Using poor quality truck parts can lead to increased downtime of your trucks. Time lost in having the truck in the garage is money lost. When buying truck parts for your European trucks, it is important to keep the following in mind to keep your truck out of the garage and save yourself some serious money.
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European Truck Parts From Original Equipment Manufacturer?
For European trucks, there is a choice of buying either after-market parts or parts made by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM).
Parts made by the original equipment manufacturer are made to the precise specifications of the truck and are of superior quality. They are essentially the same parts that were in the truck when it was assembled in the factory at the time of purchase. You will require to pay a little premium for the OEM parts. However, these parts will have a longer life and save you repair and maintenance costs in the long term.
After-market parts are not made by the OEM and are often cheaper. However, they are usually not of the same quality as the OEM parts.
Check Dealer Reputation
Buying from reputed a dealer ensures that you get good service. A bad dealer will delay delivery, supply the wrong part, etc., leading to frustration, and wasted time and money.
Dealer reputation can be verified by checking the length of time they have been in business. Bad dealers do not survive in the market for long. Use social media to check for their reputation via testimonials and reviews.
Verify Quoted Prices
Check for the most competitive price possible by shopping around. While comparing prices, keep in mind that after-market parts are cheaper than OEM parts. It is important to compare prices accurately and not pick a part only based on its significantly lower price.
Buying truck parts is a business expense. It is always prudent to extract savings wherever possible. However, business expenses are tax-deductible – a factor to be kept in mind if you decide to purchase a costlier OEM part.
Choose From The Widest Range Possible
It is important to pick from as wide a range of available products as possible. Pick a big enough dealer able to offer you a wide range of parts for you to choose from. Also, the bigger dealers usually have larger stocks and will be able to effect faster deliveries at the best prices. The bigger dealers will also be able to source the European truck parts for you from other dealers or the OEM if they do not themselves hold the required parts in stock.