As with nearly every industry, there will be big names which dominate the market, and there will be smaller, lesser-known companies which compete for their time in the spotlight. Today we are covering how more popular brands compare against their often-cheaper counterparts, and whether it’s worth spending a little extra cash when you’re looking for your next trailer part or towing accessory.
Brand Specialities
You will notice in the world or trailers and towing there will not be one brand that dominates the market throughout all specialities, it is generally distributed throughout a few well-known brands. Each of these may be number one in a certain field. For example, Knott are a well-known trailer brand throughout all aspects of the industry, however the excel in trailer brake sector. So, what makes them number one in this field?
Knott brake technology covers a huge range of trailer and caravan braking systems, offering complete units for most types of trailer on the market, including an even larger selection of brake parts. Due to the nature of a trailer and the often-harsh environments they are used in, it is common for a trailer user to need to replace certain parts of their trailer set-up - rather than replacing an entire system. This helps keep maintenance costs low, while still getting the most out of your trailer. Often there are products on the market sold as non-genuine replacement parts, so are they any good?
Are Genuine Products Worth It?
The decision of whether to go for genuine parts for your trailer or opt for replica products is solely down to you. The positives and negatives for each option, and everyone’s requirements for their trailer, are different. Where some people may only have a trailer to sustain a hobby, others may have it as a livelihood, both requiring completely different levels of reliability. So, lets weigh up some of the advantages and disadvantages of genuine vs non-genuine trailer products.
Advantages of Genuine
- Compatibility: When you are replacing parts of your trailer it is sometimes difficult to know which parts will fit your trailer and which won’t. Buying genuine trailer parts eliminates this problem, each replacement part will have a part number which can be found and replaced with a like-for-like component. This is particularly useful when changing components where sizing is of high importance, such as wheel hubs and bearings.
- Reliability: More often than not, branded products have an increased popularity because they supply products which meet strict criteria and are therefore highly reliable. Brands have a reputation to keep, so will ensure all of their products meet the customers needs and perform to a certain level. This means when you buy a branded product you know exactly what you’re getting and how it will perform on your trailer.
- Guarantee: Buying branded products usually come with some level of buyer protection. Brands will offer a warranty or guarantee on their product to ensure it meets your expectations and functions correctly.
Disadvantages of Genuine
When making the choice between a genuine and non-genuine trailer part there is often only one disadvantage of the genuine product, it comes at a price. This can sometimes be substantially more than their non-branded counterparts. When choosing a replacement part for your trailer the price can be a massive factor to consider and has a big impact on your final choice of part. Try and weigh up the benefits and drawbacks offered by the parts you are looking at, and the risks of choosing a non-genuine produce versus the genuine one.
Investigating buyer protection is important, check whether there is anything to cover you against mechanical faults and try to read as many reviews as possible to get an idea of the reliability of the product you are going for. A drawback of non-genuine products is a difficultly identifying the exact part number so finding reviews can be a bit of a challenge.
Which Trailer Part Do I Need?
The quality and budget you have for your trailer will depend completely on how you intend to use your trailer. If your trailer is used daily there is a far greater reason to go for parts from a reputable supplier so you know the will have a maximum reliability and will be covered if there are any issues with it. However, if your trailer is only used once or twice a year there is far less of a reason to go for the more expensive trailer parts. You may be running the risk of a slightly less reliable par, with a lower build quality, but at the same time it is difficult to justify spending a large sum of money on a replacement part when there are cheaper options available.
But remember, the safety of your trailer and vehicle should always be number one. We would always recommend areas which directly effect your trailers performance, such as brakes and couplings should always be of the highest affordable standard. Failures in these areas can result in catastrophic accidents, even on short trips.
Reading Reviews
One of the best methods for choosing your trailer part is to read reviews. These can save you a lot of time when looking for a new item for your trailer by giving you a rundown of the good points and bad points of each part. Learning from previous customer experience can give you an idea of the standard of quality you should expect, you can then compare this with other manufacturers and make a decision based on the price and other variables to find the best choice for you.
