US-based ACDelco, a global leader in replacement parts and related services, has highlighted the dangers of purchasing counterfeit parts and warning Middle East customers to be vigilant when purchasing any auto parts.

ACDelco is the exclusive original equipment (OE) parts brand for General Motors (including Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac), as well as provider of premium aftermarket parts for most other makes and models. Other available applications include off-road, marine and industrial.

While fake parts may often be less expensive to buy, the cost can prove to be far higher in the long run, and not just financially. Imitation parts typically don’t last as long as genuine parts, making it necessary to replace them more frequently, said a statement from the company.

Typically, these parts aren’t built to a particular car’s specifications, which can also lead to mechanical problems and breakdowns. Worst of all, fake auto parts are not made to ACDelco’s exacting standards, which can have major safety implications, especially when buying parts such as brakes, it said.

Mohammed Al Fayyad, director of aftersales at General Motors Middle East, said: “The counterfeit parts market is a major focus of attention for ACDelco.”

“With a reputation for producing aftermarket parts of the highest quality, and a large number of customers that rely on our products to protect, the company continuously works with authorities across the Middle East to minimise the chances of customers unknowingly purchasing low quality fake parts,” he added.

Around 158,400 fake spare parts were discovered in a joint operation between the Department of Economic Development – Ajman and Ajman Police earlier this year, with ACDelco closely involved from the moment of the first raid right through to the destruction of the parts, said a statement.

A number of manufacturers worked with the authorities on the case, with ACDelco alone listing approximately 10,000 fake parts, predominantly oil filters, among the seizure, it said.

The Middle East auto parts market continues to prove a major lure for unscrupulous criminals - the counterfeit parts trade alone is worth almost $1 billion a year. Demonstrating the on-going challenges facing all organisations, earlier this year more than 500,000 counterfeit car parts were discovered in a raid in Al Ain, UAE.

In February 2013, law enforcement agencies and Customs in Saudi Arabia, in cooperation with General Motors, seized more than 50,000 ACDelco counterfeit products alone, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service