Is it worth spending ~$50 for a honda main relay, or should I go with the ~$25 aftermarket one?

I don't think it is such a complicated part to make, and don't know if it makes a difference.

 

aftermarket is aftermarket quality.
oem is oem quality.


so it depends on where the aftermarket is coming from? but i mean, it's only 50 beans?

 

Before replacing it, I'd recommend resoldering the connections on the original (unless you know that it is in fact severely damaged and/or irreparable).

 

Salvage Yard. You can get the OEM Mitsu-whatever relays for a couple bucks. I keep a spare in my glove box and a few handy in the garage. It is a part that is known to fail or cause issues so having some on hand for troubleshooting is good. I once saw a guy broken down on the side of the road and guess what his issue was...main relay. He was in a 90 Sedan but imagine his surprise when I pulled the relay out and showed him how to change it out...it can be hard to reach but he was on his way in about 15-20 mins and I did my good deed for the day.