A/C Compressor: OEM vs Aftermarket

HeX

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To the best of my knowledge, the general consensus agrees that an OEM Honda A/C compressor is far superior than any aftermarket compressor brand. Not only do the Sanden (Honda) compressors cool noticeably more but they last far longer, perhaps up to a decade or more depending on frequency of use. Aftermarket Honda compressors take significantly longer to cool the cabin, don't seem to cool nearly as much on a hot & sunny day, and universally are expected to last just 1-3 years, again depending on frequency of use. Those are huge comparative disparities but then again the cost of an aftermarket compressor falls somewhere between 40%-60% of an OEM Honda compressor.

I'm curious to know if anyone here can explain exactly why the factory compressors are so vastly superior to the aftermarket options. It seems a bit strange that no aftermarket company can build a comparable option at a reduced cost of the OEM option. I'm not at all familiar with how the compressor exactly works so knowledgeable insight would be greatly appreciated. I don't think I've ever received a response more detailed that stating OEM is just better than aftermarket.
 


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