As a lawn care professional, you know that having reliable equipment is essential to keeping your business in motion.
Even the most reliable equipment will need maintenance parts.
At this point, you’re faced with a decision: OEM vs Aftermarket Parts.
OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. These parts are made by the same company that made your mower or engine. These parts are made with the same materials as the original part. They are also made to the same engineering specs.
Aftermarket parts provide replacements for certain components of your mower but will vary in design, features, and quality.
Below, we’ll explain more about OEM vs Aftermarket Parts and why this matters when you’re deciding on which part to select as a replacement.
More about OEM vs. Aftermarket parts
It can’t be denied that aftermarket mower parts are usually cheaper than OEM parts. But consider that they may not fit or perform as well. That’s because while they are less expensive, aftermarket parts may contain inferior materials that affect their quality.
Inferior products can cause extensive damage to your mowing equipment and negate any savings you experienced up front.
Meanwhile, OEM parts for your mower have been designed to fit perfectly and give your equipment maximum performance. Additionally, OEM parts are often covered by a warranty.
Consider the following two situations we’ve seen first-hand in our shop:
- A customer used an aftermarket oil filter that failed and caused a catastrophic failure from lack of lubrication. If the customer would have spent a little more on an OEM oil filter, he could have avoided this costly mistake.
- A different customer used a non-OEM air filter that allowed dirt to pass through the air filter and get into the engine. This caused engine wear and oil consumption that ultimately ruined the engine. A very costly repair that could have been avoided by spending a few more dollars on an OEM air filter.
While the price tag of aftermarket parts almost always makes your purchase seem like a no-brainer compared to OEM parts, this is a bad assumption.
By saving yourself a few dollars on the front-end while servicing your mower, you’re potentially costing yourself hundreds or even thousands of dollars in repairs or replacement costs.
Why take the risk?
How to Find the Right OEM Parts
When you’re ready to find OEM parts for your mower maintenance needs, look for your unit’s model and serial number. Next locate the model, specification, and serial numbers of the engine. Having these numbers helps the dealer you are buying from find the right part needed for your unit.
A mower’s model and serial number is typically on a tag attached to the frame. It may also be located under the seat or next to the engine.
Engine numbers are typically located on a sticker on the blower housing. They can also be stamped onto the valve cover or engine block.
These unique numbers will tell your dealer exactly what unit and engine you have. It also gives your dealer the ability to look at diagrams of parts for your unit if needed.
Keep in mind that an OEM cannot deny warranty coverage due to an aftermarket part being installed on your machine. However; if the failure of the machine was caused by the aftermarket part, then they can deny a warranty claim. Using OEM parts helps you maintain warranty coverage on your equipment.
Finding an OEM parts dealer in your area
If you’re in need of original equipment manufacturer parts for servicing your mower, you have a few options.
First, the place you originally purchased your lawn mower from is a good place to begin. They should be able to help you find the right parts for your machine. Or, if that’s not possible, search for dealers nearby for your brand of mower.
You can also try searching online retailers like Amazon or eBay. Sometimes, you can find OEM parts at a discount. Be sure to do your research and make sure you’re getting the right part for your machine, not an aftermarket replacement. Make sure the part being sold is new and unused.
You can also call or visit Ty’s Outdoor Power & Service.
Why You Should Buy OEM parts from Ty’s
When you need OEM parts, stop into, or call Ty’s Outdoor Power & Service. We’ll help you find the right OEM replacement for your equipment.
If you also need help installing your replacement OEM part, our service department is dedicated to repairing your equipment, always aiming for the best possible results. Not only that, but our constant continuing education also makes us the absolute best at what we do.
Which is why we’re telling you up front that aftermarket parts can require extra time and labor to install, potentially driving up the repair costs. Which is another reason they’re not ideal.
At Ty’s we have access to many brands of OEM parts. And these have always been our recommendation to customers in need of help with mower maintenance, snowblower maintenance, and more.
At Ty’s, we also use a checklist when we go over your machine for repair to ensure everything is as it should be. And if you just want a tune-up, we will still look over the entire unit for you. That way, if something doesn’t look right or is possibly about to fail, we can give you a head’s up.
It’s not about trying to upsell you. It’s about making sure you make educated repair decisions. We are here to help you keep your equipment running for as long as you want it to.
We will also test equipment to make sure it’s working right before you take it home—because we care about your time.
Need it delivered after repair? No problem, we provide that service, too.
The certified technicians at Ty’s Outdoor Power have the experience and knowledge to service nearly every brand of outdoor power equipment with OEM parts. So, whether you’re needing OEM parts, help servicing your mower, or new equipment, we hope to be your first call.
