Is It Still ‘Parts is Parts’ for the Collision Industry?

Remember that Wendy’s fast food ad where they showed other restaurants selling processed chicken nuggets, using the phrase “parts is parts”? Not long after those satirical 1980’s commercials, some in the collision parts industry also used that tagline to jokingly refer to the various quality of recycled parts and aftermarket offerings.

Back then, the quality varied widely and non-OEM parts had a spotty reputation. The industry reacted by creating part certification entities like CAPA, Keys IQ and until last year NSF, aimed at identifying and elevating the overall quality of the aftermarket parts market. Similarly, the American Recyclers Association developed a salvage grading system to clearly delineate the condition of the salvage part being offered.       

From a quality perspective, the certification and quality grading are light-years advanced from the ‘parts is parts’ days, but many parts procurement systems don’t bring across the salvage quality grade. Aftermarket catalog pricing systems also cloud the picture by listing ‘phantom parts’ or doing a ‘bait and switch’ by indicating the part carries a certification when indeed the part is not certified.    

We’ve written before about the fact that parts make up the majority of the cost of any estimate, but we should also note that the availability of the part and accuracy of the part description play vital roles in determining cycle time and customer satisfaction. Why risk these by making parts selections from a catalog inventory system that doesn’t show quality grading of the recycled part or that lists an aftermarket part that is not actually available?

That’s where PartsTrader is different. We bring across the certifications for aftermarket parts, show the quality grading for recycled parts and provide OEM, OEM conquest pricing, as well as OEM surplus.

With PartsTrader, you know the supplier making the quote will have the part in stock and provide a delivery time frame so that you can make an informed decision. This presents the repairer and insurance carrier with all the options to make the best part choice, and to be assured of the quality of the part.    

Greg Horn
Greg Horn is PartsTrader’s
Chief Innovation Officer.