There are several reasons that you may need to buy a new instrument cluster for your truck. An accident can damage your dash and require a replacement cluster. If your truck’s stereo was nice, thieves may have damaged your dash to get at the stereo and steal it. Either way, you may be in the market for a 2003 Chevy Silverado instrument cluster.
Options for Replacing Instrument Cluster
If your truck’s instrument cluster is beyond repair, you will need to replace it in order to have working gauges. There are three options for buying a replacement cluster.
* Buy it New
* Buy it Used
* Buy it Remanufactured
Buy it New
A new 2003 Chevy Silverado instrument cluster is the most expensive choice out of the three options. A new instrument cluster can cost close to $600 dollars, but someone who is rebuilding their truck may want a new cluster for it. When purchasing a new vehicle part, no matter what it is, there are two options:
* OEM Parts
* Aftermarket Parts
OEM Parts
An OEM part, which stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer, is basically a factory part. The automobile manufacturer, in this case General Motors, hires another company to make all of the parts for their vehicles. You can purchase OEM parts at a parts store or at the dealership.
Aftermarket Parts
Usually, when you purchase an automotive part in a parts store, unless you specify that you want an OEM part, you will most likely get an aftermarket part. Aftermarket parts are made by manufacturers other than those subcontracted by the automobile manufacturer. There are many companies who make aftermarket parts for vehicles and they are usually less expensive than OEM parts.
Buy it Used
A used 2003 Chevy Silverado instrument cluster shouldn’t be hard to find. The Chevy Silverado is one of the most popular pickup truck models in the U.S. You can buy used parts from salvage yards, online on sites like eBay or from used auto parts companies that catalog their parts online.
This is one of the least expensive ways to buy parts for your truck, but the parts may not be reliable. Used parts are pulled from old cars or trucks and sold “as is.” A used 2003 Chevy Silverado instrument cluster could last a few years or just a few days.
Buy it Remanufactured
Some companies will remanufacture used auto parts by replacing worn out parts so that they work like new. They cost more than used parts, but the manufacturer provides a 90 day, or sometimes longer, warranty. These parts will cost about half of the price of a new 2003 Chevy Silverado instrument cluster. They are also more reliable than used parts.
