Auto Value has announced the launch of a unique OE (Original Equipment) Engine Management Cataloging Program to streamline the process of searching for actual OE parts.
According to the company, this exclusive program allows for an easier coil selection process and aids in procuring the best part for a customer’s vehicle. With the new catalogue, Auto Value is now providing coverage for over 278 million vehicles in operations with OE, OES, or OE specification ignition coils.
“We are making the exact OE parts available to the technician so that we can help ensure a complete repair with confidence every time,” says Justin Hebert, Category Manager for the Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance, Headquarters for Auto Value.
Auto Value now has four such blended programs, with the ignition coil program being the fourth one. The other three are—Oxygen Sensors (launched in 2013 in collaboration with Bosch, Denso, and NTK); Fuel Pumps (launched in 2014 in collaboration with Bosch, Denso, and Delphi); and Spark Plugs (launched in 2017 in collaboration with Bosch, Denso, and NGK Spark Plugs).
“Our customers use the Alliance OE Oxygen Sensor catalogue every day. They trust it,” says John Sanford, Vice President of Purchasing for Auto-Wares Group of Companies and Chairman of the Product Committee for the Alliance. “The new Alliance coil catalogue helps counter staff and MyPlace4Parts customers find and deliver the best part for every application. It only made sense that we rolled out a similar program for ignition coils.”
The company explains that a rise in demand from professional technicians for original equipment parts, along with an increasing consumer preference for exact replacements, led to the creation of this program.
“With so many sensors and electronic parts facilitating the operation of today’s modern vehicles, technicians are becoming increasingly selective about what parts they are willing to put onto a customer’s vehicle,” says Hebert. “Everything on the vehicle must communicate and function in harmony with all of the other components. When a technician has to replace a failing part, he doesn’t want there to be any doubt that the new part will restore the system to operational efficiency and remove the error light.”
The Alliance collaborated with four global OE Ignition Coil suppliers—Bosch, Delphi, Denso, and Hitachi to introduce this program. According to Auto Value, these companies taken together possess extensive knowledge regarding the specifications for most current engine platforms. Additionally, these companies are recognized as ignition coil OE businesses or OES (Original Equipment Supplier) businesses. They have also been able to correct the failures in OE designs in certain cases. With the new cataloguing program, Auto Value intends to be able to ensure that a vehicle’s ignition system is put back into “like new” or “better than new” condition.
“We did some intensive market and category research that all pointed to ignition coils as the best place to start. They are a common failure point in the vehicle ignition system,” adds Hebert.
