mx5cartalk.com

what do most people prefer when servicing their cars?
Mazda or Aftermarket when it comes to gaskets, belts, etc....

and if you like either one, is it dependable on price?

i would try and buy as much mazda OEM parts for my car service, and go to an aftermarket garage and get them to do the labourwork..

with oem you have a bit of come-back if the part fails.

sliq wrote:i would try and buy as much mazda OEM parts for my car service, and go to an aftermarket garage and get them to do the labourwork..

Same here for major work.

yup, e.g. 80,000kms service or 100,000kms.... don't think you'd be going there just for an oil and filter change

Interesting question. Many components are not sold aftermarket at all. Products like belts and oil filters are probably quite acceptable if you use known brands. Products that were originally tooled up by Mazda often at very high cost and still made by the OE supplier are likely to be superior to an aftermarket copy. Reason is OE is made to a spec and aftermarket can be anything. A rubber gasket for OE will have a line call out for its properties and the a/market item will look the same but you will never know its spec. Mazda probably spend $1 mio on headlamp tooling so how can any co copying expect to meet the same specs? Answer they do not. The one downside of course is that the mark up from OE Mazda buy cost to you the customer is horrendous- 5 times the cost is not unusual- but not much you can do.

depends on the item. i tend to try to buy Mazda gaskets, but filters/belts i'm quite happy to get aftermarket versions from known good brands.

i don't see many of us buying original Mazda O2 sensors for example, especially those with cars that have 2 of them.

& sometimes the aftermarket stuff is better. magnecore spark leads, loch stewart airbox, exhaust can be made to be better, gates racing timing belts etc.