The three-letter codes next to each part on your estimate determine how your car holds up for the next ten years. Here's what each one means, where it appears, and which to fight for.
Most body shop estimates have a small column with three-letter codes next to each part. Customers usually skip over them. The codes determine whether the new parts on your car are the same parts that came off the factory line, parts a third party built to look like them, or parts pulled off another wreck and resold.
If you're going to read one column on your estimate before you sign, this is the column.
The codes you'll actually see
Every estimating system (CCC, Mitchell, Audatex) uses some version of these abbreviations. The exact letters vary by software, but the categories are the same.
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer). New parts made by the same supplier that built the part for the factory line. Carries the automaker's warranty. Fits the way the original part fit. Most expensive of the four categories.
A/M or AM (Aftermarket). New parts made by a third-party manufacturer to approximate OEM specifications. Quality varies enormously. Some aftermarket bumpers fit acceptably; others are visibly warped, have misaligned sensor mounts, or fail crash-test performance you won't see until the next collision.
LKQ (Like Kind and Quality, also called "recycled" or "salvage"). Used parts pulled from totaled vehicles. The price is attractive. The history is unknown.
RECON or RCND (Reconditioned). OEM parts that were damaged, repaired, and refinished. Common on wheels and bumpers. Quality is entirely a function of who did the reconditioning.
Two more you'll occasionally see:
CAPA (Certified Automotive Parts Association). A certification body for aftermarket parts. CAPA-certified aftermarket parts have passed a testing protocol that other aftermarket parts haven't. CAPA-certified is better than uncertified aftermarket, though still not the same as OEM.
NAGS (National Auto Glass Specifications). Specific to auto glass. References a standardized catalog of glass parts. Doesn't tell you OEM vs aftermarket directly; that distinction is made separately on glass.
Where to find the code on your estimate
On most estimates, each parts line has the description on the left, the part number in the middle, and a small three-letter abbreviation either next to the part description or in a column labeled "Type" or "Source." On CCC estimates (the most common format in California) the type appears at the end of the parts description. On Mitchell estimates, it's a dedicated column.
If you can't find it, ask the shop or the adjuster to point it out. Every estimate has this information. Reputable shops won't hide it.
What each one actually costs
Rough rule of thumb on a typical front bumper cover for a 2022 sedan:
OEM: $600 to $900
A/M (CAPA-certified): $250 to $400
A/M (non-certified): $180 to $300
LKQ: $150 to $280
RECON: $300 to $500
The price gap is real money for the insurer. The performance gap is real safety margin for you.
The safety-vs-cosmetic decision
Not every part needs to be OEM. Here's where the decision actually matters.
OEM is the right answer when the part is:
Structural (frame rails, crash structures, pillars, roof rails, subframes). Substituting non-OEM on these voids the OEM's structural validation.
Houses a safety sensor (radar, camera, airbag component, seatbelt pretensioner, occupant detection sensor).
Integrates with ADAS (bumper covers with embedded radar mounts, grilles with cameras, mirrors with blind-spot monitors, headlights with auto-leveling).
A safety restraint (airbags, seatbelts, pretensioners). No substitution. Period.
Under the original manufacturer's warranty. Substituting non-OEM can void the warranty on adjacent systems.
Aftermarket is reasonable when the part is:
Cosmetic trim on an older vehicle (over seven years).
Headlight housings on a non-luxury vehicle without auto-leveling or steering-linked beams.
Mirror housings that don't contain blind-spot monitors or signal lamps.
Interior trim that isn't safety-rated.
Body filler panels (fender liners, splash shields) that have no structural or safety role.
LKQ is reasonable when the part is:
Cosmetic and on an older vehicle.
Verifiable as having come from a documented source (good salvage yards keep VIN and damage records on the donor vehicle).
Non-safety. Never use LKQ for structural or safety-restraint parts. The history is a coin flip.
The bait-and-switch to watch for
Here's the line item I've seen get customers in trouble. The estimate says OEM. The invoice says OEM. The part the technician actually installed was aftermarket. The customer never sees the difference because they don't pull the part off and compare casting marks.
This isn't theoretical. It happens at chain shops more than anyone wants to admit. The bill to the insurer says OEM. The part installed is whatever was cheapest that week. The margin difference is the shop's.
How to catch it: ask your shop, before pickup, to show you the parts boxes and the OEM stickers on the parts that were installed. A real OEM bumper cover comes in a box with the automaker's logo, a part number that matches your estimate, and a printed VIN on the label. An aftermarket part comes in a generic box, often without manufacturer branding, with a longer SKU that doesn't match the OEM number.
Reputable shops will show you the boxes without you asking. The ones that won't are the ones to push.
The polite question to ask
When you walk in for pickup, before you sign anything, ask:
"Can you walk me through which parts were OEM, which were aftermarket, and which were salvage, so I have it documented for my records?"
A shop that did the work the way they billed it will walk you through it without hesitation. A shop that didn't will get evasive. The evasion is the answer.
The cheapest part and the correct part are almost never the same part on a newer vehicle.
What's in our shop's estimates
We default to OEM on anything safety-related, anything structural, and anything ADAS-integrated. We default to quality aftermarket (CAPA-certified) on cosmetic parts where it makes sense and where the customer's budget benefits from the savings. We use LKQ rarely and only on older vehicles where the customer specifically asks for it.
Every line on our estimates is coded. Every part installed matches what the estimate said. If something has to change mid-repair, the customer hears about it before we install it.
Send us a photo of your estimate at (949) 859-7990 or stop by before you sign. We'll walk you through every line in fifteen minutes and tell you which parts are worth fighting for and which are reasonable to substitute.
Read your estimate twice. The abbreviations matter. - Gilbert
Frequently Asked
What is the difference between OEM and aftermarket parts?
OEM parts are new parts made by the same supplier that built the part for the factory assembly line. Aftermarket parts are new parts made by third-party manufacturers to approximate OEM specs. OEM costs more, fits more precisely, carries the automaker's warranty, and matches factory crash performance. Aftermarket varies enormously in quality.
What does LKQ mean on a body shop estimate?
LKQ stands for Like Kind and Quality, the industry term for used parts pulled from totaled vehicles. Sometimes called "recycled" or "salvage." LKQ is reasonable on cosmetic parts for older vehicles, never appropriate for structural or safety-restraint parts where the donor vehicle's history is unknown.
Are aftermarket parts safe?
Sometimes. CAPA-certified aftermarket parts have passed a testing protocol and are usually fine for cosmetic and non-safety applications. Non-certified aftermarket parts vary enormously. Aftermarket should not be used on structural parts, safety sensors, ADAS-integrated components, or safety restraints.
How do I know what parts my body shop actually installed?
Ask to see the parts boxes and OEM stickers before pickup. Real OEM parts come in manufacturer-branded boxes with part numbers that match your estimate. Aftermarket parts come in generic boxes with different SKUs. A reputable shop will show you without you asking; an evasive shop is telling you what you need to know.