Around 80% of vehicle parts are not produced by the vehicle manufacturer, but by suppliers. These and other parts manufacturers supply products for the IAM.

According to EU competition law, a component is considered an “original spare part” if it complies with the production standards and specifications set by the vehicle manufacturer to produce the part when building a vehicle. The parts that the vehicle manufacturer sells with its logo and in its packaging often come from the same production as the components that can be purchased from independent parts dealers.

In addition to “original spare parts”, service companies authorized by the vehicle manufacturer may also use “spare parts of equivalent quality”. These are spare parts which, according to the EU Commission, are of such high quality that their use does not damage the reputation of the vehicle manufacturer’s distribution network.

In Germany, there are around 36,000 vehicle service companies that regularly service and repair around 55 million vehicles. A good 22,000 independent workshops are brand-independent and benefit from the wide range of products offered by the independent parts trade for all vehicle brands. Around 14,000 authorized workshops of vehicle manufacturers are owned by brands.

No, the vehicle manufacturer may not prohibit the companies in its service network from using “original parts” and “spare parts of equivalent quality” from independent parts dealers.

Independent spare parts cover a broad portfolio of brand-independent applications and offer a comprehensive service: efficient logistics with high availability, timely repair solutions, efficient catalog systems and technical support, customer-oriented complaints processing and training courses for workshops.