Owning a car makes travelling by road less of a hassle. You won't have to leave home early so can catch the bus, or have to book a rental car when you are going for holiday with your family. As a car owner, however, you will not only get to enjoy convenient travel, but also have to meet all expenses that come with keeping the vehicle working properly all the time.

Performing car maintenance and repairs is critical to ensuring that you keep your car in tiptop working condition. At some point, you'll need to acquire spare parts for your car — and, you'll want to make sure you are getting the right parts. The most trustworthy way to get the right replacement mitsubishi car parts for your car is to buy them from an auto parts franchise dealership. Here's why.

OEM parts

When it comes to choosing spare parts for your vehicle, you will need to make a choice between Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts and aftermarket (non-OEM) parts. OEM parts are manufactured by the vehicle maker and they must meet factory specs and standards on product quality and performance. These parts carry the vehicle maker's warranty. Aftermarket parts, on the other hand, are not made by the vehicle's manufacturer but they can work the same as, or in some cases even outperform the original parts. These non-OEM parts may not be subjected to the same protocols used to test original parts for quality and performance, hence they may not carry the vehicle maker's warranty.

Franchise dealerships strictly deal in OEM parts, which are specifically designed and made for your vehicle. As OEM parts are usually backed by warranties, you can return any parts that may be defective. Replacing faulty or worn down parts with OEM parts will ensure your car continues running at peak efficiency for longer but also maintain a good resale value. Though non-OEM parts offered at an independent auto parts dealership might initially seem to be cheaper, they might not be a cost efficient option if they can't last as long as or longer than original parts.

Staff with special training

As part of their job description, the staff working at franchise dealerships must be well-versed with the OEM parts they provide so they can answer any questions car owners might have regarding these parts. As they are trained to help car owners find the exact part they need, you can be sure of getting the correct part the first time.

The perception of superior quality in the franchise dealership world is usually the main reason why OEM parts attract higher price tags. But as independent dealerships continue to charge more competitive prices for their non-OEM parts, most franchise dealerships are also being forced to review their prices downwards.