Auto body repair & detailing: Body Parts., ford focus zx4, greyhound busses

Question
I am looking to buy body parts for a 06 ford focus zx4. What is different between a capa and an oe body part. and why is the capa more expensive. i would like to buy the best part for my car? thank you.

Answer
OE (Original Equipment Manufacturer) better known as OEM means it's an original genuine Ford replacement part- these are generally the most best, but most expensive option. CAPA (Certified aftermarket part) Is generally a Taiwan or Chinese imitation part, and are usually about 30-50% cheaper than OEM. CAPA parts are, however, certified by the Certified Aftermarket Parts Association- meaning it's suitable (according to their fairly lax standards) for use by body shops as a cheaper alternative to the more expensive OEM parts. They are seldom, if ever, the same quality and fit as the OEM parts. Your third, and cheapest option, are non-CAPA Taiwan or Chinese parts- these parts look a lot like OE parts, but their fit and appearance is substandard. (They don't even meet the substandard criteria set by CAPA.) These parts always require modification to fit, and even after modification, their appearance is marginal at best. Looks better than the damaged part- but not good. Sort of like Greyhound busses- it beats walking', but will never be as nice as driving your own car. Another option is used (LKQ- means Like, Kind, and Quality in bodyshop/insurance company language) these parts tend to run at somewhere around 30-60% cheaper than new OE- the upside is that they are genuine OEM parts- the downside is that they almost always have appearance defects such as dents, stone chips, scratches, or rust. Usually a bit of all of these defects. These must have repair before being painted and installed. Structural parts must have spot welds drilled out and be carefully removed and cleaned before being installed on your car. That means removal of undercoat, sealers, oil and grime. Cheaper? Yes! easier?- oh god no. This should clarify any bodyshop language mysteries for you. BIll