O.E. Quality You Can Afford
Many Chrysler LLC dealers offer competitive pricing on popular collision repair products.
Collision repair professionals know that O.E. crash parts offer the best quality and performance. In the case of Chrysler, Jeep® and Dodge vehicles, that’s Mopar®. Mopar collision repair parts fit right the first time, perform for the long haul and offer factory corrosion protection.
But collision repair professionals also know that in the real world, insurance companies often specify aftermarket or salvage parts in an effort to contain costs. But there is a way to get Mopar O.E. quality at prices that are comparable to aftermarket parts; especially on popular products such as front and rear fascias and head and tail lamp assemblies.
The Collision Repair Process
There are several players in the collision parts game. First and foremost, there’s the body shop that is repairing the vehicle. Second, there is the vehicle owner who expects their vehicle to be repaired to like-new condition. Also, there are collision parts suppliers, which include aftermarket suppliers as well as your local Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge dealership. And, finally there is the insurance company.
The repair cycle is pretty straightforward. When an accident occurs, the damaged vehicle is brought to the body shop for repair (this shop might be the choice of the owner, or it might be one that is selected by the insurance company). Next, an estimate is written up and forwarded to the insurance company. When the estimate is approved by the insurance company, it issues a check to the vehicle owner. The cycle is completed when the owner uses this check, along with the deductible money, to pay the body shop for the repair work.
Let’s take a closer look at the estimate. In many cases, there are going to be a lot of parts listed on this estimate, especially if the vehicle has been involved in a major accident. These products can be the obvious, like sheet metal and headlamps, or not so obvious, such as radiators, steering components and fasteners. Basically, there are three sources for these parts: (1) your local Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge dealer, (2) an aftermarket supplier, and (3) the salvage yard.
If you buy the collision parts from your local Chrysler dealer, you know that everything will fit perfectly and the materials will meet Chrysler O.E. standards. The look and finish of the part will be right. In other words, the part will function exactly as the original part did. In addition, you save on labor costs because O.E. parts don’t require any reworking or modification to install the parts correctly.
If you buy an aftermarket part, there might be some fit issues, as well as some problems with the finish and material. For instance, that fender might not be made from the correct alloy. Further, it might not feature factory corrosion protection.
Finally, if you buy the part from the salvage yard, you don’t know the condition of the part. It’s obviously not new, but is the model year correct? The 2004 part might look like the 2005 part, but maybe there was a slight change. You have no way of knowing the part number of the salvage part. Therefore you have no way of knowing if the part you are getting will fit the vehicle you are trying to repair.
When it comes to price, the salvage part is going to cost less than either the aftermarket or O.E. part. And in many cases, the aftermarket part will cost less than the O.E. part as well.
The insurance company is going to pressure you to use the aftermarket or salvage part (no surprise there; they want to pay out as little as possible), unless the dealer part is the only option. But, your customer has the right to request that original equipment parts be used to fix the damaged vehicle.
In the hustle and bustle of everyday work in your shop, you have cars to fix, deadlines to meet and, most importantly, customers to satisfy. How can you buy Mopar collision parts, get the insurance company off your back and still make money? The answer is at the parts counter of your local Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge dealer.
The Price Solution
Your local dealer can help you buy Mopar Crash Parts at very competitive prices. They have marketing programs available to help quote on aftermarket and salvage parts at a part number level that will help you buy Mopar Crash Parts at very competitive price points.
The first thing that you have to do in order to buy competitively priced Mopar crash parts is become a wholesale account of your local Chrysler dealer. But the programs available from your local Chrysler dealer are not for every wholesale account. These programs are for wholesale accounts that have a good working relationship with a particular dealer. How does that happen?
Well, you and your local Chrysler dealer have to get to know each other and that begins with talking. The Chrysler dealer needs to know your business and have a good understanding of your business. If the dealer knows you and your business well, it’s easier for them to help you and get the parts that you need at competitive prices.
When the discussion comes to Mopar crash parts, the first thing that you need to do is to write the estimate. After that is done, take the entire estimate to your local Chrysler LLC dealer. Then the two of you can sit down and talk about what parts are available at a price you would have paid for the non-OEM part. You might be surprised to learn that you can get popular O.E. products such as fascias, bumpers, headlamp and tail lamp assemblies for the same cost as aftermarket parts.
In the long run, such a program will strengthen your ties with the local dealer and you’ll be able to buy Mopar crash parts at competitive prices. It’s a win-win-win for everyone involved—you, the dealer and your customer.
