Handling your own car repairs can save you quite a bit of money, but it's good to know what you're doing and the best parts to use for the repairs before you begin. Using cheap parts or those that aren't right for the job can damage your car down the road and cause you even more damage to your car. Before you order Ford body parts off the internet or from your local parts supplier, it's good to understand what you need and why you should order certain parts rather than others.
OEM Parts
OEM stands for "original equipment manufacturer," which is a fancy way of saying genuine Ford parts rather than those made by anyone else. When you're ready to order Ford body parts, you want to choose OEM parts and those that are certified as being genuine. One reason for this is that you know they'll fit your car properly. That’s because parts that are not authentic may not be made to Ford's exact specifications, and so you may find problems with them down the road. You may also be buying remanufactured or refurbished parts which may not last as long as they should.
The Right Parts
It's often tempting to choose a generic brand when you need something smaller, such as Ford tail lights, headlights or other small parts. However, generic brands may not always fit properly or work properly. When a manufacturer claims that their part is compatible or made to the right specifications, it would be nice to be able to believe their claims, but even the smallest variance can cause a malfunction or mean the part won't fit properly. Things like Ford tail lights are especially important since they contribute to the safety and legality of your car. You simply shouldn’t take chances with parts that may not work as they should. Choosing the cheapest part is not always the best choice so it's good to consider genuine parts that you know will fit and work properly when doing repairs to your Ford car.