Genuine
Genuine parts are sourced directly from the vehicle manufacturer or an authorized dealership. These are the same parts installed by the dealership during service and typically display the vehicle manufacturer's logo or branding.
In most cases, the part itself is manufactured by one of the vehicle manufacturer's approved Original Equipment (OE) suppliers—such as Bosch, Hella, Mann, or Lemförder—and then packaged and sold under the vehicle manufacturer's brand. Because of the branding and dealership distribution, Genuine parts usually come at a premium price.
OE (Original Equipment)
OE (Original Equipment) parts are the exact same parts that were installed on your vehicle when it left the factory—without the vehicle manufacturer's logo or dealership packaging. They are manufactured by the original supplier that produced the part for the automaker.
Since vehicle manufacturers such as BMW, Volvo, and others rely on specialized suppliers to produce many of their components, OE parts are identical in fit, function, and quality to Genuine parts, but are often available at a lower price. For this reason, we recommend OE parts as the best overall value for quality and cost.
OE parts are typically branded with the original manufacturer's name, such as Bosch, Hella, Mann, or Lemförder. Due to licensing agreements, the vehicle manufacturer's logo is either omitted or removed from the part.
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer)
OEM parts are manufactured by companies that supply parts to one or more vehicle manufacturers and meet strict original equipment quality standards. While these parts may not be the exact components originally installed on your vehicle, they are produced by trusted manufacturers with rigorous quality control processes.
OEM parts offer an excellent balance of quality, performance, and value, making them a dependable alternative to Genuine and OE parts.
Side-by-side comparisons and more in-depth commentary are found on our OE Academy page!