Randolph Palmer Federated Auto Parts and Fisher Auto Parts have hooked up a memorial fund to honor the past due Francis “Frank” Berrodin, the previous chairman of Berrodin Parts Warehouse, who passed away on April 24 at 92. Federated and Fisher each have donated to the University of the Aftermarket Foundation in Perrodin’s memory to fund enterprise academic initiatives, such as the newly established Frank Berrodin Memorial Scholarship, which will be awarded to a deserving student pursuing a profession in the automotive aftermarket. “We mourn the lack of Frank Berrodin and amplify our condolences to the complete Berrodin’s own family,” stated Rusty Bishop, CEO of Federated Auto Parts. “Berrodin Parts Warehouse has been a crucial part of the Federated family for many years, so it is only suitable that we recognize Frank’s contribution to Federated’s success and honor his lasting legacy.”
After serving in the U.S. Navy throughout World War II, Berrodin joined the family enterprise in 1948. Throughout his career at Berrodin Parts Warehouse, he served in various roles, including board chairman. A father of 5, along with son John, president of Berrodin Parts Warehouse, Berrodin also become the grandfather of 19 and terrific-grandfather of 26. Founded in 1905 as Berrodin Auto Supply Co., Berrodin Parts Warehouse is in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania. The longtime Federated member is a family-owned and family-operated business that has grown from one store in Philadelphia to an eight-warehouse, three hundred-worker operations.
To donate to the University of the Aftermarket Foundation in memory of Frank Berrodin, go to www.UofAFoundation.Com to donate online or ship a check made payable to the University of the Aftermarket Foundation to 7101 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1300, Bethesda, MD 20814 and imply that the donation is in Perrodin’s reminiscence. These days, there is no telling where any given aftermarket part was made or even who made it. The global parts market is flooded with cheap, substandard garbage that does not conform to any accepted safety and quality standards, which, in practical terms, means that you could be endangering the lives of your family by refusing to pay “exorbitant” prices for safety-critical parts at the dealer.
Moreover, if an OEM part fails, you know who to talk to, which is often not the case with aftermarket parts. You usually have no recourse, and you have to buy another part at a different auto parts store, hoping it won’t fail again within a few days. Thus, occasionally paying more for an OEM part can save a lot of money, time, and aggravation in the long run.
Compare prices
If you choose to go with aftermarket parts, despite the risk of receiving substandard auto parts, you can often realize substantial savings by shopping around. However, it would help if you compare prices for the same brand when you shop around. If you don’t know your way around the parts of the angle, it is easy to fall prey to unscrupulous dealers who do not have your best interests at heart. Reputable auto part manufacturers will always brand their products, so stick to brands you know and trust: auto parts that come in unbranded white boxes (or in plain plastic bags) may be cheap, but you don’t see what you are buying.
“Cheap” never translates into “good quality,” which means that by the time you have replaced an aftermarket auto part of uncertain provenance for the third time, you’ve probably spent more money than you would have done had you bought the part from the dealer in the first place.
Buy used auto parts
We are not suggesting that you should always buy used parts, but where used parts do not pose a safety risk, such as trim panels, mirrors, body parts/panels, and the like, you can often save substantial amounts of money. Moreover, by shopping around and comparing prices at a few junkyards, you can usually negotiate a price that will make you return for more.
Buy refurbished parts
Major auto parts like alternators, driveshafts, and transmissions are always expensive when buying new ones. Still, refurbished parts can be a viable alternative that saves you substantial money. However, not all refurbished parts are rebuilt to OEM standards, so if you want to take this route, investigate the company that does the refurbishing.
