Otto Explains — Retrofits and Upgrades
OEM Retrofits vs Aftermarket Upgrades: What Should You Consider?
Short Answer
A manufacturer (OEM) retrofit adds equipment the carmaker designed for your model, while an aftermarket upgrade comes from another company, and its quality, fit and legality vary from one product to the next. Neither is automatically the right choice. Before anything is fitted, check that it suits your exact car, who will code it into the car's electronics, whether it is allowed on Omani roads, and what it means for your warranty.
What is an OEM retrofit?
It is equipment from the vehicle maker, the same source as the parts the car was built with, added after the car has left the factory. A retrofit is often more than bolting on a part. In one BMW service action that added navigation to some cars, the work replaced hardware, changed the car's vehicle order (its record of the options it was built with) and reprogrammed the vehicle's software, and only properly trained technicians were to carry it out. That is the difference from switching on a feature the car already has, which Otto covers in a separate article on activating hidden features.
What is an aftermarket upgrade?
It is equipment made by a company whose parts are not supplied or approved by the carmaker. Quality varies widely: some aftermarket products match or outperform the originals, while others are poor and wear out much sooner. Replacing worn parts during a repair is a separate question, covered in Otto's article on genuine and aftermarket parts; this article is about adding equipment or upgrades.
What can go wrong when equipment is added?
Modern cars run on networked electronics, so an addition can affect more than itself. Mercedes-Benz warns that modifying electronic components, their software or their wiring can impair their function and the function of other networked components or safety-relevant systems. Kia warns that unauthorised electronic devices can make the car operate abnormally and cause wiring damage, battery discharge and even fire, and that modifications can affect performance, safety or durability. Lighting shows how a cheap shortcut can go wrong: a headlamp is designed around its light source, so a different bulb type can scatter glare, and OSRAM says its own LED replacement lamps for halogen sockets lack ECE approval and must not be used on public roads. Whatever is fitted, it should never disable or bypass a safety system.
How does a retrofit or upgrade affect the warranty?
It depends on the manufacturer, the country and who fits it, so ask your authorised agent before anything is fitted, and keep the answer in writing. As an example from the United States, BMW states that most of its original accessories fitted before delivery carry the full new-vehicle warranty, and that one fitted by a dealer after the sale carries the rest of the vehicle warranty or a two-year parts warranty from installation, whichever is longer. For aftermarket equipment, Kia's manual says damage or problems caused by a modification may not be covered. American and European rules say a maker can refuse a warranty claim when an aftermarket part caused the failure, but not simply because one was used; we found no published Omani rule on retrofits, so don't assume either position applies here.
Is an upgrade legal on Omani roads?
Not every one is. The Royal Oman Police does not allow vehicle modifications that don't conform to approved specifications, and has said such modifications can be fined. Kia also warns that a modification may break safety and emissions regulations. Lighting is a common example elsewhere: in the United Kingdom, kits that convert halogen headlamps to xenon are not legal, because a xenon headlamp must be a complete unit approved for xenon. Before fitting anything that changes lighting, emissions, noise or a safety system, check that it conforms to the approved specification, and ask your insurer whether it needs to be declared.
Who should fit and code it?
A workshop that has the vehicle's information and the right equipment, and that will tell you when a request isn't suitable. Mercedes-Benz recommends having modifications, installations and conversions carried out at a qualified specialist workshop. Coding matters as much as fitting: coding tools can switch options on, but some may not work with the car's software or configuration, and incorrect coding can need the control unit to be reprogrammed to put right, which is why ECU programming is specialist work. AutoTronix Lab carries out module coding and adaptation when a newly installed component has to be recognised by the vehicle's network. For intake, exhaust, suspension, cooling and braking upgrades, AutoTronix PERFORMANCE selects parts for compatibility with the car and its use, and advises when a modification isn't appropriate.
Common Questions
- Is a genuine retrofit always the better choice? Not always. A genuine retrofit is designed for your model, but genuine parts are generally the most expensive, and some aftermarket products match or outperform the originals. What matters is the specific product, its approval for road use and how well it is fitted and coded.
- Can any feature be retrofitted to any car? No. A retrofit can need new hardware, a change to the car's recorded specification and new software, and some coded options don't work on every car, depending on its software and configuration. Ask for the retrofit to be confirmed for your exact vehicle before buying parts.
- Are LED bulbs a legal upgrade for halogen headlights? Not necessarily. OSRAM says its own LED replacement lamps for halogen sockets lack ECE approval and must not be used on public roads, and the Royal Oman Police does not allow modifications that don't conform to approved specifications.