Is OEM Weatherstripping Better Than Aftermarket?
When you need to replace the weatherstripping on your Toyota, you face an important question. Should you get OEM weatherstripping, or would aftermarket weatherstripping do just fine? It’s actually a question you should ask every time you replace an auto part.
If you ask us, OEM is always better. OEM weatherstripping is a much better investment than aftermarket weatherstripping for two reasons:
- Material quality
- Fitment
The Importance Of Material Quality
Image Credit: TundraSolutions
The reason your car is loaded with weatherstripping is simple. Weatherstripping keeps your car’s interior clean, dry, and comfortable. For the weatherstripping on your car to be effective, it needs to be made with high quality materials.
That’s where OEM weatherstripping comes in. Toyota makes a point to manufacture its weatherstripping with high quality rubber, adhesives, and clips. With OEM weatherstripping on your car, you’ll know that it will last a long time.
You don’t have the same guarantee with aftermarket weatherstripping. Many aftermarket manufacturers use low quality materials to cut corners:
- Low quality rubber can become brittle in extreme weather. This leads to cracks and breakage, which defeats the purpose of the part.
- Low quality adhesive won’t stay on the car for long. You’ll be left with loose weatherstripping that can’t serve its purpose.
The Importance Of Fitment
Image Credit: TundraSolutions
When it comes to weatherstripping, fitment is everything. For weatherstripping to work optimally, it needs to:
- Be the right length
- Have the right thickness
- Have clips and holes that line up with the vehicle’s attachment points
In that case, you can’t go wrong with OEM weatherstrips. OEM stands for original equipment manufacturer. If you buy OEM weatherstripping, you’re getting an exact replica of the weatherstripping already on your car. Fitment is never an issue.
Aftermarket manufacturers design their weatherstripping to their own discretion. They don’t have to follow OE specs. That’s why many aftermarket weatherstrips don’t fit well. It’s not uncommon to encounter the following issues with aftermarket weatherstripping:
- Leaking doors, windows, and/or sunroof
- Shorted out electrical parts (due to the weatherstripping failing to keep moisture out)
- Doors not closing correctly
If you check Amazon, you’ll find some one-star reviews by Toyota owners. They made the mistake of buying aftermarket weatherstripping, and it didn't work out. For example:
- “[This aftermarket weatherstripping] is not waterproof because there are gaps between the assembly and the door/window. Unable to use it.”
- “[This aftermarket weatherstripping] does not fit. It will not click in place and hold tight to the door as intended. Tried two different vendors that stated they were direct replacements with same results. Going back to OEM and paying almost double but they will fit right.”
OEM Weatherstripping Doesn’t Always Have To Be Expensive
Despite all the faults that come with aftermarket weatherstripping, people still buy it. Often times, aftermarket weatherstripping is cheaper than OEM weatherstripping. Some people are willing to sacrifice quality for cost.
What if we told you that you can get genuine OEM weatherstripping at wholesale pricing? You’d be getting the best of both worlds. As an authorized retailer of genuine OEM Toyota parts, we carry weatherstripping for a variety of Toyota models. Look up your Toyota here. You’ll be able to find OEM weatherstripping for your model.