Reading the parts lines

One character on each parts line of your estimate says where the part came from. It is the most consequential thing on the document and the least often explained.

No. 1

The four letters

Different estimating systems print them slightly differently, but the four categories are the same everywhere, and any estimator will tell you which is which if you ask.

O: OEM — original equipment manufacturer. Made by or for the vehicle manufacturer and supplied in their box. Usually the most expensive option and usually what a newer car, a lease return or a structural location wants.
A: Aftermarket. Made by a third party to fit. Quality genuinely varies between manufacturers and between part types. Worth a conversation on a structural or safety part; not worth one on a trim clip.
LKQ: Recycled, “like kind and quality”. A used original taken from another vehicle. Often the closest possible match in fit, metal and finish, and often the fastest to obtain.
RC: Reconditioned. An original part that has been repaired and refinished. Common for alloy wheels and bumper covers, and frequently indistinguishable from new.

No. 2

None of them is automatically wrong

It would be convenient for a body shop to tell you that only original parts are acceptable. It is not true. A recycled original door shell on a nine-year-old car is frequently a better repair than a new aftermarket one, and costs less.

What matters is that the choice was made deliberately, that you were told, and that it is written on the document. A part type you were not told about is the problem; a part type you agreed to is just a decision.

No. 3

Where the law comes in

Wisconsin legislated about replacement parts in 1991 Wisconsin Act 176, which created two sections. This site cites them and does not quote them, because the current operative wording has not been verified against the statute book — and here, a passage either appears verbatim with its citation or it does not appear.

Cited, not quoted

Wis. Stat. § 632.38
Nonoriginal manufacturer replacement parts. Created by 1991 Wisconsin Act 176, this is the section about parts that did not come from the vehicle manufacturer.

Wis. Stat. § 100.44
Notice of replacement parts used in motor vehicle repair. The companion notice section, created by the same 1991 act.

Wis. Stat. § 632.37
Motor vehicle glass repair practices. The section that governs glass instead of § 632.375.

Why we are being this fussy

Because the entire value of a site like this is that you can tell exactly how far somebody checked. A confident paraphrase of a statute is worth less than an honest “we cited this but did not verify the wording, go and read it”.

No. 4

Questions worth asking

“Read me the part-type letters down the parts list.” It takes a minute.
“Which of these are structural or safety parts?” The answer changes how much the letter matters.
“What is the price difference if that one is OEM?” Sometimes it is small enough to pay yourself.
“Can I have the parts invoices at the end?” You are paying for the parts.

Sections of the Wisconsin Statutes are cited but not quoted on this page, because their current operative wording has not been verified. Read them at docs.legis.wisconsin.gov. Statutes are amended. This is general information about a public law, not legal advice, and it is not a statement about your particular claim. Read the section yourself, or ask a lawyer.

Or just ask

None of this is secret and none of it requires an appointment. Telephone and describe what has happened, and you will get a straight answer about what comes next.

Call (608) 555-0142

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