When you buy a brand new starter from the original equipment manufacturer, you always know exactly what you’re getting. There may be issues with price or availability, but there aren’t any questions about the provenance of a brand new starter. Rebuilt and remanufactured starters can also be great, but you have to know what to look for.
For instance, rebuilders don’t always replace all of the internal components, and not all remanufacturers are factory-authorized. Since the quality of a rebuilt or remanufactured starter can vary depending on the practices of the rebuilder or remanufacturer, knowing who to trust and why to trust them can be extremely important.
Vetting Starter Rebuilders
The overall quality of a rebuilt starter is highly dependent on the skill, practices, and facilities of the rebuilder. Although the terms ‘rebuilt’ and ‘remanufactured’ are often used interchangeably, rebuilding is usually a less complete process. That’s why the single most important question to ask a rebuilder is exactly which components they replace during the rebuilding process. If the rebuilder only replaces the components that are actually broken, then their so-called rebuilt units will typically suffer from reliability issues when compared to new and remanufactured starters.
Check the if Rebuilt Starters are Certified
Another way to determine whether a rebuilder can be trusted is to check if they are ISO certified. Quality control certifications like ISO 9001:2008 are generic in nature, so they don’t include provisions that relate directly to starter rebuilding. However, a rebuilder that conforms to ISO standards does have to demonstrate compliance with relevant regulatory requirements and provide a product that consistently meets customer expectations.
Vetting Starter Remanufacturers
Although remanufactured starters are technically supposed to be indistinguishable from brand new units, it’s a bad idea to just take that assumption for granted. Just like it’s important to vet a rebuilder before you buy a rebuilt starter, it’s also a good idea to check into the practices and certifications of a remanufacturer before you do business with them. If a remanufacturer doesn’t replace or recondition all of the internal components, then they probably aren’t selling starters that meet or exceed the original equipment specifications, which means their starters aren’t truly remanufactured.
Another indicator that you can look for is whether or not a remanufacturer is factory-authorized or certified. When an original equipment manufacturer is factory authorized, you can rest assured that the original equipment manufacturer has either dictated or approved their procedures. In many cases, factory-authorized remanufacturers will even have technicians that received training from the original equipment manufacturer.
Trusting Rebuilders and Remanufacturers
In the end, the decision of whether or not to trust a rebuilder or remanufacturer comes down to knowing what to look for and doing your homework. An enormous gulf exists between a starter that has simply been repaired and one that has truly been remanufactured, which is why it’s so important to find out who you can trust.
If you have any questions about selecting the right heavy duty starter, remanufactured or new, contact us now.
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