A rant on why I always use OEM replacement parts

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: Krieg
I've always purchased OEM parts for my Montero. I pay 3x vs the others, but reliability and peace of mind are good enough for me. Capitalism is destroying technology. It's not about quality. It's quantity at the cheapest prices. At least the Japanese and Germans take pride in their engineering. I love US steel, but it's not for sale in the southwest part of U.S.A.


They all have their minor faults too. For some reason Mercedes doesn't use chrome lug bolts, they're just regular steel so all the ones I have are rusted. Very annoying each time I take off the tires, but can't be bothered enough to get a new chrome set. You don't really noticed they're all rusted unless you get down and look inside.

 

[clinebarger]

There are aftermarket companies that make quality parts, My Camaro has a ton of BMR Fabrication suspension parts that are better & in some cases cheaper than OEM.

 

[Nick1994]

It depends on what part you need and what kind of car it is.

I prefer aftermarket, easier to get, more convenient, more selection, better priced, and sometimes at least as good as OEM.

I buy OEM: Thermostats, motor mounts, Hyundai oil filters, Trailblazer fan clutch, cabin air filters for my Sonata, wiper refills for the CRV & antifreeze for,it, and that's about it.

Everything else I'll shop for a quality aftermarket part. Gates radiator hoses, Moog Problem Solver suspension parts, Dayco belts, Timken wheel bearings, Fel Pro gaskets, Fram & Wix oil filters, Napa fan clutches, Walmart batteries, etc

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Aftermarket is usually good for wear items, parts that you replace on a regular interval, like oil/filters, tires, brakes, spark plugs, batteries, etc.

 

[NYEngineer]

You gotta know where to look. I use Baldwin Filters, Gates belts, Bosch sensors and brakes, McGuard lug nuts, Bilstien shocks...

My truck runs awesome.

 

[Tomioka]

I find that domestic supplier (Gates, Dayco, etc) aftermarket radiator hoses does not fit well with imports. A BMW that I slapped a Gates upper rad hose on a year ago is leaking from the quick disconnect fittings and crimped connections. I'm swapping a Rein hose in when I replace the heater control valve later.

 

[HangFire]

I try to use quality parts. For replacing Chrysler capped lug nuts, OEM is NOT the way to go. Not when GM is selling Cardone as approved "OEM" parts. Not while Ford was selling the same defective heads to replace their defective heads.

You won't find me boxing myself in to only one option. New Rack and Pinion, yeah, sure.

 

[01rangerxl]

Each part varies...sometimes OE is the best choice, sometimes aftermarket. A lot of times it's a matter of what's available. My job is to buy and sell parts, both OE and aftermarket, and I really have no preference as long as it's not defective/junk.

Honestly, I don't have that many problems out of run of the mill aftermarket parts store stuff most of the time. Sometimes it's bad, but not often enough to not use it. I will not use $20 parts store brake pads due to comebacks and first hand problems, but something like an A/C compressor on a 15 year old Silverado, yes. With our 200K-500K mile GMT800 pickups at work, I always buy the cheapest stuff from NAPA and it's usually fine.

There are some cases where OE is just best though. I will only buy a Motorcraft cam synchronizer for my 2002 Ranger 3.0. Dorman ones have been known to fail in 10K or less, and Cardone remans are hit or miss.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: SilverSnake
I never used Dorman parts and from what I have seen on this and other forums, I never will. OEM all the way.


For the most part I agree but you need to look at each individual part, Their oil and trans pans are decent and don't rust like some OE, their front wheel hubs for VW are excellent, well machined, true and don't have rust issues even in the salt belt for less than 1/10 the price of OE.

Are they as good as OE? I cant say but I can say they are not much worse if it all. The problem is if OE has a bad part for some reason unless its revised the chances are good the replacement will have the same defect eg GM 3800 steel oil pans, they are all NOS ditto VW plastic impeller water pumps on some models, they were a horror new and are no better now.

Learn you parts and you will spot a deal a mile away and avoid the junk, last month I got a full set of Zimmerman rotors with Textar yellow box pads from rock on closeout for $110 all 4 on the door.
That is IMO one of the best pad/rotor combinations for a VW you can buy at any price. That same combination from the dealer for the same parts (they are OE) would be over 5 bills.

 

[DoubleWasp]

I love Dorman brake splash shields. Better construction than stock, and powder coating that lasts.

Love the transmission pans with drain plugs, as well.

 

[LeakySeals]

The $5 Dorman HELP! 42009 Spark plug non-fouler rocks! gave me another 100k of CEL free driving!

 

[SHOZ]

In '96 Ford ca,me out with their pressurized expansion cooling tank. This would crack on the bottom after 5 years or so. The Dorman replacement was a much better product.

 

[Bgallagher]

Originally Posted By: mclasser
Originally Posted By: TooManyWheels
I am surprised that no one has yet said the obvious - Don't use Dorman anything for anything.

Bingo. I learned this from watching Eric O's videos.


+1,000

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: SHOZ
In '96 Ford ca,me out with their pressurized expansion cooling tank. This would crack on the bottom after 5 years or so. The Dorman replacement was a much better product.


I've installed that on my dad's Taurus. The Dorman one is a revised version OEM adopted later.

Originally Posted By: HangFire
Not when GM is selling Cardone as approved "OEM" parts.


Sadly that's what I am worried about when buying a car. Do they really spend engineering resource thinking about these little parts? or do they just think "it is just a plastic part that'll last 10 years, why are you overthinking it?".

Dad went shopping in 2001 for a car and immediately left the Nissan dealership when he saw packaging foam block glued to the fenders as hood support instead of molded rubber. If they aren't even spending the effort to hide their cost cutting I don't want to know where else they cut corner on.

 

[HangFire]

I'll not defend Dorman's bad parts, but they do make a few good ones. The power window elevator for my Dakota is giving me good service, and was better made than the OEM parts it replaced.