The answer for us at Max is a clear- NO!!! There is no way that we would risk you, your family and other road user’s life to save a few bucks.
Not All Sites are Bad!
There are Reputed International sites in Europe and US who do sell very good quality parts Genuine, OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) or AM (After Market) with warranty. When we find that there is substantial savings we do give our customer the option for these parts. These websites have been recommended and used by us over the years. We know they will maintain their quality.
What about non-critical parts?
When it comes to non-critical parts, say for example cosmetic items like a grill or other components, there is no harm in ordering online but then you have to be prepared to deal with all the other hassles of incorrect part being sent, warrant on the part and trying to claim it if things don’t work etc.
But how can you save money?
If you are looking for more economical options for parts try OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) or AM (After Market), which we also source from reputed dealers and which come with warranty. It’s important to note at this point that imitation parts aren’t the same as “aftermarket” items. Reputed OEM and AM manufacturer are also victims of counterfeiting so sourcing from the dealer or authorized distributor is essential.
Counterfeit Parts are a Big Problem for us!
As a service provider we want to ensure that we give our customers the best, that includes standing behind the work we do by giving Warranty on the Jobs we do. That’s why we at Max Garage source our parts from reputed dealers, who we know will not switch parts around and who we have at some point even tested to ensure that they have supplied us with genuine parts.
So, to answer the question does Max Garage buy parts online, the answer is YES but ONLY from reputed dealers dealing in reputed brands, prepared to give us warranty on the parts they supply.
There are plenty of websites online selling parts and as the owner of your car you have the choice to buy parts from whoever you want, but be warned, if its too good to be true, it probably is.
If you think we are being overly cautious you can check out the following links
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