Difference between Reman and Used Parts

Reman from Remanufacturing Companies are completely disassembled, cleaned, rebuilt to oftentimes better than factory specifications, and fully tested to make certain they will perform like new, or better. On the hand, Used Spares even from relatively new trucks are usually from wrecked or damaged or sometimes over-used vehicles and the condition of these parts is not really known until they are installed in your truck.

 

Difference between Reman and Factory-built Original Spare Parts from the truck manufacturer

Factory built spares are original equipment replacements that are exactly what was installed in your truck when built on the assembly line. Remanufactured units viewed against this background could be seen as original factory equipment that has been rebuilt or fixed by a company that specializes in rebuilding these automotive parts.

 

Why buy a Reman?

When capital outlay is a constraint: Most buyers who usually go for Reman products do so as a trade-off between the very expensive factory-fitted spares but more reassuring and the used parts though cheaper but with minimum or no guarantee. Reman are usually less expensive than the assembly spares and they still offer relative assurance of usability

Availability: Reman products are readily available for the asking as quite a lot of plants or companies may be involved in the remanufacturing of a particular truck component. Most times, placing orders for spares directly from the truck manufacturing companies usually do require some waiting period for availability. This waiting period may come with lots of unwanted excess baggage of lost business opportunities, breach of delivery contract and by extension financial loss.

Upgrades: Some Reman products like Transmissions often incorporate upgrades that improve the original design. In this instance, there might be a possibility that you may actually be getting a truck transmission that performs better than new.

The downside of Reman

The most common complaint among consumers who buy certain remanufactured parts is the lack of 100% reliability and life of certain cheaper varieties.  When dealing with less costly remanufactured parts, it may be instructive to look for units that have an extended warranty. Purchasing the lowest costing Reman with a paltry thirty day warranty will increase the likelihood of replacing the unit again much sooner than expected. You could probably bring in a complete transmission system to discover a non-compatibility with your truck. Tales like this are not too rare even in our environment.

Another issue with the cheaper alternatives is the lack of consistent quality and reliable replacement parts that go in to the reconstituted part. There are quality remanufactured units available for much less than a factory replacement with full lifetime warranties and these should be considered in your purchasing decision.

Lastly, if your vehicle is under warranty, it may be imperative to only purchase and install factory approved replacements in order to minimize the risk of voiding the warranty.

 

Where to get Reman

Remanufactured spare parts are usually sourced offshore mostly in the country of origin of the original equipment. In some cases, the original equipment manufacturer like Mercedes Benz do operate alongside their main production assembly plant a section that handles remanufacturing of auto spares.

In any case, there are myriad of buying agents offshore that have a network of relationship with the remanufacturing companies that a company in need can approach to serve as a professional intermediary.

 

Concluding Remark

Whether or not you choose used, factory replacement or remanufactured spare parts should depend on many factors including the age and condition of your truck, your capital outlay, urgency of need, warranty status and a host of other factors that may be peculiar to the buying company. One thing we can however pick from all this is the fact that non-availability of spares has ceased to be a valid excuse for why an asset (that has not exceeded its useful life) should be grounded or indefinitely taken out of service.

There are clearly three good alternatives to choose from to meet your spare parts need with appropriate proactive planning. You could take a dash to Berger Suya; pick your phone and call OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) country reps like Lanre Shittu Motors, TATA motors, SCOA and so on. In the last alternative, you may consider hopping on the next available flight or liaising with a reputable buying house for your Reman. The choice is indeed yours. But remember, what you buy is what you get, so be guided.

Comments

comments