Debate: Should we buy OEM parts or go with generic? I'm stuck after a convo with a guy at PartsTown

Was at PartsTown in Denver last week picking up a compressor relay for a Whirlpool fridge and this old timer next to me said generic parts are fine for 90% of jobs, but OEM is the only safe bet on sealed systems. He pointed out that a $12 generic relay cost him a $450 compressor call back last March. I've used generics for years without issue, but his story made me second guess. Which way do you lean when a customer wants the cheapest fix?

3 comments

3 Comments

uma_nguyen241mo ago

Huh, that $12 relay story is a good reminder but $450 for a compressor call back sounds steep even for that. Most compressors I've seen fail from high side issues or burnouts, not a cheap relay.

bettywilson1mo ago

See @uma_nguyen24, I think you might be overthinking this one a bit. A $450 callback does sting, I get that, but it's not like these things happen every week. Most of the time a compressor issue really is something simple like a bad start relay or a loose wire, not a full burnout. The real problem is when a tech doesn't check the easy stuff first and goes straight to swapping parts. That's where you get into trouble. But a single callback for a $12 part? I'd call that a learning experience, not a pattern.

sanchez.mary14d ago

Managed to change my mind on this one honestly. I used to be the guy who'd see a compressor issue and immediately think it was a big deal, like something major was fried. But a few years back I had a similar situation where a cheap relay was the culprit and it cost me a whole afternoon and an embarrassing callback. Now I check the easy stuff first every time, even if it feels dumb. A $450 mistake for a $12 part is a painful way to learn it but it sticks with you.