How To Make Sure Your Body Shop Only Uses OEM Subaru Parts
Do you have a damaged body part on your Subaru? Auto body work is difficult and complicated. So you want to have an auto body shop take care of the replacement.
The thing is, auto body shops will almost always use aftermarket parts. It’s because insurance companies will only pay for the cheapest parts available. In other words, aftermarket parts. That can be a problem. It’s always better to use OEM replacement auto body parts.
OEM Auto Body Parts Are Better Than Aftermarket Auto Body Parts
OEM parts are almost always more expensive than aftermarket parts. Yet, you get what you pay for. OEM parts are always well worth the extra money. This especially applies to auto body parts.
OEM auto body parts are a better investment than aftermarket parts. It’s because:
- OEM body parts look better.
- OEM body parts exactly match the rest of the parts on your vehicle’s body in terms of shape, thickness, and materials.
- Aftermarket body parts rarely match OEM body parts.
- OEM body parts fit better.
- All OEM body parts are designed to OE specs. That includes OEM dimensions. Fitment is never an issue with OEM parts.
- Aftermarket manufacturers rarely design their parts to OE specs. As a result, aftermarket parts don’t always fit just right. That can be a huge problem with auto body parts.
- Aftermarket body parts rarely last as long as OEM parts. It’s because aftermarket manufacturers tend to use cheap, inferior materials.
To keep their own costs low, insurance companies do the bare minimum. That means paying for aftermarket parts instead of OEM parts. You’re entitled to OEM replacement parts, though. You should be getting a replacement part that's exactly the same as the part that came with your Subaru.
The good news is you can get your auto body shop to use OEM parts. There are three ways to d0 this:
1. Ask The Body Shop If They Can Use OEM Parts
Sometimes it's that easy! The first step to take is to ask your body shop if they can use OEM parts on your Subaru. Their answer depends on several factors:
- Whether they can get OEM parts for the same price as (or less than) aftermarket parts
- You can ask them to check our prices; we offer wholesale pricing for genuine OEM Subaru parts
- How flexible your insurance company is
- Most insurance companies won't pay more for OEM parts
- How easy it is to get OEM parts for your Subaru
- The newer and more common your Subaru model is, the easier it is to find OEM parts
If the body shop says no, here's what you can do:
2. Offer To Pay The Difference
Most likely the reason the body shop said no is because of cost. They don't want to spend any extra money on OEM parts if your insurance company won't cover it. Luckily, there's something you can do: cover the difference. Let's say an OEM Subaru bumper cover is $300, and an aftermarket one is $225.
The insurance company will only pay $225 for a replacement bumper cover. You can ask the shop if they'll install the $300 OEM bumper cover if you pay the $75 difference.
You can save yourself some money by asking the shop to order from us. Our wholesale pricing will save you about 30%. For example, the regular price for this bumper cover for 2001 and 2002 Foresters is about $300. You can get it from us for under $200.
3. Call Your Insurance Company And Try To Negotiate With Them
We suggest doing this as a last resort. Some insurance companies may be willing to work with you. Call your insurance company and ask if they're willing to pay a little extra for OEM parts. If they agree to do it, they may charge you an extra fee to cover:
- The cost difference between both parts
- Any extra work the insurance company has to do to grant your request
In a nutshell, getting an auto body shop to use OEM parts on your Subaru is totally doable. If everything fails, you can look for another auto body shop that's willing to work with you, if possible.