About Scarlett Mansfield

Scarlett Mansfield works as a freelance marketing strategy consultant at Britcar. She holds a master's in History from the University of Oxford. In the summer of 2018, Scarlett drove a 2002 TD4 Freelander from London to Mongolia and back (17,000 miles) without any conversions/ alterations to her car! Just goes to show what can be done with the motor sat on your drive. To read more visit www.scarlettmansfield.com.

Off-road with a Purpose: Land Rover, the British Army & Belize, 1984

Into The Unknown

“Mansfield”, the Sgt Major yelled, “come here!” At this point, 22-year-old, British-born transport soldier Duncan Mansfield dutifully trotted over to his superior. “Do you know the difference between a house brick and plaster?” he boomed once more.

Now, before we continue, it should be noted that Sgt Majors are renowned for asking tricky questions that typically lead you to perform a completely unrelated task. From moving a piano to picking up cigarette butts. It was with some trepidation then Mansfield informed him yes, he did in fact know the difference.

“Great”, Sgt Major replied, “report to the Field Hospital Unit immediately. They need another member of the field surgical team to drive their Series 2 & Series 3 Land Rovers”. And so, with no time to recover from the humidity that choked him upon arrival, Duncan set off to learn about his new role.

Duncan Mansfield sat on a 109" Series 3 Land Rover Marshall-bodied ambulance version.

Setting The Scene

Duncan, like many of the British Army in Belize, touched down in Price Barracks, aka Airport Camp. Located just outside of Belize City, this site acted as the HQ of British Forces in Belize.

At first glance, it may seem weird that the British were so heavily invested in a Central American country. However, up until 1981, Belize, formerly known as British Honduras, ‘belonged’ to Britain as a colony – as it had since 1862. For years, neighbouring Guatemalans attempted to stake their claim in the land and take over. However, as a newly independent and fragile country, Britain remained dedicated to ensuring Belize survived. As a result, the government flew British soldiers over to Belize to assist in training the Belizean Defence Force.


Surgical Teams & Mobile Hospitals 

In his role as part of the British Army Field Surgical Team, Duncan drove and maintained a small fleet of 109” Series 3 Land Rovers. Not only were did the army own soft-top models but also, given the nature of the role, Marshall-bodied ambulance versions. Further, each motor pulled a Sankey expedition trailer filled with tables, chairs, and much-needed medical supplies. Within each vehicle, you could also find two medical orderlies’, a surgeon, an anaesthetist, and a dentist. The Series 3 Land Rover essentially became a mobile hospital during this time.

Twice a week, Duncan and another driver headed out in a brace of 109 Series 3 Land Rovers. They made regular stops to dilapidated hospitals in sparsely populated towns, from Orange Walk to Belmopan (currently under construction at the time). The team also took the Land Rovers off-road to jungle clearings. Not only did this give surgical teams a chance to practise medicine in challenging terrain and an austere environment, but it also allowed locals in remote locations to receive free medical care.

“Throughout my five-month stint in Belize, those Land Rover’s never let us down you know?” Duncan proudly tells me today. With no radios or other form of communication to the outside world, they were in real trouble if the Land Rovers failed them.

Duncan Mansfield leaning on a Series 3 Land Rover.

But how do you spend a weekend in Belize?

On occasion, the harsh jungle terrain and long-distances required meant Duncan and his colleagues had to camp overnight. The rugged beauty of the jungle and its vibrant wildlife (from parrots to monkeys) never wore off. However, the plague of insects and scorpions, as well as the threat of jaguars, soon grew tiresome.

Fortunately, the hospital also owned a smaller lightweight Land Rover to make local trips. Duncan and a friend would borrow this vehicle on weekends, grab some basic tools, a compass, and a few tins of food and disappear up long-forgotten jungle tracks. On occasion, when the Land Rover got stuck, Duncan used a machete to hack his way through and clear a route. They would continue going until they could drive no further.

“I swear, those were some of the best days of my life”, Duncan tells me. “Nothing beats being miles from anywhere in a hostile environment and with an invincible lightweight Land Rover”.


From a job to a passion

This experience helped transform Duncan’s love affair with Land Rovers. Eventually, he left the British Army to join the Metropolitan Police. After that, he pursued Land Rovers at every opportunity.  He even reached the finals to represent Britain as part of the 1989 Camel Trophy event. A severe crash derailed his plans though and led to his medical retirement from the police force. That’s a story for another day though!

Today, Duncan Mansfield is the founder and CEO of Britcar Global.  He set up his first Land Rover business in the early 1990s and has since devoted his life to keep these vehicles on and off the road.

If you need any support finding a part for your Land Rover (including a Series 2 or Series 3 Land Rover of course), or want to find others to chat to about your hobby/ obsession, contact us via live chat, e-mail us, or ring us on 01473 907 444. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook too!


Stay tuned to hear more about Duncan’s adventures with Land Rovers.


Note: Duncan Mansfield served in Belize driving a Series III Land Rover from August 1984 till February 1985 as part of the 24 SQN RCT. Scarlett Mansfield wrote this article after chatting to him about his experiences/ what led to his love for Land Rovers.

The sustainable future of JLR is all-electric!

As part of their new global strategy to become the icon of modern luxury, JLR has announced its path to all-electric vehicles! 

Jaguar itself is to become an all-electric luxury brand from 2025 onwards, hoping to offer unique customer experiences while having a positive societal impact.

In the next five years, Land Rover will also welcome six pure electric variants in its hope to become the world leader of luxury SUVs. And, by the end of the decade, all JLR nameplates are to be available in pure electric form, with the first all-electric Land Rover model due in 2024. By 2030, it’s also anticipated that around 60% of Land Rovers sold will be equipped with zero tailpipe powertrains to help matters too.

Not only that, as part of its goal to have a positive societal impact, this marks the start of their journey to become a net-zero carbon business by 2039. Clean-hydrogen fuel-cell power is being developed in preparation for future demand and their global manufacturing and assembly footprint is to be retained, rightsized, repurposed and reorganised. 

Mr N Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Motors and JLR Automotive, states that “Together, we will help Jaguar realise its potential, reinforce Land Rover’s timeless appeal and collectively become a symbol of a truly responsible business for its customers, society and the planet.”

What do you think of the move? Will it help Land Rover to retain its status as one of the leading global players in technology and sustainability? Or do you think the world isn’t ready for electric yet?

5 Modifications To Improve Your Land Rover

Before you start @’ing us, listen up! Ok ok ok, they’re not going to suit every Land Rover, and yes, some people prefer them to stay as they arrive but here are some ideas of what you could add to your Land Rover, especially if you’re bored in lockdown and just want to do some shopping (trust me, we know the feeling)! 

1. Sump Guard/ Steering Guard

Land Rover in Mongolia
To Mongolia! (Without a sump guard… oops).

While off-roading, a sump guard should be considered essential! A sump guard is typically an anti-corrosive plate that covers the front compartment of the car, fitting to the chassis so the engine is more protected against dust, dirt, and huge rocks.

Ultimately, it’s a wise investment as there’s so much to protect underneath your car and it’ll help save it from any unforeseen obstacles that your Land Rover may encounter while veering off the road. When I drove my Freelander from London to Mongolia and back, I stupidly didn’t have one of these and by the time I got home, the underneath of the car had been utterly destroyed! Needless to say, my baby didn’t live long after that 😭. 

If you’re driving a Defender, a Discovery, or a Range Rover Classic, one of the larger vehicles you should prioritise a steering guard and a dif guard over a sump guard as a first investment as these are more likely to get damaged off-roading. 

Click here to browse what sump guards we sell! If the sump guard you need for your Land Rover isn’t listed, get in touch and we’ll see if we can help. Click here for steering guards, and here for dif guards.

2. Rock Slider

 Northern California Land Rover Club Rock-Crawling
 Northern California Land Rover Club Rock-Crawling

Keeping on the theme of saving the bottom of your vehicle, if you’re planning to head seriously off-road, I highly recommend purchasing some rock sliders. Typically made of heavy-duty box section steel, they run along each side of the vehicle, just below the level of the door sills, attached to the chassis. As the name suggests, their function is to protect your door sills and the bottom of your door from damage when you encounter large obstacles, such as rocks!

Click here to browse what we rock sliders we sell! If the rock slider you need for your Land Rover isn’t listed, get in touch and we’ll see if we can help.

3. Fridge

Fridge in Range Rover Land Rover
A fridge custom-built into a Range Rover

The best thing I ever installed was a fridge! Ok, I know it’s not essential, but it does improve your experience. Especially if you’re the type that loves veering off-road, out into the unknown, and camping with friends and family. It’s just a super convenient way to keep your essentials cold. Whether you consider essentials to be lettuce or beer (because everyone knows warm beer is the easiest way to ruin a day).

You can get fridges in a lot of different sizes and from different brands. The most popular brand is ARB but, just a fair warning, it does come with a hefty price tag! You can also get Fridge ‘slides’ if you want to install it into the back under other stuff and still be able to slide it out easily to access it. My favourite fridge is the one you can get that fits into the centre console of some Land Rovers. While it’s not the biggest, it’s great to keep things cool if you live in a hot country!

Click here to browse what fridges we sell!

4. Sidesteps

Land Rover Defender Sidestep

During lockdown have you been ferrying your mother back and forth to the doctors to get her vaccines? Are you taking your small kids on trips to the local nature reserve? Or are you just feeling the strain in your knee as you get older? A good ol’ sidestep isn’t exactly the most original modification you can make to your Land Rover but it’s certainly a simple and practical one to help to get in and out of such a high vehicle!

Click here to browse what sidesteps we sell! If the sidestep you need for your Land Rover isn’t listed, get in touch and we’ll see if we can help.

5. Sound Deadening

Series Land Rover in Bali
It’s seriously deafening!

Ok… if you’ve ever driven an old series Land Rover or a Defender, you’ll know that it’s not a quiet ride. If you’re driving for longer than 10 minutes, that noise really starts to grind on you! One of the best modifications you can make to your baby in this case then is to go for some sound deadening!

From Britpart, we offer Dynamat Xtreme Sound Deadening material, the most effective product for stopping both vibration and noise. It can be used on any/ all interior sheet metal and fibreglass body panels so go ahead and place it on your floor, roof, doors, bonnet, and load scape to create a more comfortable ride. Now you can crank that volume up because you enjoy it, not because you want to drown out the sound of vibration!!

Part numbers for the Defenders:

  • Bonnets — DA8091 (1983-98), DA8093 (Td5), DA8092 (2007+)
  • Foot wells – DA8094 (1983-2006), DA8083 (2007+)
  • Seat box—DA8095 (1983-2006), DA8084 (2007+)
  • Rear tub floor — DA8086 (1983-2006 & 2007+)
  • Rear wheel arches – DA8087 (1983-2006, 2007+ (commercial only) & Defender 110 1983-2006 station wagon)
  • Sheet of Dynamat Xtreme – DA8076 (1,200x610mm)

Please note, there are more types available, please get in touch if you need other areas covered.

What Else?

If none of these ideas are suitable for your Land Rover, I have thrown together a list of other things you could consider getting if you’re just desperate to spend some $$$:

As always, if you can’t find what you’re looking for, do not hesitate to reach out to us. We know that our website isn’t always the easiest to navigate (we’re working on it, I promise) but you can either use live chat, e-mail us, or ring us on 01473 907 444. We can tell you if a certain part number will fit your Land Rover or what part you may need if you can’t locate it.

Drop us a comment to let us know what modification you think we’ve forgotten! 👇

7 Things Every Land Rover Owner Can Relate To

1. The initial joy of buying your first Land Rover.

Nothing feels quite as good as going out and buying your first Land Rover. Or, if you’re lucky, being given a Land Rover as a Birthday, Graduation, or Christmas gift. You are over the moon, king of the road, and enjoy staring down at all the peasants around you as you feel like a monster in charge of the road ahead. The motorway is blocked? You’re in a 4×4! You laugh as you veer off the highway and take the nearest green lane to reach your destination, thoroughly satisfied you own the coolest car on the road.

2. Pride over your model of Land Rover

You start to notice more and more Land Rovers on the road around you. If you own a Defender, you start to look down on Discovery. As a Discovery owner, you start to look down on Freelanders. You join all manner of Facebook groups and brag about how your motor is the best vehicle ever made.

3. You start to kit it out

You find yourself scrolling through the Britcar website late at night. Chequer plates? You go crazy and put them all over the car. Stickers to announce your allegiance to your LR club and favourite parts shop (Britcar obviously)? Tick – you cover the back window with them. You want your Land Rover to be unique and the envy of your Landy friends. You tell yourself if you do a good enough job, you’ll look just like James Bond – cool, collected, and ready to crush whatever comes in your path.

4. Things start to go wrong…

As you drive along, you hear a strange knocking noise coming from somewhere in the engine. You pop the hood, stare inside, and ponder what it could be. Grabbing a hammer, you poke around, knock on some bits, and try to figure if anything has come loose that could be simply bashed back into place. Setting off again, a mere moment later you find that you have rattled to a stop on the highway and have to call the RAC for the first time. You’re embarrassed but it must be because you lack mechanical knowledge. There’s obviously nothing wrong with the car, at least that’s what you tell yourself.

5. Your first trip to the garage

“That’ll cost you £650”, the mechanic informs you. You have a heart attack at how much that tiny noise will set you back. “See, we have to take apart half of the car and that part of your engine in your Freelander is notoriously hard to reach… sorry”. You sigh, and reluctantly hand over the money. You’re secretly starting to have some doubts about whether it’s worth it but you don’t tell your friends about this because you don’t want them to think any less of your baby. “Of course, it’s worth it, have you seen this beast?” You gingerly reply.

6. First trip out of the garage….

Happy to have your Land Rover back in your life, you cruise out of the garage, wind the windows down, and set off to find adventure. You’re giddy and over-the-moon to be back in charge of the road. That Ford Fiesta you had to borrow from your daughter just wasn’t cutting it. 5 minutes later, that noise they fixed? It’s come creeping back…. You break down and cry into your hands, return to the garage, and after another £100, you’ve left and it’s finally back to normal.

7. The fever sets in

Ah yes, the open road once more. “Wait a minute, what’s that?” you say, nudging your partner sat in the passenger seat. “Is that a Land Rover for sale over there??” It’s £600 with no clutch, propshaft and no rear window? A bargain! You’ll be able to fix it up on the cheap in no time. Despite all the problems you’ve just had with your own Land Rover, you go over the dealer, bargain, and somehow still manage to pay £650 but smile knowing he included a jerry can ‘for free’. Classic.

What can we say! Land Rovers, they give you hell, keep burning a hole in your pocket, and make you want to tear your hair out half the time, but we wouldn’t have it any other way!

Share this if you love your Land Rover come hell or high water.

Land Rover Facebook Groups To Join

photo of land rover groups on facebook groups

Love it or hate it, Facebook has a HUGE Land Rover community. These days, Facebook has largely taken over traditional Q&A online forums. Of course, these still exist but Facebook is there to fill to the gap and make it more accessible to a broader range of people.

There is literally a group out of there for pretty much every Land Rover vehicle you could want to learn about. If there is not one for the specific model you love, there are general ones that cover all Land Rovers. Alternatively, you can start your own! 

These communities are a great place to learn more about your vehicle, share pictures of your latest modifications, or just jointly trash-talk other cars! 

This list is not comprehensive but will certainly give you enough content to scroll until your hearts content. 

CLICK ON THE TITLE TO OPEN THE FACEBOOK GROUP

General groups

Series & Defender Land Rover

Military Land Rovers

Range Rover

Freelander

Discovery

Other Land Rover groups

If we have missed your favourite group, why not drop it in the comments below and let others know? 

Equally, if you have found this page useful, why not share it with a friend? Share the love!

5 Tips for Driving Your Land Rover in the Snow

Jim’s Land Rover Defender Station Wagon in the Snow last year.

1. Pre-check!

Of course, before driving in the snow, make sure you check that everything is functioning and working on your Land Rover. Check your oil and coolant levels and ensure your screen wash is full, consider adding anti-freeze to it too. Ensure all your lights are working and that your windscreen wiper blades are in good condition. 

You should also check your tyre tread too! For winter driving, you should have between 2-3mm at the very least as you will not be able to grip icy roads otherwise. Do not over-inflate your tyres as this can reduce grip. Similarly, avoid under-inflation as this can also reduce stability. Check your handbook to work out the best option for you. 


2. Ideal Equipment to bring with you

When driving your Land Rover in the snow, especially if off-roading, it is best to carry extra equipment with you in case of an emergency. A shovel (to help dig you out of a tight spot), heavy-duty jump leads, a tow rope, torch, blanket/ warm clothes, snow chains, traction aids, and a light bulb kit


3. Rules to Remember

  • DO NOT use warm water to clear your windscreen as it may cause your windscreen to crack. Avoid recirculation mode on your heater as it will make the interior more humid. 
  • Allow for greater stopping distance between cars and keep your speed slow to help you remain in control. 
  • Steer gently, brake progressively, and be cautious with the throttle.
  • Inform a friend or family member of your route so they know where to look if you are later than expected.
  • Follow the weather closely and allow for extra time. 


4. How to handle snow

  • Remove snow from your roof – if you accelerate, you stand a chance of it falling onto your windscreen and blocking your view. 
  • Change to a higher gear as soon as possible.
  • If you get stuck, straight your steering wheel. Get out of the Land Rover and clear the snow from beneath your tyres using the handy shovel in your trunk. 


5. How to handle ice

  • When you are moving on packed ice, use the highest gear possible to aid grip of packed ice and keep your speed down.
  • Leave 10 times the normal recommended stopping distance between you and the car in front. 
  • If you skid, avoid braking hard, keep your hands on the steering wheel, and steer into the skid. If your car is sliding to the right, steer right for example.
  • Be careful of particularly icy spots – shadows cause certain areas to become icier. Other obstacles, such as overpasses and bridges, also ice over quicker than normal roads so take extra caution.


Do you have any good advice? Don’t forget to go like us on Facebook and leave a comment below this article! Why not tell us where your favourite place to go is? 

5 Best Land Rover Stories of 2018

Here at Britcar Global, we have been thinking about all that we have achieved this year. We have new suppliers, new customers, and new employees on board. We are thankful for you all! Join us as we look back at the 5 best Land Rover stories of 2018. 

1. Special Edition 400bhp Defender Works V8

To celebrate Land Rover’s 70th birthday, engineers built 150 new ‘Works’ Defenders to pay homage to the early V8 Defenders Land Rover fanatics know and love. Top Gear wrote about too!

V8 Works Defender
Photos: Jaguar Land Rover

2. They put GOOGLY EYES on Jaguar Land Rover autonomous vehicles 

It is well-known that people do not trust self-driving cars. To help remedy this, JLR’s Future Mobility division designed digital eyes to follow objects in front of them. While these eyes do not actually see anything, they provide peace of mind to passing motorists and pedestrians. Read more about it here.

Self-driving eyes on Land Rover
Photo: Jaguar Land Rover

3. Introduced The Range Rover Evoque!

Land Rover unveiled a new luxury compact SUV, the Range Rover Evoque in November 2018. It features a ‘modernist exterior design, with a luxurious technology-rich interior with new materials crafted from eucalyptus, wool, and recycled plastics.’ Priced at £31,600+. Read more on Land Rover’s website here

Range Rover Evoque
Photo: Jaguar Land Rover

4. Land Rover sponsored the Invictus Games in Sydney

JLR sponsored the Invictus Games, a sporting event for wounded, injured, and ill veteran/ active serving personnel. France won gold in the Land Rover Driving Challenge while Australia came second and the UK came third, awarded Bronze. More here.

Invictus Games Land Rover
Photos: JLR

5. Unique 110 Defender Soft Top Goes On Display at Selfridges, London

This work of art took five Land Rover Classic workers more than four days to rebuild on the shop floor after it entered the building as a rolling chassis! Complete with a custom trademark yellow Selfridges hood, now located in the menswear department. More here.

110 Defender Soft Top in Selfridges
Photo: JLR.

Don’t forget, if you need any Land Rover or Jaguar car parts for your vehicle, we are here to help you in any way we can. Reach out to our sales team if you need any help/ advice and we will do our best to help. Or you can just shop online if you already know what parts you need!

Refurb: GENUINE County Station Wagon 90″ Defender

Ah, the car that dreams are made of, a 1994 200TDI Land Rover Genuine County Station Wagon 90″ Defender with 120,000 miles on the clock. What differienates this from many other Station Wagon’s out there is that this came as a Station Wagon straight out of Land Rover’s factory.  

Duncan recently picked up this beauty from a friend who bought a brand-new Discovery 5 and wanted to clear up some space on his drive (shock-horror). 

This is how the motor looked when Duncan purchased the Station Wagon. It comes complete with a whole load of history too.

Duncan and Martin have done a lot to the car since! This Landy enjoyed a major service and a thorough check to ensure all is working perfectly. Duncan added new alloy wheels and tyres, a new bumper, and a new windscreen (to name a few changes). 

Sadly, the paintwork had grown scabby over time but it has now been stripped and is ready for a full professional respray.  This work is being carried out by our good friends and Land Rover experts, Si and Bel, over at Hangar 53.

Do not fear though, it will be the same colour with the same fantastic Defender decals to complete the look. 

After this is completed, Duncan is fitting a swing away spare wheel carrier to the rear (like this one) and plans to upgrade all the lights.

Duncan hopes to have this up for sale by the end of January, so, if you are interested, be sure to keep an eye on our Facebook post as we will notify everyone on there when the time has come! 

7 Christmas Gifts For Land Rover Lovers

Is your loved one a Land Rover fanatic? Are you stuck wondering what to get them for Christmas? We all know that one person who lives, breathes, and thinks about Land Rovers non-stop. Why not give them a gift they will really enjoy this Christmas and pick something from the following list?

1. Fender and the Cliff Rescue Kids Book

Do they have children and want to pretend they’re purchasing for their kids when they really want a good late-night read? Wow, how niche! Because we have the perfect gift for you… Written and beautiful illustrated by Veronica Lamand, this is a charming gift idea for and Land Rover fan. 

 Click here to view the product on our website. 

2. Land Rover Travel Mug

Are you always rushing out of the door without time to sit down and enjoy your coffee? Well, with this branded travel mug you can take your coffee with you! This item comes with an easy-to-use silicone grip around the middle with Terrain Response icon branding. It is both microwave and dishwasher safe.

Click here to view the product on our website. 

White Land Rover Travel Mug with Blue Holder and Lid

3. Land Rover Classic Watch

Elegant and timeless, this Land Rover watch is a must-have for all enthusiasts. 100% genuine Italian leather strap and water resistant to 10 ATM. 

 Click here to view the product on our website. 

Elegant Land Rover watch with brown leather strap

4. One Life Magazine

Now we only just recently started reading this magazine but we can’t put it down! At only £5, it is a perfect stocking filler or last minute secret Santa gift. 

In the latest issue, there is a fascinating piece about a town in the Himalaya’s where Series Is are put through their paces. Why not grab a copy and read all about it?

Click here to view the product on our website. 

Front cover of One Life Magazine featuring a windy road

5. Subtle Land Rover Bowl

Does your Landy loving pal have a pet that sits alongside them at the wheel? If you answered yes, then this is an ideal gift that will blend right into their household. This water bowl, embossed with the numberplate HUE 166, is a subtle nod to the first production Land Rover. 

We have ONE in stock! They are backordered elsewhere. 

Click here to view the product on our website.

Land Rover Green Dogs Bowl with Hue 166 written on

6. Land Rover Series I Inspired Bottle Stoppers

Inspired by the gear and range levers on the Series 1, this set of 3 stainless steel bottle stoppers is sure to start a conversation when you have your Landy loving friends over for dinner. 

Click here to view the product on our website.

Series I Branded Bottle Stoppers in Red Black and Yellow

7. Land Rover Lanyard

Is your friend or partner constantly losing their keys? Do they lack a key fob that lets everyone know they’re driving a Land Rover? Never fear! A solution is here. Buy this cheap but high-quality branded lanyard so they have more chance of finding their keys and letting everyone at the pub table know they have a beautiful motor sat outside.

Click here to view the product on our website.

Dark Blue Land Rover Branded Lanyard with Terrain Responses on

Don’t forget, you can find more Land Rover gifts and accessories over on the gift section of our website.

From all of us here at Britcar Global, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Genuine, OEM, and Pattern: What’s the Difference?

When purchasing a part from us at Britcar Global, you may be overwhelmed by the choices on offer. We pride ourselves on stocking up to 15 suppliers of each Jaguar Land Rover car part. For example, our website currently lists 14 different versions of ERR3340 (an oil filter). 

When you search for a part, you will see different combinations of suppliers, brands, and types. But what exactly do we mean by type? There are three options for your Jaguar/ Land Rover parts: Genuine, OEM, or Pattern. 

Of course, we are often asked what the difference is – now, we have a more comprehensive answer for you!


Genuine Car Part

Genuine Jaguar Land Rover car parts come from the company Jaguar Land Rover itself. JLR supply these parts in genuine packaging. They tend to be the safest option as you know the part in question will definitely fit your car. Further, these parts are usually required by garages if you want to retain the warranty on your car (should it still be in place). These parts, however, are generally the most expensive option you can choose.   


OEM Car Part

‘OEM’ stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. These parts are manufactured by an external company that may now or in the recent past have supplied parts for Land Rover or Jaguar vehicles. The only difference to the genuine part is that it comes in the manufacturer’s box instead of a genuine box. For example, instead of printing Land Rover on the side, it may come with ‘Lucas’ if it is a switch or Hardy-Spicer if it is a U/J, for example.

While they are cheaper than their genuine counterparts, you may invalidate your car’s warranty if you do use them – it depends on the supplier so make sure you check in advance. Realistically, OEM parts are most suited to cars that are at least three years old. OEM parts are the same quality as genuine.


Pattern (P)/ Aftermarket Car Part

A pattern/ aftermarket part is usually a replica of a genuine part. Pattern parts, for example, are produced by a manufacturer who copies Land Rover’s design.

One advantage to a pattern part is that they tend to be a lot cheaper. This does not automatically mean they are substandard, rather the part has simply been made by someone else. However, you should bear in mind that sometimes there is a reason they are cheaper – they may make the quality of the material worse to save on money for example. 

Sometimes, however, high-quality aftermarket companies have actually analysed why the initial OEM part has failed and opted to improve the design for customers using better materials (for example). Overall though, they are likely to be cheaper than Genuine or OEM parts and present an ideal option for older cars.


Summary

At the end of the day, it comes down to how much you want to spend, the age of your car, and the quality you desire. Typically, there is no difference between genuine and OEM parts, other than the box but if you want to keep your guarantee intact for a newer car then you should be careful with what you choose. Remember, pattern and aftermarket parts are not necessarily worse than their genuine or OEM alternatives, rather they may be a copy or even an improvement on their counterparts.