OES vs OEM vs Genuine Parts

OES stands for Original Equipment Supplier (not a widely used term)

OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer

Genuine stands for Toyota or Lexus distribution channel

It’s tough to argue that Toyota builds some pretty amazing vehicles which seem to NEVER die. However, when you find yourself on the hunt for replacement parts, the terms used can often be very confusing. Luckily Yota1 is here to help! It’s important to know that while Toyota does make some great parts, they actually don’t manufacture many of the mechanical components found on your vehicle. Most of these parts are sourced by Toyota from other amazing manufacturers. This means that you have a choice when purchasing parts for your vehicle. Knowledge is key! By knowing the manufactures that Toyota sourced and purchased parts from, and their specifications, will allow you to get the best parts for your vehicle.

This information is available through many different sources out there. However, confusion exists with defining the terms OES, OEM, and Genuine Parts – not only on our website but throughout the industry. Here you will find the definitions of those terms and how they are found on the Yota1 Performance website. Our hope is that it will help provide some clarity on the parts you purchase from Yota1. You can, of course, contact us at any time if you have a question about a specific product.

OES stands for Original Equipment Supplier (not a widely used term) The company that manufactured the parts is the “manufacturer” and Toyota is the “supplier”. An “OES” part was purchased directly by Toyota then installed or packaged then sold to the consumer. We see lots of other companies using the term “OEM” to describe “OES” and thus causing confusion around these two terms. “OEM” stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. These are parts that are manufactured by the same company that made the original parts for Toyota and Lexus, the most well-known example of one of these manufacturers being AISIN. For example, the water pump on your vehicle is manufactured for Toyota by AISIN. When purchasing these parts they will NOT be in a Toyota box, but they are the same parts that Toyota originally installed on your vehicle. If Toyota did manufacture and sell the part then “OEM” would be the correct term, thus causing more confusion.

Yota1 refers to OES and Toyota-made OEM parts as “Genuine” when you see a part described as “Genuine” on our website it means that part will be in Toyota or Lexus packaging and was supplied to us through our Toyota distribution channel. These parts are not repackaged or altered in any way, they are the same parts you would get from a Toyota dealership. Yota1 can often provide these parts at a better price and with superior customer service than you would receive from your local dealership. We use the term “Genuine” on our website when describing these parts because we understand there is a lot of misinformation and we want to be clear about the parts you are purchasing from Yota1.

When Yota1 describes a part as OEM that means we have verified the part is the same part with the same specifications as the part that was installed on your vehicle on the Toyota assembly line. It will not be in a Toyota box and will be in the manufactures box. It is important to note that while a company may be an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to Toyota, for one or more particular parts they may also manufacture other parts for your vehicle as well, and these parts are NOT OEM. They may even be the same type of part but of lesser quality than Toyota’s specification. These would be aftermarket replacement parts or some call them “Aftermarket OEM”. While “Aftermarket” is a correct description of the part, we feel it only adds to the confusion to add OE or OEM when describing these parts as they are not of the same quality. Therefore, we choose not to use the terms “Aftermarket OE” and “Aftermarket OEM” as they do not meet Toyota specifications.

We take our parts very seriously and we are dedicated to providing the absolute best parts for your vehicle. When we decide to offer a “OEM” part, you can trust that we have compared the part to the “Genuine” version and feel that it is an exact match, or better in rare cases. It’s good to know that when these companies manufacture parts for Toyota, they must meet the quality standards set forth by Toyota themselves. However, when the companies manufacture parts for the general public, they are free to do as they please. We continually keep an eye on the quality of these parts to ensure that Toyota standards are met. We do feel that most of the OEMs don’t charge their standards when creating parts for the general public, but we have noticed some parts that do NOT appear to be of Toyota quality and we choose not to offer these parts.

There are two reasons why we sell OEM parts even though we prefer Genuine parts. First, we understand the value of a hard-earned dollar and like to offer alternatives to genuine parts, so long as the quality has not been compromised with the part being less expensive. Second, in some instances, a Genuine part may no longer be available from Toyota. When a part is discontinued, we do our best to provide a quality alternative. Sometimes the “next best thing” may be exactly that – “next best” – not original quality. There are a few of these parts currently on our site. We provide these parts specifically to help keep your vehicle on the road. But don’t worry, we always give an honest opinion as to the quality of these parts.

The following is a list of OE manufacturers that are sold by Yota1.

AISIN- Several different components

Koyo – Bearings

Ishino – Gaskets and seals

Denso – Electrical components

555 – Steering components

OSK – Timing chain assemblies

Kyosan – Fuel pumps

Yota1 also sells many aftermarket performance parts, such as lift kits, bushings, control arms, and more. We do not use a specific term for these parts but the product manufacturer will be clearly listed in the product description. Including when it is a performance part manufactured by us, Yota1.

If you have any questions about whether a part is Genuine Toyota (OES) or OEM (the manufacturer that supplies Toyota) or Aftermarket OE (replacing OEM), please email us the part number, link, or product title and we will be happy to clarify.