There’s an old saying that if you think top-of-the-line products and services are expensive, wait until you get something for cheap! This is certainly true when it comes to replacement parts for your Chevrolet or any other GM-manufactured vehicle. It is always best to use Genuine GM parts or AC Delco parts when repairs are needed to your GM vehicle.
Why is that?
What’s wrong with using parts you can get at the local auto parts store?
There are a few reasons for this.
First of all, when you replace a component on your GM vehicle with Genuine GM parts or parts manufactured by AC Delco, you are replacing that component on your vehicle with one that is identical to what is installed at the factory. This is why many say it is best to keep your vehicle ” as close to factory” as possible.
Because the vehicle was originally built and in many cases designed with Genuine GM or AC Delco parts it is suggested that, to keep your vehicle running as intended, it is always best to use factory parts.
These parts are manufactured using strict GM guidelines and it ensures you not only get the correct part, but that the part fits properly, performs properly, and of course, since it is a factory part, your local Chevrolet dealership can warranty the part should it fail prematurely.
“oh come one, is it really going to make THAT much of a difference if I use a non-genuine GM part?” Well… if you like to visit Las Vegas and you’re completely comfortable with the less glorious side of gambling, then by all means go for it!
But if you’re like most people who would rather not “gamble” with the integrity and safety of their vehicle, it is always best to use Genuine GM or AC Delco parts.
Here’s an example. Let’s say you have a check engine light on and it’s found that you need to replace a wheel speed sensor (or any sensor for that matter). When you use a non-genuine GM part the integrity of the sensor can be questionable. It is possible that it can have defects that you can’t see.
For instance, if there is something off internally, within the sensor. Perhaps, it wasn’t manufactured to certain build quality and there is excessive resistance within the sensor. If this happens then the sensor will send an incorrect signal to the specific vehicle computer. Because vehicle computer systems can be complex, each computer communicates with the others and because the signal from the sensor is off, it can negatively affect other systems within the vehicle.
This now creates issues for other parts of the vehicle and now it is likely that you will need to bring it back to re-evaluate the repair and potentially further diagnose the issue. This not only wastes money but time!
BUT, if that sensor was made by GM, then it wouldn’t have that issue and if it somehow did, it would be easily replaceable at no extra charge.
That is one reason why we here at the Karl Chevrolet Service Department, highly recommend you always replace any part on your vehicle with a genuine GM or AC Delco part that is available through our parts department.