Should You Buy An Aftermarket Replacement CUE Screen?

If you’re a Cadillac owner looking for a replacement CUE screen, you have three options:

  • OEM replacement screen
  • Aftermarket replacement screen
  • Re-manufactured OE-quality screen

Original equipment (manufacturer) replacement screens are exact replicas made by either GM or a company hired by GM. Third party companies not affiliated with GMC design and manufacture aftermarket replacement screens. If you're shopping for a replacement CUE screen, you may have noticed a large selection of aftermarket screens. Should you consider an aftermarket screen, or should you go the OE-quality route?

The general consensus among Cadillac owners and industry experts is that OE is better. An OEM CUE screen is the safer and more reliable option than aftermarket screens. If you choose to go the original equipment route, you have two choices - brand new from GM or remanufactured to specs that match the factory's.

OE Quality Replacement Screens Are The Safer Option

CUE screen

OE replacement screens are the safer option. It’s because:

  • OEM and OE-quality replacement screens don’t have any fitment issues. It’s because they’re exact replicas of the stock CUE screen that came with your car.
  • OE quality replacement screens are built with quality materials. Following strict manufacturing/remanufacturing and sourcing guidelines, means OE quality CUE screens will be an exact fit to your Cadillac's year and model and built to last.
  • OE quality replacement screens are perfectly compatible with your vehicle’s electrical system. So, an OE replacement screen won’t draw too much power from your Cadillac, or mess with its electrical system in another way.
  • OE-quality replacement screens are easy to install, reducing the risk for error or accident.

If it’s so obvious that OE-quality replacement screens are the safer option, why do some people buy aftermarket units instead? We can think of a big reason: cost. Aftermarket replacement screens are usually much cheaper than OE screens. Yet, are they actually a good investment? Are they worth the small savings? If you ask us, the answer is no.

Why An Aftermarket CUE Screen Is Not A Good Investment

Cue screen

Aftermarket CUE screens are notorious for failing early. So if you save a few bucks upfront on an aftermarket CUE screen, you may not see the same savings over the long term. Here are several reasons why aftermarket CUE screens aren’t a good investment:

  • Aftermarket replacement screens can have fitment issues. Aftermarket manufacturers don’t always follow OEM specs when designing their screens. This can makes installation hard.
  • Many aftermarket manufacturers don’t build their replacement units with quality materials. That’s a big reason why aftermarket CUE screens are cheap. When you use a screen that’s built with low quality parts, you’ll run into issues early on. It will likely fail early, too.
  • It’s common for aftermarket replacement screens to be incompatible with a vehicle’s electrical system. This can lead to issues with the vehicle’s electrical system and cost you more.
  • Aftermarket manufacturers rarely warranty their parts. So if you have an aftermarket screen fail early, you’ll have no choice but to buy a new one.

In a nutshell, you won’t save much money on an aftermarket screen in the long run. You’ll also likely run into issues with an aftermarket screen. So you won’t get your full money’s worth with one, anyway.

Your Best Bet? Buy A Remanufactured OE-Quality CUE Screen

If cost is your biggest concern, you don’t have to settle on a cheap aftermarket screen. You can get the best of both worlds: an OE quality cadillac cue screen replacement at aftermarket pricing!

At ISS Automotive, we re-manufacture OE quality CUE screens. If you order one from us, you’ll get a quality product. This is because:

  • We only use original equipment-quality replacement parts during our remanufacturing process. That means your replacement CUE screen will be the built using almost the exact standards the OEMs follow.
  • We’re an ISO certified company with 70+ years of experience in the auto parts industry.
  • All our replacement CUE screens come with a 30-day warranty.
  • All our replacement CUE screens are "plug and play". This makes installation easier than ever.

Learn more about our remanufactured OE quality CUE screens today!