Questions and Answers

What is OEM?
OEM stands for original equipment manufacturer, i.e. General Motors, Chrysler, etc. The replacement parts that are purchased from an OEM dealer often have been manufactured at another site by an out sourced company.

What is Aftermarket?
Aftermarket means the part (i.e. hood, fender, bumper) is a reproduction of the part originally made by the "Original Equipment Manufacturer". Just as many mechanical parts (ie: belts, batteries) are made by other manufacturers for your car, collision parts are also made as a much less expensive alternative for the OEM part. Less expensive does not necessarily mean a reduction in quality or fit. Aftermarket collision parts, as well as mechanical aftermarket parts, have degrees of quality. Felder's Collision Parts carries the highest quality parts that are available on the market. The competitive market created by the inclusion of aftermarket parts has caused prices to be reduced on all parts that have an alternative competitor. Aftermarket parts are available for only 15% of the replacement collision parts on all vehicles, meaning your only option is to go to the dealer for 85% of collision parts. Without aftermarket collision parts, a monopolistic pricing structure would tremendously increase the costs of replacement parts, and thus most probably insurance rates.