OEM Parts

Liberty · Nov 12, 2011

Hello All,
So I am new to the Jeep world and need some assistance. I am kind of **** about OEM replacement parts and always have been. I guess I picked it up from the short time that I worked at a GM and Toyota dealership. So what are the best/cheapest places online to purchase OEM parts for a 2006 Jeep Liberty? No aftermarket suppliers please. Looking forward to all replies and thanks in advance!

04Liberty · Nov 13, 2011

Top ones I've used:
http://www.moparonlineparts.com/
http://www.moparpartsworldwide.com/
http://www.trademotion.com/partlocator/index.cfm?siteid=214996
http://www.avondalewholesaleparts.com/partlocator/index.cfm?siteid=214606

They're all essentially dealership parts desks that run an online store

yellocoyote · Nov 13, 2011

I've used moparpartsonline.com too.

What I've found that works to my advantage is to find a local Jeep dealer (if available), and see if they will price match. One of my dealers around here will do that... so not only do I get the less expensive OEM parts, but I also save the shipping charge too.

Ry' N Jen · Nov 14, 2011

Liberty said:
...No aftermarket suppliers please.

Why not?

Awww KJ · Nov 14, 2011

Ry' N Jen said:
Why not?

Do you have a story or two you could share regarding success of aftermarket parts or perhaps failure of OEM parts?

tommudd · Nov 14, 2011

A lot of the aftermarket rear lower control arms and rear tri links are JUNK, so there's one case where it is better to go OEM. Also many of the belts and hoses are the same way, not worth installing. As with anything you get what you pay for.
For example I couldn't wait for new OEM rear LCAs so went aftermarket, I blew them out in 5000 miles or less.

Awww KJ · Nov 14, 2011

tommudd said:
A lot of the aftermarket rear lower control arms and rear tri links are JUNK, so there's one case where it is better to go OEM. Also many of the belts and hoses are the same way, not worth installing. As with anything you get what you pay for.
For example I couldn't wait for new OEM rear LCAs so went aftermarket, I blew them out in 5000 miles or less.

Hi Tom. Were these:

[ ] Moog
[ ] Other

tommudd · Nov 14, 2011

Awww KJ said:
Hi Tom. Were these:

[ ] Moog

[X] Other

:disgust:

Cardhu · Nov 14, 2011

http://jparts.com/

for accessories / factory options

AVR2 · Nov 16, 2011

There's good aftermarket and bad aftermarket. It's my belief that the good aftermarket is at least as good as OEM, sometimes better, and always for a fraction of the cost.

Typical example - power steering pressure hoses. Why should I pay about $140 for the OEM hose (and that's from a discount online place, dealer price is nearly $200) when I can get an aftermarket hose from a reputable manufacturer for $40?

I don't believe that the reputable aftermarket suppliers are cheaper because they're cutting corners, I believe that the OEM-branded stuff is expensive because it's massively overpriced, since dealers rely on servicing to make a big chunk of their profit.

Let's take that PS hose again. Does anyone think it costs the manufacturers anything close to the $200 dealer price to make each one? How much did DC pay for them? Probably less than $10 each, and the manufacturer will still have been making a profit on the deal.

What really grinds my gears is the fact that manufacturer X will be the OE supplier for a certain part. Some of those parts will come off the line and be packaged up as OEM and sold with a huge markup. Other parts, absolutely identical, will be packaged as aftermarket and sold at a fraction of the OEM cost.

Aaron2345 · Nov 17, 2011

Family guy reference...... Nice

tjkj2002 · Nov 17, 2011

AVR2 said:
There's good aftermarket and bad aftermarket. It's my belief that the good aftermarket is at least as good as OEM, sometimes better, and always for a fraction of the cost.

Typical example - power steering pressure hoses. Why should I pay about $140 for the OEM hose (and that's from a discount online place, dealer price is nearly $200) when I can get an aftermarket hose from a reputable manufacturer for $40?

I don't believe that the reputable aftermarket suppliers are cheaper because they're cutting corners, I believe that the OEM-branded stuff is expensive because it's massively overpriced, since dealers rely on servicing to make a big chunk of their profit.

Let's take that PS hose again. Does anyone think it costs the manufacturers anything close to the $200 dealer price to make each one? How much did DC pay for them? Probably less than $10 each, and the manufacturer will still have been making a profit on the deal.

What really grinds my gears is the fact that manufacturer X will be the OE supplier for a certain part. Some of those parts will come off the line and be packaged up as OEM and sold with a huge markup. Other parts, absolutely identical, will be packaged as aftermarket and sold at a fraction of the OEM cost.

Been turning wrenches preofessionally for 15+ years(ASE Mater Tech for 13) and can tell you 90% of the aftermarket parts are junk.I'm not talking about lift kits or performance parts either but OE replacement parts.

randrson · Nov 17, 2011

I can say that there are times when it is better for OE than aftermarket. The tri-link in the KJ just got replaced after about 15k. It was from Crown, and the ball joint was about done and the rubber bushings had completely separated. I'm sure this new one will be out in another 15k or so too.

Personally, I think it's because the rear was not designed for sticks, esp. the 6 speed, since the design came right from the 99-04GC which was auto only.

On a side note, in my Ram 3500, the OE ball joints and axle joints lasted 114k,got replacedewith aftermarket and after only 50k, I'm due for ball joints again and one axle joint- this was only highway driving, mind you. Obviously the AAM/Chrysler parts are a better quality than the after market were.

tjkj2002 · Nov 17, 2011

randrson said:
I can say that there are times when it is better for OE than aftermarket. The tri-link in the KJ just got replaced after about 15k. It was from Crown, and the ball joint was about done and the rubber bushings had completely separated. I'm sure this new one will be out in another 15k or so too.

Personally, I think it's because the rear was not designed for sticks, esp. the 6 speed, since the design came right from the 99-04GC which was auto only.

On a side note, in my Ram 3500, the OE ball joints and axle joints lasted 114k,got replacedewith aftermarket and after only 50k, I'm due for ball joints again and one axle joint- this was only highway driving, mind you. Obviously the AAM/Chrysler parts are a better quality than the after market were.

The OE u-joints are made by Spicer,the OE balljoints are made by MOOG or Spicer.

AVR2 · Nov 17, 2011

tjkj2002 said:
Been turning wrenches preofessionally for 15+ years(ASE Mater Tech for 13) and can tell you 90% of the aftermarket parts are junk.I'm not talking about lift kits or performance parts either but OE replacement parts.

If you're going to buy the cheapest aftermarket then sure, you've got a point. But it's a fact that the car manufacturers don't make most of their own parts, they buy them in from other companies (usually whichever ones will give them the best bulk deal), and those other companies also supply the aftermarket. Same parts, just in a different box at a much cheaper price.

Seriously, why the hell does the official Mopar PS pressure hose for the KJ cost $200 from a dealer? Does it cost the OE supplier anything close to that to make it? Is DC paying anything close to that to buy it from the supplier?

ridenby · Nov 17, 2011

I work in an auto part mfg.co.,ALL our parts go to the car co. that orders them. No aftermarket parts,some are service parts.

tjkj2002 · Nov 17, 2011

AVR2 said:
If you're going to buy the cheapest aftermarket then sure, you've got a point. But it's a fact that the car manufacturers don't make most of their own parts, they buy them in from other companies (usually whichever ones will give them the best bulk deal), and those other companies also supply the aftermarket. Same parts, just in a different box at a much cheaper price.

Seriously, why the hell does the official Mopar PS pressure hose for the KJ cost $200 from a dealer? Does it cost the OE supplier anything close to that to make it? Is DC paying anything close to that to buy it from the supplier?

Lets take the KJ's LBJ's,the ones that have been recalled twice.They are made for Chrysler by MOOG using Chrysler specs.MOOG sells aftermarket versions(K3199's) that are a better design.Now let's take OEM motor mounts,made in Canada and last a long time.Take aftermarket motor mounts that are made in Mexico that can not last 5000 miles before the rubber falls apart.

Those are 2 seperate cases above that OE parts from the same comapny can be as good or better and OEM parts are far better then aftermarket.Besides well know parts suppliers like MOOG(TRW),Spicer,or Timkin your going to be hard pressed to find the exact same OEM part from the same supplier as Chrysler for cheaper.

Oh and as far as the OE supplier for the PS hoses I do not know but I do know that not any of the aftermarket versions are the same hose as OEM,not even close to the same construction.

AVR2 · Nov 18, 2011

tjkj2002 said:
Oh and as far as the OE supplier for the PS hoses I do not know but I do know that not any of the aftermarket versions are the same hose as OEM,not even close to the same construction.

I would have to disagree completely. I've compared the OE hose to an Edelmann aftermarket hose and can't see any difference in construction quality, and I could buy 5 Edelmann hoses for the price of one OEM hose.

I just hate the fact that OE is mostly about profit for the dealerships. The Mopar PS pressure hose probably costs DC less than $10 to buy from the supplier, and it costs the supplier less than DC's purchase price to make, so at a dealer price of $200 that's one hell of a markup, and an awful lot of pure profit that I resent paying.

If you can find out who the OE supplier is, you can buy most any part for a fraction of the cost, just because you're getting it in a (say) Bosch box rather than a Mopar box. Same exact part from the same exact production line.

Ted15 · Nov 21, 2011

In some cases, not all and not limited to the automotive field, the OEM specs may call for, let's say in the case of a hose, the manufacture process to be propriatory and therefore the aftermarket may look exactly the same as the OEM, and sometimes by the same manufacturer, but have different compounds in the rubber or the reinforcing layers of braided materials may be different. There's just no telling until it fails or dosen't. I've seen NAPA brake hoses that had the inside seperate from the outer layer causing a failure that couldn't even be seen, the glue between hose layers failed, and the hose looked identical to the motorcraft part. (they were on the service van I drove for a few years) The mechanic that installed them said they were the same and if they were side by side with the OEM part you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

Ry' N Jen · Nov 23, 2011

So how about OEM brake rotors and brake pads?
Or braided stainless steel brake lines?
There are three examples where aftermarket parts are superior!

OEM Parts

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