# Are the genuine parts or oil or fluid really any better than aftermarket ones **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [May 27, 2017, 1:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/are-the-genuine-parts-or-oil-or-fluid-really-any-better-than-aftermarket-ones/104369 "2017-05-27T01:44:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![sgtrock21](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/sgtrock21/32/246_2.png) [@sgtrock21](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sgtrock21)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2017, 3:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/are-the-genuine-parts-or-oil-or-fluid-really-any-better-than-aftermarket-ones/104369/41 "2017-06-02T15:18:40Z")
A few decades back domestic vehicles used 90W gear oil in manual transmissions, differentials, and transfer cases. Automatic transmission fluid was Dextron (red) for GM or Type F (amber) for Ford. I don’t recall which one Chrysler used as my two Chrysler vehicles had manual transmissions. Brake fluid was DOT 3. Engine coolant was whatever brand of green stuff. Today we have a confusing array of vehicle fluids. I just have the dealership install the correct ones. ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2017, 3:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/are-the-genuine-parts-or-oil-or-fluid-really-any-better-than-aftermarket-ones/104369/42 "2017-06-02T15:21:22Z")
DOT3 compliant just means at a MINIMUM, it meets that spec. It does not mean it cannot have other superior qualities over and above DOT3… ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2017, 3:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/are-the-genuine-parts-or-oil-or-fluid-really-any-better-than-aftermarket-ones/104369/43 "2017-06-02T15:51:33Z")
When I worked for GM’s brake division years ago, they used to sell their own formulation of Dot 3 fluid to GM and AC Delco service. It was decidedly not “generic” Dot 3 fluid sold by everyone else. I was told by a brake engineer to use Ford Dot 3 fluid in my race car though. He said its dry boiling point was quite a bit higher than the Delco Dot 3 fluid, met Dot 4 requirements and was sold in metal cans - better to keep out moisture than the plastic bottles. Ford’s wet boiling point was what kept it selling it as Dot 3. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2017, 10:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/are-the-genuine-parts-or-oil-or-fluid-really-any-better-than-aftermarket-ones/104369/44 "2017-06-02T22:05:58Z")
I bet I don’t work for Honda, and as @TwinTurbo said, not all DOT3 fluids are the same. I saw the warnings from Honda not to use anything but Honda DOT3 brake fluid, and I was skeptical. Rather than buying just any DOT3 fluid, I read up on it on Honda forums. I learned that the Honda fluid had a higher boiling point than most OTC DOT3 brake fluids. I then went to my local auto parts store and found a Valvoline DOT3/DOT4 compliant hydrocarbon fluid with a boiling point as high as Honda’s. I decided at that point, I would switch. ---
**Author:** ![COROLLAGUY1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/corollaguy1/32/7575_2.png) [@COROLLAGUY1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/COROLLAGUY1)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2017, 12:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/are-the-genuine-parts-or-oil-or-fluid-really-any-better-than-aftermarket-ones/104369/45 "2017-06-03T00:26:01Z")
Never had problem using generic DOT 3 brake fluid in all the Hondas I owned. They are just daily drivers…not race cars. ---
**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2017, 1:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/are-the-genuine-parts-or-oil-or-fluid-really-any-better-than-aftermarket-ones/104369/46 "2017-06-03T01:39:10Z")
> [@jtsanders](#): > > Many years ago a couple friends and I went regularly to a bar in DC that served beers from around the world. Ah! The Brickskeller! I went there with a former boss and all he ever ordered was Newcastle Brown. > **[Brickskeller](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brickskeller)** > > The Bier Baron Tavern (formally The Brickskeller Dining House and Down Home Saloon) is a tavern in Washington, D.C., located near Dupont Circle across from Rock Creek Park and on the edge of Georgetown, in the Baron Hotel building. It was founded by Felix Coja and his wife, Marie. > Felix and Marie were originally from the French Mediterranean island of Corsica and immigrated to the United States after World War I. Coja, a Cordon Bleu-trained Master French chef, found work in Washington, D.C., at ... ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2017, 2:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/are-the-genuine-parts-or-oil-or-fluid-really-any-better-than-aftermarket-ones/104369/47 "2017-06-03T02:05:23Z")
Yeah I’ve been there. Don’t drink beer but the wife does. Something there for everyone. Maybe I’m stupid but I just picked up a bottle of Acura coolant and brake fluid to have on the shelf. Wasn’t anymore expensive than anywhere else. I really haven’t used either though. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2017, 2:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/are-the-genuine-parts-or-oil-or-fluid-really-any-better-than-aftermarket-ones/104369/48 "2017-06-03T02:30:49Z")
That’s where we spent many nights drinking strange beers and eating bufffalo burgers with buffalo chips. Fond memories. ---
**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2017, 3:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/are-the-genuine-parts-or-oil-or-fluid-really-any-better-than-aftermarket-ones/104369/49 "2017-06-03T03:38:43Z")
Back to cars-- My decision when I did my own work depended on how much labor was involved, how my finances were at the time and how long I expected to keep the car as to whether to use OEM parts or aftermarket. For example, on my 1954 Buick, the OEM fuel pump was $15.75. The Western Auto store pump was $8.75. It took less than half an hour to change the mechanical pump,so I took the aftermarket route. I was earning about $200 a month back then, so the aftermarket pump made sense. On today’s cars, with an electric pump in the gas tank I would go with OEM because changing out this type of pump takes much more time. The last time I put spark plugs in the 1978 Oldsmobile I owned, Autolite spark plugs were on sale. I substituted the Autolite equivalent for the OEM AC plugs because changing plugs on that car was a 20 minute job. If I were changing plugs on my 2011 Sienna where the rear plugs are against the firewall, I would cerrtainly use the recommended plugs. The Western Auto pump on the Buick and the Autolite plugs on the Olds functioned well in the time I kept the cars. With many repairs on today’s cars requiring a lot of labor, I would stick with OEM parts. [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/are-the-genuine-parts-or-oil-or-fluid-really-any-better-than-aftermarket-ones/104369.md?page=2)