Telling genuine parts from fake ones
Fake parts are normally lighter and they usually cost less than the original ones. PHOTO BY JUDE KATENDE
What you need to know:
When buying car parts, you have more than one option but you should be able to tell the original from a fake one. Jude Katende explains the difference.
The Uganda Motor Industry Association (UMIA) has started a drive to promote the usage of genuine replacement parts, popularly known or referred to as spare parts. Often, some motorists resort to using non-genuine or fake parts because they are cheaper but in the long-run, they end up damaging their vehicles.
“A non-genuine part may only give you temporary relief but it cannot be reliable or durable. It may even cost you your life when your vehicle breaks down,” Chris Ndala, UMIA chairperson, said at a recent meeting in Kampala.
He added that UMIA is an association of new motor vehicle dealers, each officially representing a vehicle manufacturer in Uganda. Therefore, each dealership has a fully equipped workshop to offer after sales service to customers with full manufacturer’s warranty.
Ndala further explained that using cheap non-genuine replacement parts could cost more in the long-run. Only genuine parts can guarantee the high standard of dependability and reliability to match the performance of the vehicle.
However, on the market, they are many non-genuine parts, including spark plugs, oil filters and tyres, among others.
Telling the difference
A genuine part will take you the recommended 5,000km before replacement is due and the fake one too. But whereas the genuine one does its filtering job well, the fake one does not.
Due to the dusty nature of our roads, the fake filter does a bad job. In the end, the oil is not filtered instead dust goes into the engine. With time, your mechanic will tell you to overhaul the engine, a pricey exercise because you wanted to save Shs3,000.
Ndala says you should buy from reputable places, the fake one feels lighter when held in your hands. If you have time, do not send someone, they may want that extra coin off your money. Go and buy the parts yourself.
