SteveG

In another thread I used the term "OEM" thinking it was the best source associated with a replacement part. I assumed (I know) if a manufacturer was licensed by Porsche to manufacture original equipment on the car, they would have a good rep and be a good source for that part later. Greg corrected me and I have copied that below.

Please, anyone, add to my understanding of the definitions of OEM, OM, Aftermarket, etc. Maybe this thread can become a reference for parts and the manufacturer who makes a GOOD replacement, as well as the junk that is out there. What I really would like is a "Consumer Reports" list. Sometimes, aftermarket is OK. BUT if the part is critical and/or hard to reach, etc., I want the most dependable available. YMMV.

Below Greg's quote I have put what I found while researching ignition switches.


<<OEM or OE? Which are you looking for?

Some OEM's can be OE for a particular application, or a OEM part may very well be junk.

OE is what came on the car new.

When some one says OEM, then says no Knock Offs, that does not make much sense.

Just a heads up on this, cause I have seen a lot of OEM parts that were not very good at all, in fact dealt with some on a MB today.

Customer brought in a pair of oil cooler hoses and said they are OEM, I explained the difference to him, he lost about 3 hours of labor and now has some parts that are useless that he paid almost 200 bucks for and now he needs the OE parts that will fit for 500 bucks plus another three hours of labor to put them on.

Greg, parts ****>>

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...on-switch.html this thread discusses URO junk switches. The switch I purchased has no identifying marks or part number on it, (would not turn beyond the on position) and fell apart during re-installation, and the inside as well was very loosely assembled. The original that was in my GTS had a yellow stripe with the PN on the yellow.

Tom in Austin

My (limited) understanding is that OEM means "Original equipment manufacturer" i.e.,made by the same company that supplied the OE part. However, not necessarily made to the same specifications or tolerances. An example I heard of once was brake rotors; the Porsche OE spec included some kind of anti-rust coating on the center and a level of rotating balance the might have made it more expensive to produce.

It could be that parts originally intended to be OE that didn't meet all the specs due to manufacturing variances/tolerances could still be sold as OEM.

blown 87

A OEM only means that they have made a OE part for some car at some point.
It does not have to be even the same make of car, a company that made a door handle for a 65 Nova is a OEM "Original Equipment Manufacture" they also are the OE "Original Equipment" for that door handle, they can sell a door handle for a 928 and claim they are a OEM for the door handle, they are just not telling you which one.
They could also sell any other part and claim to be a OEM, which they are

OEM can be as good as OE or so called factory parts, but often that is not the case.

76FJ55

OEM can also mean that the company which originally made brake rotors now makes waterpumps for the car. so they are an Original Equipment Manufacturer (due to the brake rotor production), and supply water pumps.

SteveG

I dunno maybe I should close this thread as now I find Greg had a recent thread that does pretty much what I wanted. Seems he was clearing this problem in March: https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...ket-parts.html

blown 87

Keep it open, no need to close a thread.