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O.T. aftermarket vehicle parts

5 axis Fidia guy

Stainless
Joined
Aug 17, 2006
Location
Wisconsin
Ok, garage gearheads, what is your favorite go to aftermarket auto part maker? For example steering components. I usually go hit up Advance auto or NAPA, but it seems like lately all the stuff has been junk, even Moog seems to have fallen a notch or two. When I am replacing ball joints, u joints, tie rod ends, I don't care about warranty on a junk part, I want a QUALITY part so I don't have to tear everything apart again. As much as I hate dealers, I'm almost tempted to go OEM and bite the bullet.
 
There's a lot of junk out there.

If you drive a Ford/Chevy/Dodge you can't really buy OEM. The parts they sell are not the same parts that came on your vehicle new.

The Japanese automakers are the opposite. If it comes in a Toyota box it's the same part or better than what came on your vehicle new.

For non-OEM parts I buy most automotive parts from Rockauto. Their prices cannot be beat for retail.
 
Rockauto. Caveat: my first FUBAR from them - Ordered some gas struts for my kids car, tracking shows "DELAYED" and if you look closer "damaged in shipment." Trying to report that a) the stuff never showed up, b) the stuff will never show up, c) the shipper does not give a shit, is nearly impossible with rockauto's web interface. Basically they want you to just hang on there in the hope a miracle will happen.

Too bad as they've been solid for me for a long time.
 
Rockauto. Caveat: my first FUBAR from them - Ordered some gas struts for my kids car, tracking shows "DELAYED" and if you look closer "damaged in shipment." Trying to report that a) the stuff never showed up, b) the stuff will never show up, c) the shipper does not give a shit, is nearly impossible with rockauto's web interface. Basically they want you to just hang on there in the hope a miracle will happen.

Too bad as they've been solid for me for a long time.
That does not match my experience with them. I had one item get left out of a box from them recently. The website had a pretty thorough interface to use to get to the bottom of it - slightly tedious with all the multiple choice and yes/no questions, but very effective, I thought.
They immediately shipped the replacement.
 
Might depend on the fulfilling warehouse. Rockauto is just a centralized database of everyone in the country who stocks and ships car parts and has a rock terminal in their warehouse. Of course with a loosely affiliated distributed network like that, you will have some variance of customer service.
 
Two choices for me; OEM first then Rockauto
Example Lexus parts, I buy from a dealer in Arizona who offers nice discounts... some of the parts, Denso made the stuff and if rockauto has it with enough discount I'll buy there.
I buy OEM Lexus(Toyota) oil filters for $4.81.. you'll pay more for some junk at the "Auto rip off stores"
Same for Kia and Ford......ex : just got an antilock sensor for the Kia, OEM, for the same as local aftermarket and who knows of what quality.
Thing is the Aftermarket folks are jacking cheap stuff way up in price.

Plus if you buy OEM you will get the latest version if the part was changed or had problems the first go-around (Ford is good for this)
Aftermarket, highly doubt it.
 
Daily driver category on rockauto for me. Sometimes I cross shop on Amazon for the same part no, occasionally they're cheaper, most times rockauto is cheaper. Can't remember them last time I went to a parts counter.
 
I use Rock Auto partly because of price and ease of use and also because of the selection. It's useful being able to pick the manufacturer.

On critical parts I try to stay with OEM because a lot of the aftermarket stuff is just plain junk.

That said, quality on front end parts in general seems to be declining. Strut boots rarely last over 20K miles without tearing. I've had name brand ball joints fall apart after a year. Overall I seem to get about 60K miles out of a strut replacement before enough stuff breaks that I have to do it over. I tried KYB struts the last time after getting tired of replacing AC Delcos. It will be interesting to see how they did when I pull them apart in a couple weeks.

I did at least one warranty replacement with Rock Auto, it went OK. Don't forget to look for the 5% discount coupon online, it will at least offset some of the shipping charges.
 
RockAuto offers the widest range of choices. But keep in mind....no human works there that you'll ever talk to, so returns will be a pain, especially if you are expecting them to pay the freight.

All auto parts have become 'takes your chances'. Some of the best names are now arriving in China boxes, some new names are now USA made.

As for OEM parts.....we used to (at the transmission shop) buy some parts that were no longer sold by the OEM...they'd arrive and you could clearly see where the aftermarket company had scratched off the OE logo, and the parts in otherwise indiscernable from the OE part. Clearly, the aftermarket guy was the one who made the part for the OE when they were used in production, then began selling them under his own name later. I seem to recall this was very common with Toyotas. As we all know, GM is hardly making many of their own components....some outside vendor is making them.
 
That said, quality on front end parts in general seems to be declining. Strut boots rarely last over 20K miles without tearing. I've had name brand ball joints fall apart after a year

In my experience....the expertise and quality in rubber production peaked around 1957-1967. That's when rubber was a true engineering pursuit and people strove to make it as best they could...not as cheap as they could.

It's common with a late 50's Chrysler - the rubber is no longer produced - to reuse a windshield gasket. Still pliable after 6 decades. Nowadays...wash your 4 year old truck and the rubber around the windows leaves black streaks on your towel.
 
OEM or whatever company specializes in that certain vehicle. I usually go off of specific car forum recommendations on who makes a good part, usually everyone on that forum will agree that "this company makes the best ____, everyone on here uses them."

I'll never buy a sensor or solenoid from generic part stores, been burned way too many times with sensors that don't read in spec or flat out immediately fail. OEM or trusted quality brand only for that stuff.
 
Used to get Napa or Mevotech, Moog was good IME but hit and miss now.

Tried APC white box part 10k kms ago for a front axle half shaft. OEM boots (20 year old GM) on driver’s side are intact, APC part has split boots already, and about 3/16” of radial play.
 
My grandfather always drove Cadillacs as a counter to driving a cement truck. He bought parts from the Buick dealer for just a little less then Cadillac for the same thing. Plus he like sthe Buick dealer shop better.
Bill D
 
Rock Auto here, too. They do display the brand name of the part and really all they're doing is offering the opportunity to be your own parts man. I received a front hub from them that didn't have a machined seal surface and got a call from Rock Auto about it. Nice guy, knowledgeable, just wanted to verify that I knew what I was talking about. Refunded my money, np, didn't want the part back.

Given that the local NAPA store changed hands, got a new young surly owner a few years ago (wouldn't honor my cores) and it and the nearest O'Reilly's is a half hr away - gonna stick with RA.
 
I always worked on the principle - if it's easy and or quick to replace - go budget, if its a bitch of a job etc etc - OEM (0r anything proven to be better) and to hell with the ££££
 
This is much like so many other topics. For every human who wants a good quality part and will pay a little extra for it...there are 4,987 jackasses who will buy the cheapest thing they can get their hands on.

I used to call these people 'askholes'.....they'd ask you what they should do and then when you'd tell them to do it the right way, they'd ignore you and go find some other moron who would tell them how to half-ass it.
 
Whatever you do, don't use MOOG ball joints.

I was a little short on cash awhile back, and needed to spruce up the front end of my '01 tundra. It had 180k on the factory joints and was tearing up tires. Bought all new MOOG uppers and lowers, inner and outer tie rods.

less than 20k easy highway miles later, the right lower ball joint failed at 70mph. Lucky I didn't roll the truck. After that I went with all new OEM control arms and all new OEM joints. Except the inner tie rods, they are sold with the steering rack. For the inners, I found a company (CTR) that claims to be the OEM supplier for Toyota tie rod ends and ball joints. Seems to be good quality so far, at 220k now.
 

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There's a lot of junk out there.

If you drive a Ford/Chevy/Dodge you can't really buy OEM. The parts they sell are not the same parts that came on your vehicle new.

The Japanese automakers are the opposite. If it comes in a Toyota box it's the same part or better than what came on your vehicle new.

For non-OEM parts I buy most automotive parts from Rockauto. Their prices cannot be beat for retail.
That's not true at all. Just today I bought a hose I needed from the local Ford dealer. It is exactly the same as the one that came on my 2018 truck. I looked at Rockauto, Napa, Advance Auto, and everybody else on line. No one had it except some on line actual Ford dealers. With shipping their "discounted" price was only about $2 less than Ford list price so I bought it locally and paid list price in case there is a problem and I need to return it.

I rarely buy from a dealer unless there is no other choice and have bought from Rockauto, Amazon, Ebay, and all the usual on line and local stores. For important items I look for name brands and have bought Moog with no complaints. For sensors I find Denso to be very reliable. They are often what comes on new cars especially Jap ones. For brakes I like Wagner stuff.
 








 
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