How To Make Sure Your Body Shop Only Uses OEM Toyota Parts

If your Toyota needs some body work, you want to use only OEM replacement parts. You could order OEM parts and do the body work yourself. But body work is very hard to do well at home, and is usually best left to the experts. If you want the body work done right, bring it to a body shop.

The thing is, body shops tend to use aftermarket parts because they’re cheaper. That can be a problem. Yet, all is not lost. You can still make sure that your body shop only uses OEM parts on your car. We’ll show you how.

Why OEM Auto Body Parts Are Better Than Aftermarket Auto Body Parts

OEM Toyota body parts

Like any car part (like modulator valves and oxygen sensors, for example), auto body parts need the durability and longevity to work properly. Many people believe that auto body parts are only cosmetic, but it's not true.

Many auto body parts add to the safety of your vehicle. For example, the hood is designed to crumple and fold in an accident. The hood goes through a lot of crash testing during the development of the vehicle. That's why it's not a good idea to go cheap on auto body parts. Aftermarket parts can be a huge gamble. They're a hit-or-miss when it comes to safety, quality, and fitment.

OEM auto body parts are a much safer bet. It's because:

  • OEM parts will perform as expected during an accident
  • OEM parts are built with quality materials
  • OEM parts will fit exactly
  • Toyota covers most of its parts with a 12-month, unlimited mile warranty

So if your Toyota needs body work, you may want to insist that the shop only use OEM replacement parts. You can do this in three general steps:

1. Let The Body Shop Know That You Only Want OEM Replacement Parts On Your Toyota

Toyota body shop

Communication is key. Let the body shop know that you only want them to use OEM replacement parts on your Toyota. Keep in mind that they may not be able to use OEM parts because your insurance company doesn’t allow it. In that case, talk to your insurance company.

2. Talk To Your Insurance Company

If the body shop tells you that they can’t use OEM parts because of your insurance, you can do something about it. Call your insurance company and submit a complaint. The point of doing this is to see if they’ll cover the cost of OEM parts.

If you have a newer and common make and model, OEM parts will be very easy to find. In that case, the insurance company may be willing to cover the cost of OEM parts. They may ask you to pay an additional fee for the OEM parts coverage.

3. Offer To Pay The Difference

If the insurance company refuses to budge, you can always offer to pay the difference. The insurance company will cover the cost of the aftermarket parts. That doesn’t mean you have to use the aftermarket parts, though. You can pay the difference in cost between the aftermarket parts and OEM parts.

If you’re on a budget, you can have the body shop order genuine OEM parts from us online. We offer wholesale pricing, so you’ll save about 30% on OEM parts. We have an extensive catalog of genuine OEM Toyota body parts. The body shop may appreciate it if you provide the correct part numbers for your model ahead of time.

To find the correct part numbers for your Toyota, look up your model in the catalog.

Written by Jason Lancaster