Tech Tuesdays: Automaker vs. Aftermarket Tech -- Which Offers Better Value?
Automakers have been aggressively muscling in on the aftermarket's dominance in car electronics for about 10 years now. A watershed moment for me was when Lexus linked up with the high-end home-audio brand Mark Levinson in 2000: It was the first time I thought that the sound quality of an OEM system could be seriously compared to what was available from the aftermarket. But you could still get something better from the aftermarket for the same amount of money.
What a difference a decade makes. Not only have auto-audio brand hookups proliferated, but car companies have taken the lead on several tech fronts, such as with the seamless iPod and Bluetooth integration offered by Ford's Sync system -- for which the aftermarket still hasn't come up with a better or less expensive alternative. Talk about a reversal of roles.
And although the aftermarket will always be the place to go if you want the utmost quality, maximum flexibility and the latest features, we wondered whether automakers or the aftermarket now offer the best value for the average consumer. So we considered four categories in which the two camps compete -- audio, rear-seat entertainment, navigation and Bluetooth -- to determine whether you get more for your money from automakers or the aftermarket.
While not an apples-to-apples comparison, our analysis gives a good indication of what it will cost on average to go each route. And the results we found in a recent feature story are surprising.
- Posted by
- Doug Newcomb May 12, 2009, 3:00 AM
- Permalink
- Categories:
- Automotive Technology, Car Advice Articles, Car Audio and Electronics, Car Tech Tuesdays, Chrysler, Ford
- Technorati Tags:
- aftermarket, audio, car technology, Ford, Lexus, Mark Levinson, navigation, Sync
If I'm buying an expensive car (say, a luxury car) I would choose the OEM system. In those cars, the OEM systems are just as good as the aftermarket systems, but are not appealing to thieves and are well integrated.
For a cheaper car, aftermarket mightbe the way to go.