Garages, mechanics and restoration companies often find that customers assume that purchasing and supplying replacement parts or performance upgrades themselves will reduce the cost of the work – usually due to misconceptions about price uplifts added to sourcing and supply services.
In many cases, automotive professionals may refuse to install owner-supplied parts, leading to frustration and dissatisfied customers. Design911, a Porsche parts specialist, shares some guidance to clarify why this happens and the real problems mechanics and garages must avoid.
The business, which supplies trade and retail clients across the UK and Europe, hopes to inform consumers about standard practices to ensure they don't risk voiding warranties or even fitting substandard and unsafe components.
Key Considerations for Automotive Companies Fitting Owner-Supplied Parts
Porsche vehicles are renowned for their precision engineering, sleek bodywork, adaptive suspension and other innovations that augment driver comfort, handling and steering. Those evolutions in performance rely heavily on the quality, compatibility and configuration of the thousands of parts concealed under the bonnet.
From a mechanic’s perspective, fitting a part they haven’t sourced themselves comes with myriad practical and ethical issues:
- Any auto technician or garage specialising in performance and tuning will usually offer a warranty as standard on their work. If they rely on the customer to source their own part, they can be put in a position where they cannot offer any guarantees since they have no assurances about the authenticity of the component they are fitting.
- Low-quality or counterfeit parts may look almost identical to the real thing, and a professional mechanic will be very reluctant to fit any part they haven't supplied since a lack of documentation could mean the part is potentially dangerous or has a limited lifespan.
- Insurance providers may refuse any claim linked to the failure of a component or may deem that the mechanic’s professional coverage is invalid – partly since the insurer may have no method of determining responsibility for the failure.
These factors contribute to the widespread policies that prevent mechanics from fitting any component they haven’t sourced from a reputable, established and trusted supplier. When installing performance upgrades in premium Porsche vehicles, especially parts linked to acceleration, braking and handling, a garage may also have a blanket rule in place to avoid ever installing a part that could put the driver’s safety at risk if it were to fail.
Guidance for Consumers Wishing to Supply Their Own Porsche Replacement Parts
In some cases, a Porsche enthusiast or collector might have a specific reason for wishing to source a part. Karl Chopra, MD of Design911 explains, ‘There are some components that are unusual, in limited supply or that are very tricky to find, often because they are original specification components for vintage or rare Porsches that are no longer in wide-scale production.
Owners might also have come across a sought-after performance upgrade part they have been looking for or want to invest in a complete engine rebuild and have spent time sourcing the relevant components. While many hard-to-come-by components are those for classic Porsches, customers also request help sourcing advanced and modern replacements, including parts linked to in-car entertainment systems and those with customisation options.
Our advice for any Porsche owner who has purchased a part or is planning to buy a component and intends to schedule the installation with their performance upgrade garage or mechanic, is to contact them beforehand to verify whether they will be happy to complete the work.
If you have a paper trail to verify where the part has been purchased from and can provide the mechanic with 100% confidence that the component is compatible, safe and of a suitable quality, they may be able to proceed.
However, supplying a component yourself, even in these less usual circumstances, could impact the warranty your automotive service provider can offer. If you'd like further advice about self-sourcing parts, you are welcome to call or message us anytime.’
The Importance of Sourcing Genuine Porsche Components and Performance Upgrades
Chopra goes on to say that 'Over recent years we've seen surges in reported problems, often where consumers have purchased components through an online marketplace or website, and don't have any way to trace the supplier or contact them if they have issues.
It is crucial that any component is compatible with your Porsche and comes from a reliable brand or supplier with full specifications.'
These comments are supported by an initiative launched in 2022 by the EU's Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). The initiative aims to combat counterfeit and illicit parts, citing risks to public safety, the automotive sector, and the environment.
Read more about Design911 - Porsche Upgrade Specialist, Design911, Advises UK Automotive Clients On Online Ordering Safety
Media Contact:
Tom Harper-Ward
Design 911
+44 (0)208 500 8811
About Design911
Design911 has established itself as the market leader, offering trade and retail customers a full range of OEM and aftermarket Porsche parts for general servicing and rebuild as well as restoration and tuning for the UK, European and worldwide markets. The Design911.co.uk website now sports a Porsche parts finder to help you get the exact aftermarket Porsche part you need. The company's impressive 34,000 sq. ft Essex headquarters comprise sales department, warehouse, workshop and body shop, as well as a showroom of classic Porsches for sale. We pride ourselves that we will be the company that can supply 'every part for every Porsche'.
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Source Company: https://www.design911.co.uk
