Suspension components are among the most critical on a vehicle. Their condition and performance have a big impact on how that car or truck drives, how it steers, holds the road and stops. That’s why, especially in an era when the vehicle fleet continues to age and more consumers are holding onto their car or truck for longer, it’s essential that suspension components are in optimal working condition. 

This means that firstly, regular inspection of these components is essential, and secondly, when replacement parts are required, shops and their customers should choose quality over initial price. 

Value versus cost

 At Mevotech, which has built a reputation for designing and manufacturing highly quality chassis, steering and suspension parts, Richard Stothers, Senior Vice President, Engineering and Research, Mevotech, stresses the importance of service centres emphasizing their customers on the principle of value versus cost. He notes that OEM wear parts are often designed and built with a specific shelf life, due to cost, weight, vehicle fuel efficiency and other parameters that are not often a consideration in the aftermarket. As a result, manufacturers that build aftermarket replacement parts can focus on improving upon the OEM design and engineering, creating parts that are designed for greater durability and longevity. Additionally, Stothers says that these aftermarket parts can also be engineered to be more tolerant of underlying vehicle design or wear issues, which can help reduce labour costs as well as replacement intervals.

 “The incremental cost of quality parts is minimal compared to the overall cost of repair, providing significant long-term savings in avoiding future repair or maintenance costs such as tire wear,” says Moreira.

Customer retention tool

At GSP North America, Karen Lucero, Product Manager for Ride Control, notes that quality ride control products can serve as a great customer retention tool for service centres. She says that firstly; by educating customers on how worn suspension and chassis parts, shops can create awareness and promote their services. Secondly, by bundling services such as alignment pre-checks, suspension inspections and warranties, they can add value to those customers while driving more revenue opportunities.

A key part in making that profitability aspect work, is ensuring that the replacement parts the customer specifies are easy and straightforward to install. Lucero cites examples such as GSP’s Loaded Strut Assemblies which are pre-assembled to cut down on cost and installation time. Additionally, having concise, clear instructions and solid technical support is essential.

Canadian specifics

Additionally, the Canadian market also has some unique challenges, namely requiring products that are designed to withstand harsh weather environments, including snow, sand, salt and extreme temperature variations. Solid corrosion resistance is critical, as is a robust distribution network to ensure those parts get to customers fast and efficiently even in relatively sparsely populated areas, plus bilingual customer service in Canada’s two official languages, English and French.

Lucero notes that she’s seeing the Canadian market evolve, with growing demand for high-quality aftermarket parts, particularly as the vehicle fleet continues to age (it’s up to 11 years at this writing). “GSP is actively working on new solutions to stay ahead of these trends and meet the ever-changing needs of Canadian motorists.”

Willing to invest

At Mevotech, Richard Stothers, explains that in Canada, consumers often seek out information and are willing to invest in quality replacement parts for their vehicles.

There are caveats however, namely that at all premium branded products in the market are the same. Some premium brands “only upgrade a small percentage of the product offered within that brand,” says Stothers, which is why, it’s critical to review the available data to ensure that the advertised upgrades are actually incorporated into application specific parts.”

By making that information available and having products with the enhancements readily available in the market, says Stothers, “customers will understand the benefits and see the value in the small premium the quality aftermarket product provides.”

Training and Support  

A key part to offering quality products in the aftermarket today not only comes down to the item itself, but the training and support that’s built around it. At Mevotech, Richard Stothers, notes that comprehensive technical training, installation resources and a dedicated support team are there to help technicians with real-world challenges when it comes to selecting and installing replacement components.

“Our goal is to be more than a parts supplier,” states Stothers. “We partner with technicians and shops through multiple avenues of connection, giving them the knowledge, tools, and confidence to get the job done right the first time.”

Karen Lucero agrees, noting that flexible training tools such as webinars and on-demand videos, in conjunction with detailed installation guides and bulletins can be a big help for technicians working in the service bay. Additionally, she notes that having this, as well as knowledgeable product managers, technicians and engineers available to assist shops and distributors with any questions they might have, helps ensure that shops and their techs are confident in working with the product, reducing the risk of any installation related issues while contributing to greater customer satisfaction.