TYC radiator for an '05 Liberty?

[01rangerxl]

A family member needs a radiator for a 2005 Jeep Liberty. Rock Auto has a TYC for $85. Is TYC a decent brand? I am sure they are Chinese at that price.

What makes me wonder is that even a Spectra for this application is $115. Parts stores sell them for around $175 (store brand or Ready-Rad). The next step up is OEM suppliers for $250+.

There is a Vista Pro for $95, are they any good?

 

[THORROMIG]

The Advanced Auto up my way price matches Rock Auto. Just trying to help if I can.

 

[mount]

TYC's got the heart. Go with it. Don't let the low price scare you. These guys always seem to get prices down on decent, if not OEM, products.

 

[toneydoc]

Use an advanced auto part code and order it online. That should save you about 33-40% or so. You can find codes in sales section of this forum all the time.

 

[babyivan]

Spectra made in Canada, TYC made in China. Go with Spectra, worth the extra $

 

[Thax]

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
A family member needs a radiator for a 2005 Jeep Liberty. Rock Auto has a TYC for $85. Is TYC a decent brand? I am sure they are Chinese at that price.

What makes me wonder is that even a Spectra for this application is $115. Parts stores sell them for around $175 (store brand or Ready-Rad). The next step up is OEM suppliers for $250+.

There is a Vista Pro for $95, are they any good?

Spectra and TYC are very good aftermarket radiators. Vista-Pro and AAP's radiators which are made by the same parent company as Vista-Pro are garbage. I saw way way too many comeback with split seams , defective trans line connectors , damaged out of the box...etc . The price might be attractive but do you want to replace it in less than a year? Stick with TYC or Spectra

 

[Johnny248]

Originally Posted By: babyivan
Spectra made in Canada, TYC made in China. Go with Spectra, worth the extra $


Spectra has Chinda made radiators also. Aftermarket radiators are used all day long in collisions centers. Sometimes they are TYC, sometimes they are Spectra, sometimes some cool brand with a Penguin. They are pretty much all the same and are good quality especially at the price point. I would use one without any worries.

 

[babyivan]

Originally Posted By: Johnny248
Originally Posted By: babyivan
Spectra made in Canada, TYC made in China. Go with Spectra, worth the extra $


Spectra has China made radiators also. Aftermarket radiators are used all day long in collisions centers. Sometimes they are TYC, sometimes they are Spectra, sometimes some cool brand with a Penguin. They are pretty much all the same and are good quality especially at the price point. I would use one without any worries.

I'm sure you are right, but given a choice, I would lean towards Spectra.
And To hear that Spectra now has China made rads is disappointing. I bought one in June and it was thankfully a made in Canada one.
Spectra was the ONLY rad the came with the much better in-tank plate type cooler for the trans, all the other brands used the cr@ppy concentric type.

The different types of in-tank trans. coolers explained.

 

[Thax]

On a further note most of AAP's parts are going way down in quality. As many product lines are being switched over to their house brands....(Driveworks,ToughOne). The Driveworks filters are fine but driveline parts such as Hub assemblies and seals are terrible. The Moog line is gradually being replaced with Driveworks as well. GMB waterpumps have been replaced with the ToughOne lineup . Even the Thermostats from Stant are being replaced with ToughOne , CV axles are now switched over as well. Its unfortunate they took this route , the company is not in the best financial state and the board and investors have switched direction to maximize the companies profits. AAP was once a parts source of good quality and decent prices, the prices have fallen quite a bit but so has the quality.

 

[01rangerxl]

AAP would be very convenient for me, but ToughOne rads are a bit overpriced for what they are. This isn't urgent, apparently (owner's husband has good mechanical sense).

I can get a commercial discount on Spectras from Napa, so I may go that route. So far the Spectra in my truck (Canadian made) has been great and it was a perfect drop in fit with no Mickey Mouse adapters.

May give the TYC a try though if the owner wants to go that route. The price is good and I haven't read anything bad on TYC.

Sounds like it's going to be a pass for the Vista-Pro. Good choice of name on their part, it's a little similar to Visteon and might confuse someone.