Are You a Parts Snob?
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- Опубликовано: 25 апр 2021
- When I repair vehicles I often replace parts. My repairs are often only as good as the parts I’m installing. Install a bad part, it can come back, and it’s a bad repair. Install a good part, and hopefully I don’t have to see that vehicle again for the same issue.
Over the years I’ve found parts that work and parts that don’t. In this video I explore that topic along with my recommendations for Honda parts for your repair jobs.
Thanks for watching!
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I have a sliding scale of snobness
The longer the part takes to replace the more likely I am to use OEM or better
Well said and great logic
My thought process is, whatever money I save in labor I put towards good quality parts.
So true
Money I save in labor goes into new tools if I need them for that job, if it isn't something rarely used I can just rent at the store
I buy too many tools..lol So I guess that really offsets some of the financial benefits. But at least I know the job is done correct. Plus I do side jobs to help pay for the tools.
@@HaroRider03088 I like picking up diagnostic and specialty tools. I don't need every single style of wrench and socket there is but if I needed it I would. Recently I've picked up a good smoke vac leak and evap tester, induction coil heater, and all the engine pressure testers there are. Finding the problem is the fun part and replacing it is the pain in the ass
I usually use cheap ebay parts whenever available as I never keep cars long term, I'll buy junk cars then fix em little by little but when everthing works and everything is good I be like ok I'm bored time to sell it and get another piece of junk to fix lol.
Being a advanced shade free mechanic , doing most of my own repairs I'm definitely a parts snob. In this day and age with all of the poorly made parts out there you can't afford not to be a parts snob.
The same here. I do pretty much everything in my cars. I used plenty of cheap parts. But then when I got burned like Eric says, I started just using top brands or just OEM. Unless a OEM part costs 3 times more than the car itself. 3 years ago I needed AC compressor and from the Honda dealer was more than 3 times the cost of the car. Luckily I manage to source a genuine second hand AC compressor for a fraction of the price. I know that TRW, SKF, blue print etc are good. So I use them as much as I can.
Yep! There's nothing more expensive than cheap parts (or tools)...
can agree i get the part that i need unless its crap brand.
True
Same. When people bring me inferior no-name parts they bought on Amazon I won't even install them.
Yep, parts snob here too! My 300k silverado only gets the best as I intend to get another 300k out of it.
Ive been audi/vw tech for about 16 years, and it's not being a parts snob it's knowing what parts are going to workon the vehicle you're working on.
I own Toyotas, I'm the worst parts snob there is.
I own current Yamaha sports bikes, I'm a spoiled power snob.
I've owned older Honda motorcycles, therefore I'm a quality snob.
I've owned European hot hatches, this has made me a handling snob.
But most of all, I'm a youtube mechanical channel snob, an Eric is one of my favorites. The man is a living legend.
i own an mx5. im a handling snob since then as well. every car after an mx5 feels like a boat or a truck. 😂
I'm willing to bet you don't like Scotty Kilmer
"Parts Snob"!! What a Correct Concept! Thanks very very much!
Not sure if you will remember me, but I'm that dyslexia DYI guy from a few years ago; you favorable mentioned me a few years ago (without naming). Well, I've doing most of my own vehicle work (more minor and routine maintenance, etc.). Wow! I'm going to say good to OK parts are all most everything (95 percent of the game)! If you can't get them just wait! Just don't fenish the job until you can get them, unless you just love wrenching for fun only! Not me! That's what second cars are for, the bus, Uber, etc. I could rant, but I won't.
Thanks very much for all of your insight!
There's the other side... Custom fabricated parts that take 14 months to deliver. That's a whole different kind of parts snobbery. It's always great when the manufacturers make a part for the thing you need, but there's those times or certain cars where they don't. I suppose that has a lot to do with a car's intended purpose, but we learn from our experiences and challenges what ultimately works best. I think that's the gist behind parts snobbery. People don't really know what to choose until they've had experience with it, or until their experience proves their [previously unknown] choice was inadequate. With enough information, people make better choices.
Yes; also, your comment reflects on my reasoning too
Love your channel man!
It's Jafro!
@@trainsbangsandautomobiles824 ...and we all love Eric, too. Even if we get on his nerves sometimes.
Make more videos plzzzz
I remember when OE parts for American cars were junk. We went to part stores to get better parts to fix our cars. That’s changed a lot, now for critical parts I will only hang OE stuff.
I'm becoming more of a parts snob all the time... It's when you find the parts that are so much better than what you have been getting and then the job goes better and the end result is better. Its like that with all engine business. With my small engine business I definitly find the parts I prefer and they don't always end up being the OEM.
@@FixingWithFriends I love when the aftermarket solves the problem that the OEM part had.
As someone who was a parts guy for 10 years, at a dealer and at a part source, everyone usually wanted cheap and I’d always point out what you could go cheap with and what you couldn’t. With one vendor I even won a couple coffees on bets that parts wouldn’t work, those parts are a brand you made a video on.
I've had Chrysler vehicles (and Jeeps) and if the part being replaced is a Mopar part, I want a Mopar part put back in. For some reason, even though it's an exact replacement, only Mopar parts work in Mopar vehicles.
@@ekummel though often not for long lol. But if they're the only things that work...
I’m getting ready to need tie rods on my car and said brand is the most widely available and his video has steered me well clear of them 😂
I'm definitely a parts snob as well, mainly because I was burned on moog ball joints as well. And I know I didn't capitalize the m in moog, because they don't deserve it 😳
You don't need to capitalize the m. Everyone who has been burned by moog knows it starts with a capital F anyway
Petty Roosevelt! I respect it.
I'm an old retired guy and so many of the companies that made great replacement parts years ago have been bought and sold so many times with the result being they now sell junk. I really feel sorry for shop owners these days. Auto parts manufacturers seem to be in a race to the bottom.
Rick, I agree 100%, I retired from healthcare, whoever had the cheapest price for supplies, got the contract.
Filters! Not what they used to be...
When I work my cars, I use OEMs as much as possible. Although, there are some parts that you can use parts from places like Napa or O’Reillys, such as sway bar end links, which will most likely be beefier than stock, and the ease of access of the parts, and the danger level as a result part failure, will determine whether or not I’m willing to go aftermarket.
So yea, I get you, Eric. I’m a parts snob. You buy cheap, you buy twice. Almost always.
03 sequoia owner here. Bought mevotech swat bar end links and installed 6 months ago. Last 2 weeks trucks been clunking bad 😞. Bought oem for 3 times the price.
In the Plainly Difficult house hold, Honda Parts go on the Honda and Renault parts on the Dacia!
You need to have good reliable parts to be able to escape whatever disaster is happening today.
Exactly! Tho Honda insights aren’t known for being able to outrun radioactive fall out sadly!
@@PlainlyDifficult knowing you like Hondas makes me love your channel even more!
@@sumdumguy3021 thank you! I’ve always been a Honda guy, ever since I used to ride a Honda c90 to work way back!
@@PlainlyDifficult Witch insight? First Gen or 2nd?
How can you NOT be? I don't want to install something that's going to fail! I just wish I was better versed in what brands are good. Like how Moog USED to be a good brand, but not anymore...
Yep. Moog used to be the best when it came to suspension and steering bits.
Or parts you have to modify to work.
moog, the problem maker...
Keep an eye where they're made.
I stay away from moog I got burned from droplinks in fact the fit was so bad the the top thread would impact the spring
Yes. Lol I have found that oem Ford parts are basically flawless on my Ford’s and I’m happy to pay the extra. It really makes a difference especially on anything electrical or sensor related
My ford the oem turn signal switch caught on fire a few weeks ago I went with aftermarket. I mean how much worst can the cheaper aftermarket brand be lol It's not smoking anymore.
I wouldn't call it parts snob. We find one that works and we keep using it. I like to do jobs once. I don't like to experiment with new brands. If it's not broken, don't fix it!
Eric, nothing wrong with being a parts snob. My personal mechanic HATES Centric Parts and had the worst luck with them and at one time, had to replace a bunch of Centric parts all within a month.
My mechanic is great but yeah, he had to deal with that and it shows that you DO have to be a snob and there’s nothing wrong with that.
In racing there is a saying that you won’t know what’s good until it breaks. Break enough of them and you too will learn the value of good quality parts. Again, being a parts snob isn’t a bad thing.
For sensors ... always the oem manufacturer... Just like you said... I don't want to do it twice. If oem is Denso then Denso goes back in, etc.
NTK/NGK is always a good option for a Denso replacement. Exedy makes fantastic clutches.
Yes, I too am a parts snob. My 03 f150 gets only Motorcraft parts. My grandpa was a mechanic for 30+years and he always said put back on it wat it came with from the factory.
Anything engine related except pulleys needs to be motorcraft. aftermarket parts work too.
You are absolutely justified in your position. As an experienced parts guy and mechanic, I am the same way purely by experience. Parts manufacturers, especially these days, will put junk in a box that’ll just barely do the job and sell it with a “lifetime guarantee”. All that lifetime guarantee does is guarantee that part will be back for warranty return if the customer doesn’t just give up on it. It’s a sad reality that you have to be a “snob” to get your money’s worth.
Usually I go with medium high price aftermarket brands, oem is many times extremely expensive with older cars
I've tried to keep my Toyotas all Toyota (or at least all Denso, Aisin, etc). I got 200K out of the OE starter on my Taco. The alternator, ac compressor, clutch are still OE at 265K. With reliability like that, why go aftermarket?
I use RockAuto just so I can get Denso, Aisin, NTK/NGK and other name brands that my local parts houses have no clue about. I've been burned on non-Denso alternators on Hondas. Rock also sells many dealer parts for domestic vehicles and that's helpful when working on those.
@@FixingWithFriends With plugs I always put in what came in it from the factory. Then engine is built around spark plugs and O2 sensors and I've seen issues arise with using other brand plugs and O2s. Replace with exact OE spec parts on those. Always. The exception is you can go up in quality like from copper to platinum or iridium but never go down from Iridium to platinum, etc.
@@johnaclark1 That makes sense O2 sensors can be finicky and even changing the gap can cause issues.
I don't think I am a parts snob, but there's a hierarchy of brands I will pick before others based off of experience. The old saying "you get what you pay for" used to make sense because a well known brand got to the top by making a quality part that lasted. Then you had cheap stuff that might work for a while but would fail in a year. But now it seems like well known "premium" brands have embraced making cheap garbage but selling it for more because their name is on it. Moog is a great example, 10 years ago I would look to them first and was always happy with the parts I bought. They cost more, but they lasted a lot longer, so it was a case of "buy once, cry once." But over the last 2 years, I've found the quality of their parts has plummeted but they are still charging their premium prices. I stopped using them and tend to choose Spicer instead.
One of the biggest giveaways that a part might not be that great of quality is if they offer a lifetime warranty. It sounds great, like they really stand by their product but it usually means it is such a cheaply made piece of crap that they can afford to replace it under warranty a few times and still come out ahead. Besides, a lot of people don't hold onto their cars for more than a few years (had a dealership I interviewed at tell me their customers tend to buy a new car every 3 years) so if you swap out a cheap part and sell the car, then it's the next owner's problem and will have to replace it over and over. I ran into this with certain starters from O'Reilly, after swapping out 4 in 2 years, went with a different brand and it has lasted 8 years with no trouble.
But that's just my experience. I know there's a lot of people who still have managed to luck out with Moog parts and still getting a decent product. And there are cheap parts that are an amazing value and quality and they go against expectations. Like with Detroit Axle, I only thought they did locking differentials and stuff like that but found they also do brake rotors and shoes. I took a chance on my Toyota Sienna and got upgraded slotted rotors and upgraded pads for like $180 for all four wheels. They were so good, and cost so much less than the established big name brands that I did the same thing for my F250 and that heavy turd has never stopped so good!
I haven't had the best luck with Moog ball joints, but absolutely love their oem improved sway bar links. The 9th gen Civic Si (2012-2013) is known for snapping and breaking the orm sway bar links under hard cornering. After having two oem sway bar links broken, Moog was the way to go and has lasted over 50k under much abuse. Plus it's also greasable so that's an added bonus. You gotta roll the dice when it comes to their ball joints though.
I struggle with this all the time My OEM starter lasted 205k on my xterra... Now it has 250k and I have replaced the replacement once already. Thank god for AutoZone's lifetime warranty.. and the fact that I haven't died.
My experience with Autozone starter and alternator is not good
@@jonyoung6405 it sucks that even if you want to rebuild your oem parts it's hard to find good quality components rendering your rebuilt OEM part as good (or bad) as the Autozone types.
My old Dad used to say “ you get what you pay for” and I can’t find any fault in that at all
Should be " you get what you think you pay for"
think versus getting
I work on classic Buicks and yes I am a parts snob. So many companies claim to have parts that fit classic cars and they are way off. Like you said, it is almost like an art form.
I have a 67 Camaro,I have been burned on so many aftermarket parts it isn’t funny.
G'day Eric,
Kevin here from Australia.
Im definitely a parts snob. Trying to get quality parts for my 1963 bug is near impossible.
I find social media is your best tool . To get quality parts these days you unfortunately can't trust the salesperson you have to do your homework on what there selling.
Stay safe and healthy man
✌ Peace
I’m lucky we have an auto electric place that rebuilds starters and alternators
I cannot agree more. My OE starters and alternators get rebuilt by my local auto electric shop (Finch's in Houston) and I get a 12 month warranty!
Best part is it’s usually same day service. Drop it off in the morning and pick it up that afternoon.
Hell, I didn't think people still did that. Certainly not in my area.
@@jacobkobes9371 like I said I’m lucky
We had an auto electric place, once the owner retired, no one would take it over, Over the years, I took alternators, and starters there, never had to take one back. Places like that and machine shops, just don't exist anymore, maybe in larger cities but not here.
Thanks Eric my birthday finally fell on a Monday. The cake tasted delicious I licked the screen.
ah i remember you from school. you had the window seat on the short bus !!!
@@richardcranium5839 yep
@@richardcranium5839 Don't be jealous because you weren't smart enough to get the window seat (on the short bus).
My dad had an auto repair shop for 42 years. I started driving in 1972. From my recollection, TRW and Moog were the American made top quality suspension parts. Last year I completely redid all the front suspension parts on my '02 Dakota Quad Cab. It turned out that everything with zerk fittings was available in moog brand. Was dismayed that every part was also made in China. But I bought everything & installed without any issues. I'll be sure to keep everything lubed, & hope it all lasts as it should. Considering that none of the OEM Mopar parts had zerk fittings, I think I made the correct choice.
It definitely comes down to what brand focuses on whichever make. For example, Autolite Spark Plugs are basically Ford OE plugs the way NGKs/Denso's are good for Honda. MOOG is terrible for Honda, but generally works really well with Ford/Chevrolet stuff. Just gotta know the ins and outs of what you are dealing with in a particular brand
There is no shame in parts snobbery. If I have time to wait, I will look around, look at reviews, and try to find the best price on the "brand or manufacturer" I like or want to use. I have begun to move away from Evil-bay (VGG ref!) and more towards other retailers. If I dont have time, I tend to look at whatever the local parts houses have and go with whatever is the best deal for the availability and stay away from brands I know to be crap.
I fix refrigerators for a living and up until 10 years ago I used a mix of aftermarket and OEM parts and rarely had any issues. Nowadays I strictly use only top dollar OEM parts and they're all made in China and I get defective ones left and right.
And this is why OE != better a lot of times.
I have owned an 84 diesel Rabbit and I am definitely a parts snob. After so many years of owning the same car, you learn what’s good and what’s not. There’s a lot of crap out there
As a repair shop, you have to have your "Brands" on parts because it's you that has to warranty it for the customer. Yeah there are cheaper versions, but if it's not 100% for you, it's not 100% for your business because we don't want it coming back to do it over for free. That and modern computer controlled cars/trucks are EXTREMELY electrically sensitive. Miss Matching stuff NEVER ends well, esp when it's stuff that takes a LOT of "unusual" work to do in the 1st place (coils & plugs on a Triton Ford for example). Depending on how you do your "mark-ups" I usually make "about" the same on the cheap parts as I do on the right parts. Costs more for the Customer, but it's the parts not me that sees that cash flow. So basically the cost difference for the customer is the price of my guarantee that it will work for them.
On my own vehicles its a different story. I experiment with other cheaper stuff on my OWN stuff, because if it doesn't work, it's my own damn fault. And I don't tell everyone in town what a "Hack Job Mechanic" I am for using the cheapest crap out there.
Oddly enough though (maybe its because I mostly do old domestic stuff) I'm a Moog guy. Never had any issues with Moog, its the others that I've had issues with.
I bought a Denso reman starter (manual trans) for my Element from Rockauto and had it overnighted last month. Price wasn't bad either.
The Densos on Rock Auto are remanufactured. Have a feeling Eric only wanted brand new because can't imagine he would have overlooked Rock Auto.
Not a parts snob but I’m definitely preferential to certain brands. I’m always willing to try a brand once
Yes....My husband is a parts snob....when it comes to those jobs that require those specialty tools to do the job because most of time it is usually a job that half the engine or vehicle has to be taken apart just reach what is broken. You don't want it to brake again and set-up another day or two and do the same job twice because you decided to use the cheap-o parts. I have watched my husband enough to learn that buying quality parts on those hard repair jobs pays off in the long run and it gives me piece of mind driving my vehicle knowing that it has quality parts on it that I most likely am not going to be stranded some where on the side of the road or worst in the middle of traffic and have a break-down....Yes stick with quality parts it will pay off for certain..!!!
Kudos to you Eric. There's a good reason Hondas last so long. Well designed & built parts.
I'm a little bit of a parts snob, but I'm also cheap. I try to find the OE part sold under a different name.
I tend to be a part snob too. I own 2 Honda’s and I mostly stick to using OEM parts. On the aftermarket parts I gravitate towards Aisin, Akebono brakes, Denso filters or JS Asaksshi filter and so on
Aisin and Denso are OE suppliers for certain asian makes. Denso especially. I'd have no problem with Denso parts going on my Nissan Frontier for instance, even of they're not OEM. They've proven their quality when used on Japanese cars several times over
Recently changed out the timing chain components on my wife's 10 Accord. Did the labor myself and used only original Honda parts to head off potential problems that could crop up from using cheaper parts. Engine runs great and has no leaks.
Yes Eric, I am a parts smob just like you. I have been wrenching on cars and airplanes for 35 yrs myself. These aftermarket parts are a joke today. I agree, you don't mix AC Delco or Bosch on Asian Imports!!!
I am a parts snob and now work at an autoparts store and thats only made me worse honestly lol
Better a parts snob than someone who knows nothing about auto parts. I went into a retail parts store and asked for a crush washer and the clerk did not know what I was talking about.
@@MySparkle888 calm down they learn with time plus you can show a picture from google for them
@@FerasAlhawas Why do you assume Anthony wasn't calm ? He just stated facts, no name calling, just told you his experience.
@@MySparkle888 I used to love the old men who would have brand new cars and ask for brake linings, at 16 I was like wtf is a brake lining, I was like a brake pad? They were so confused until I showed them and they agreed. There’s a lot of terms that are phased out. Crush washers to my old dad are a seal washer. When I asked him for a crush washer he’s like wtf that’s a sealing washer. Different terms for different generations.
@@malkionx what's a crush washer for your generation? I'm from the 90's and have only ever heard a crush washer describe a washer made of soft metal that compresses and seals.
I've become one over the years. I got sick of replacing the same part again just 2 years later (coughmoogballjointscough). These days, I always try to go OEM if I can with the thought that, if they lasted for ~15 years before going out, the new OEM part should last another ~15 years or so. So far, it seems to be working.
Maybe its because I work on old domestic stuff, but for me, Moog is the go to. It's the other brands that I have issues with. Just installed a set on a 77 Camaro because the others where flimsy, chincy feeling. Am I missing something here?
@@BareRoseGarage Moog used to be top notch stuff. Maybe they've just kept their tooling for older cars and gone cheap with the newer models...? All I know is, I bought Moog ball joints for a '94 Mercury Villager several years ago, because I thought they made good stuff, but they fit really weird and wore out in less than a year (yes I did grease, and torque, them up properly).
@@Kcducttaper1 We used to joke that the problem with Asian/Chinese parts was they couldn't read a SAE measurement, maybe Moogs problem is they can't figure out the Metric System?
There is a good shop here that does nothing but rebuild alternators and starters; I gave up on the parts stores for either component years ago as the professionally rebuilt ones outlast the parts store junk by a long shot. The internals are way way better quality wise from this place I deal with. The quality control is also better than you would get in some mass production factory somewhere. So yes I am such a parts snob I stay away from parts stores when it comes to to starters and alternators.
A while back I replaced my tie rods & ball joints on my 93 yota truck. The tie rods were a Japanese brand that all fit/functioned well, had made in Japan stamped on it & just beautifully made. The ball joints I accidentally ordered some Chinese parts, no made in on them, the grease fitting had incorrect thread, the hole for the grease fitting had paint blocking it, the bolts were a mix of metric & standard & stripped 3 bolts with a small hand ratchet.
If it works I'll use it, but I don't care how cheap it is-I'm not going to fight with it all day.
I am definitely a parts snob especially with my 2003 Element!
Parts Knob??? Lol..I am have around 38 years of "Parts and Aftersales" experience, OEM, aftermarket and design. One thing most people seem to forget, or probably aren't even aware of, is that OEM's hardly ever design or develop a replacement part, they outsource it to the professionals, just provide specs... On my Honda's (owned 46 to date) very few "Honda" packaged parts were/are used, although most of the parts used on my repairs were made by the manufacturer that supplied Honda with the parts... Keep up the great vids Eric.
One thing I learned about owning a 300ZX is that often there are parts that are the same between models, but they are marked up in cost when they are for my specific vehicle. If you can find the same part for a more common vehicle for OEM, sometimes that is the best way to go. Especially for older cars, sometimes aftermarket is the only way to go. In those cases, I usually refer to forums or reviews from people who actually used the parts that I am looking at. A good example is injectors. Some are good, some aren't. Not something you want to do again or get burned with.
I am a parts snob. Change it once. Also, I am an oil filter snob. I’ve bought enough cheap crap to realize that in the long run, quality parts and tools will end up paying for themselves rather than trying to save a buck in the short run. Life’s too short to buy crap. (Of course unless that’s all you can afford).
G'day Eric from Perth Western Australia mate
G'day Perth!
I'm a parts snob, only because I like doing the job right the first time without a comeback. It's about knowing what parts are dependable and you can put on the vehicle with no issues. That means being able to install with no issues and potential problems later on down the road. OEM is the way to go for me. Back when I still had my 98 f-150 I needed gas tank straps and the local parts store took two times to try to get me the right ones and failed both times. I called Ford and gave them the VIN number and had the right ones the next day. That's another advantage of OEM is they can look parts up by VIN number.
The starter on my 2002 CRV finally gave up the ghost at over 250,000 miles. I bought a starter rebuild kit on eBay that worked great and I also learned how simple a machine a starter is. After so many miles and years, the brushes just wore out. Just replaced the brushings and minor parts that came with the kit along with a good cleaning off of the old brush dust and now have a starter that looks and works like brand new. Kit only cost about $30.
Definitely a parts snob, have been since I was 16. Thanks for all the comments about rockauto, will definitely check them out.
Their shipping can be a little higher. I always cross reference their part numbers with Amazon and often find the part same price with free shipping.
@@jefferyepstein9210 Yeah you really have to watch their shipping, and returns can be a real pain. Anymore I try to do everything local, or have them ship it in. Saves the hassle of returning them.
@@jefferyepstein9210 In Canada I have yet to find a cheaper place. Biggest thing is unless you are buying multiples or other items, low price items are typically cheaper locally after shipping is factored in.
When you realize that any vehicle is just a sum of its parts, it makes no sense to use inferior parts. It will cost you more in the long run. (as long as you plan to keep the vehicle for awhile) Especially if it takes a lot of labor to replace the part, example a main bearing seal or a head gasket.
I find that it's mostly just common wear items where you can easily use lower end ones on a vechile you might trade or scrap in a year or so.
@@robertsitch1415 yeah like door handles in my old Corolla, it did not matter if i bought OEM from the dealer or some crap from Ebay, they always broke after a few months.
@@pedrofernandez8729 that is an interesting pattern failure that none of the big 3 automobiles in my family have not experienced as far as I know. I guess you can say it's proof that Toyota is not as perfect as some people on the internet say it is.
@@robertsitch1415 I had a 1984 Camry before the corolla and now I have an 11 yr old Yaris and never had to replace any door handle, so go figure.
@@pedrofernandez8729 it seems that the 2000s was the decade that produced the most complained about Toyota's in North America. I know that many approximately 2007 redesigned models were subject to mass recalls in 2009-2010.
Hi Eric I enjoy the video's and your explanation of the maintenance you are performing.
All these little nuances and pars specific applicationS, brands, part numbers, for us guys to have and know about is very valuable to us.
A “bullet point video on these things would be great. Sorta like a “best OF” or a one video STOP for part #’s and specific points.
I'm a parts snob too. You should get good use from those TRW ball joints. A vast improvement to MOOG.
I was getting 24 to 30,000 miles out of trw ball joints..
Junk!!!
@@FixingWithFriends they were greasable on a ZR2 S10 yes I off-road it a lot and greased them after every off-road trip I was getting 24 to 30,000 miles on them and Murray now O'Reilly's with exchange them for free four sets!!!
To me those are garbage!!
im a german. i used trw on a honda i had. it wasnt holding up well. the oem honda part was 25+ years old. the trw bushing was starting to show cracks after about 2 years or so.
im not very proud of "our" aftermarket Brands like febi trw bilstein sachs or Bosch honestly. have seen a lot of crap over the years in the car Industry.
@@99Lezard99 I’ve had good luck with Lemforder, FAG and INA. Not as much luck with Meyle or Febi.
Then there’s pure trash like Victor Reinz, Topran and Rein- are they even German anyway? I suspect a lot of their stuff is Asian made and reboxed in Europe.
@@zeroyon4562 no idea. i prefer to use asian made. if its japan that is...i only have japanese cars.
First! Great content!!
Thank you!
Thank you Erick. I have an 09 Forester. I tend to stay with manufacture parts. I've put other after market parts on the vehicle. They don't last. Subaru parts can be pricey but Im not replacing them 10 months later. Be well stay safe and dirty. Rock on Ohio.
100 % with you on this. I try to buy the best possible and I research customer reviews if available.
I have a Chevy, so I'm ok with ACDelco. I'll pay a little more for that genuine GM sticker.
AC Delco has nothing to do with GM or the original parts. It did 30 years ago when GM owned them now they’re just a repackaged random part
@@Gilboy64 Great. Still says "original equipment" and it's what most of the parts on the truck say. Everything is made by someone else now and probably would me just as good as the cheaper stuff. I'm just doing my best over here.
I remember when Moog front end parts were far superior to OEM. I guess this no longer true?
There doesn't seem to be any rhyme nor reason from my limited experience.
One day a brand is the best, the next day they are the worst. Sometimes a cheapo brand works better than a high priced one.
Besides, does anyone really know if one brand is just a rebrand of another? Not just parts but the entire machine.
Or like Honda - they have this rep for being one of the best but then certain years were complete junk.
Right on, some good points. My mechanic shop has their favorite brands and red flag parts as well. Sometimes they've been burned when trying to save the customer some money.
I am absolutely a parts snob. Anyone that actually cares about their vehicle and reliability should be. Not only are some parts/ brands better but some are definitely worse. Eg I'd never, ever use a Fram oil filter in my vehicles. I also recently went on a long hunt for NOS AC Delco spark plugs for my Chevy truck so I could get the ones that were made in the US. Current ones are made in China and don't have as good a reputation.
I wouldn't use a generic alternator or shocks either.
I don't know what to think about Moog anymore. Used to be a good choice. But they're pretty controversial these days.
Anyway your video just shows how a good mechanic applies their years of experience and intuition to their job.
I love when you ask the parts guy for spark plugs and he orders auto lites. I wouldn't put those in my lawn mower. I put nothing but what came in the car originally.
My coworkers though I was insane spending $200 on NGK coils for my old Accord when I could've gotten cheap ones for half that. Yet my cars, even my cheap sub-$500 beaters have never developed a misfire. Not even once.
@@SkylineFTW97 OEM plugs are worth their weight in gold in my opinion. Most people have no idea how much a poor spark plug can ruin your engine. I want the plugs that were made for that engine. The amount I spent on the OEM plugs will come back to me in fuel savings and the extension of the life of my engine. Sparkies are the one part I will NEVER go aftermarket.
There's nothing wrong with auto lite plugs in the right applications. I run nothing but auto lites in all of my 450 hp and up aluminum headed small block chevy engines. Ac delco don't make a plug for that app. They have one heat range
.750" reach plug (made for the mid 80s Corvette) but it's too hot for 10:1 or higher compression.
I think about it like this, "It's my bleeeping money, I will get the parts I want".
I have a 2009 Honda Accord EX Coupe. I started doing DIY routine maintenance on it 3 years ago as a sort of therapy against my depression having suffered some life events. I learned through your channel and several other videos. Now, if you go by the owner's manual and the service manual books, they say something about genuine Honda fluids, filters, spark plugs and such. Well, Valvoline motor oil, Fram filters (oil, air and cabin), Auto Zone brand (Duralast)pads, rotors and calipers for a total brake rebuild, and A1 Auto for headlights and foglights (OEM for the control stalk and wire harness). And so far I've done well if I say so myself. I'm about to undertake the VCT Actuator and water pump, still waiting on parts for those. My thinking is: The deeper into the engine block, the more I go OEM, the more it's normal wear and tear, the more I can comparison shop for after market.
Eric your efforts to explain parts problems for Honda’s that good fine and well. I can’t get virtually ANY OEM parts for my 85 & 86 Mercury Grand Marquis’s. Not to mention my 84 f150 or 85 f250 4x4 Trucks it’s harder to get quality aftermarket or OEM parts, guys like me with old Ford are screwed and left with aftermarket junk made in Japan, China, Taiwan or Mexico. Anything Emissions related is not an option and everything else is reman or aftermarket crap.
I'm a total parts snob all the time. Every car I touch I try my hardest to install the OEM part or the absolutely best aftermarket part period. Mainly because I don't want comebacks ever! I fixed it right the 1st time!!
Amen!!! Absolutely want the best possible parts as far as ease of installation and service life of the part. And of course I want it for the best possible price.
FYI I do recall one incident where I got a bad OEM part. It was a combined wiring harness for the starter and O2 sensor on a 1995 Ford F-150 5.0L. Battery acid migration works it's way down this harness and begins to infect the O2 sensor jumper harness that is part of the assembly so I recommended a new one. Got the replacement harness and installed it. Road tested it and as soon as the computer decided to look at the O2 sensor signal the computer would go into FMEM or Failure Management Effects Mode and turn the Check Engine light on. Finally figured out that the new harness had several pins out of place in the O2 sensor part of the harness. Had to repin part of it to correct the problem, but I did find it.
Bought a 1aauto valve cover gasket for my Civic... it leaked worse than the 20 year old gasket & hondabond combo that was on there. I was so sad about that, but I learnt my lesson. Only Honda gaskets and seals from now on. I now do a little more research when looking for parts than just the inexpensive options.
You are 110% RIGHT on the money !!!! Every second of this video is Gem .....
"our house brand fuel pump is 1/3 the price of the OEM and has a lifetime warranty" Lifetime warranty doesn't do me any good in the middle of nowhere. Ignition/fuel/electrical is always OEM. Wear items like brakes, water pump, etc. Good aftermarket is fine.
I can't wait til it's my birthday :) Nice video (as usual).
I admittedly don't watch your videos all that frequently, but I came here so I could have you wish me a happy birthday :)
Thanks very much for the video Eric. Great experience regarding parts and important for any repair listeners to know. I do prefer OEM but cost is always the issue compared to aftermarket.
We have a lot of classic cars which is a different animal. There are no longer OEM parts available so I have to use aftermarket. Where replacement parts are not available I have to try to rebuild the unit or in rare cases source a used part. Parts are a whole different challenge on classic vehicles but I find a way to make it work. Some we've owned for many decades so they become quite sentimental to us. Best wishes
Indeed I am !
Working primarily on german cars - Bosch, ATE, Brembo and Pagid for brakes.
Beru, Bosch and NGK for spark/glow plugs
Bosch only for injectors
Mahle filters for ALL cars.
All ball joints are usually TRW or Lemförder
And Castrol oil. Only Castrol
First, love your videos Eric. Keep them coming. I am a parts snob too. Although I only mechanic on my own vehicles and 60 muscle car restorations, I try to stay away from stores like A-ZONE. Life time warranty is not enough when you have to go replace the part 2-3 times due to poor quality. I am a GM guy so mostly use ACDelco or Denso parts. I will use Bosch sometimes but like to stick with original manufacture parts when possible. Less headaches and busted knuckles.
Most definitely! I don't even *really* have the money to be (currently a college student), but I would much prefer to replace something once and not have to touch it for a few more years. That extra dough now will save more dough in the long run.
A little related story: I used to have a 98 5-speed Mustang. Nothing special, but, as a teenage from a poor family, that was cool! And then the clutch went out, and we had to replace it on a tight, tight budget. Spend 200 bucks on a Duralast Clutch kit, and it lasted about a year or less. It also squealed the whole time it was in the car. Eventually went out and didn't have the time or money to replace it again, so I had to trade for a different car. I would have much preferred to have paid twice or three times the amount and had the car many more years compared to trading off a perfectly good car because I was a moron for buying cheap parts.
Thanks for your sharing knowledge.
Oh my god, it finally happened, there's a new etcg1 video and IT IS MY BIRTHDAY!!!
Say "Thank You" for the cake....
You are spot on with this topic. The quality of replacement non oem parts is a huge issue. I don't really know how the big box auto parts stores stay in business. The cheap remanufactured parts are really not worth buying. Especially when dealing with imports.
100% have become a part snob over the years. I usually find myself only putting OEM on my Hondas and it has largely affected the reliability of my cars, I feel like. Within recent years, I have started getting the OEM brand from other sources, like say the Denso AC compressor I bought from RockAuto. It was only 190 bucks, when Honda wanted much more. Same brand. As far as I can tell, exact same part. Great video, Eric!
Hi Eric. This was a great video. I am a parts snob, but like you said I am willing to try aftermarket parts on certain parts. If like brakes...no. But say on a part that is forgiving, I am open to it. And definitely agree with you, if the manufacturer burns me. Never...never use them again. Thank you!
Totally agree.. after 23 years as a tech and business owner I don't sell/install garbage that might bite me in the butt later!
I'm also a parts snob I suppose, especially with plugs, fluids (oil, fuel etc.), filters and tires. Probably since I deal with those items the most often.
Thank you for the video, Eric.
I usually go with the second cheapest option on rockauto. I haven't had to do many electrical parts, but so far I've had good luck with them, and been happy with the quality.
For body and trim parts, you can buy them with a fit certification. More money but never had an issue with fit or quality. As to branded parts, cost more but better quality. In most cases, brands are simply better quality. There is a reason the knock offs are cheap.
Sometimes you have no choice and you have to get aftermarket parts but usually prefer re-manufactued OEM, depending on what it is. Solid advice, Eric - Thanks!
I'm a RUclips snob, only Eric will do.
As a older Toyota owner, (both car and driver) the car has come with all the parts it needs.
That said, one should only insist on quality aftermarket consumables if one wishes to retain ones net worth.
I'm the worst parts snob of them all!
My sister-in-law has an 2004 Element. Almost 300K on it and when it comes to maintannce she is a little lax. Over the course of 17 yrs see has probably spent less than 3K in repairs. I've have been in the parts business for almost 35 yrs and in my opinion her Element is the best car she could have bought. In my book Eric you are spot on with your parts opinion. A lot of times though it can be difficult to get a particular brand for a particular part. But like you said do your homework before you purchase.