Who manufactures quality aftermarket car parts now ?

[tom2207]

I had a Corrado for a while ,,, it used to eat wheel bearings , a set every six months or so ,,, granted I was doing big miles 50k a year , and driving hard ,,, but that was life ,,, eventually when I couldnt get the usual aftermarket stuff one day I gave in and put genuine vw bearings in ,,,, they were actually cheaper than aftermarket , and they were also the last set I put in they just lasted ,,,,, so dont go past pricing the oem stuff , sometimes its as cheap and better quality.

 

[mr haynes]

Febi Bilstein is my go to budget brand. Consistently reasonable quality for price. Also have a decent parts ecat.
Blueprint is part of the Febi group.
Lemforder has always been a first port of call for premium quality.
Mahle another generally good quality
Sometimes you just have to go with what is available at the time though

 

[Farside]

I usually put a thread up on here when I need recommendations for parts, normally get some good advice before the thread drifts off to "has anyone seen my camel?"

Have there been sharks around recently?

 

[keithski122]

Always used to be blueprint for japanese stuff.

 

[premmington]

I am in the motortrade - buying parts is a lottery...

Names you think are good - are not now.

Then there is wave of what they sell as OE parts quality - that you never heard the name of..

Dealer stuff - for later things - is good but expensive. But for older things - some of it looks like the same as motorfactor stuff (but with a higher price tag).

 

[Domdom]

Then there is wave of what they sell as OE parts quality - that you never heard the name of..

I noticed that with places like AUTODOC and ECP. Many choices for a lot of things, some say OE quality and I’ve never heard of that brand. Stuff like Ridex I know to avoid but there are so many others it becomes a minefield.

Sticking with known brands like Valeo, Lemforder, Meyle seems to be the best one can do if main dealer is not in the desired price bracket. Research just takes forever as I am finding out in Spain. Everyone just seems to want the cheapest over here so it took a 2 week wait to get new rear shocks from the main Audi dealer……only to get a pair of Boge shocks, and with Boge being a ZF company, they certainly aren’t OEM.

 

[Turbo]

I tend to go for Lemforder,, Meyle, Febi Bilstien, Mahle, Sachs, Valeo, Hella, Corteco seals, Timken, FAG, SKF, NTN bearings, GKN Hardy Spicer, Dana UJ's though my last 20 odd years has mainly been Landrover parts.

Agree with that list.

For brake pads and discs add in Allied Nippon.

 

[premmington]

I noticed that with places like AUTODOC and ECP. Many choices for a lot of things, some say OE quality and I’ve never heard of that brand. Stuff like Ridex I know to avoid but there are so many others it becomes a minefield.

Sticking with known brands like Valeo, Lemforder, Meyle seems to be the best one can do if main dealer is not in the desired price bracket. Research just takes forever as I am finding out in Spain. Everyone just seems to want the cheapest over here so it took a 2 week wait to get new rear shocks from the main Audi dealer……only to get a pair of Boge shocks, and with Boge being a ZF company, they certainly aren’t OEM.

It is a minefield buying parts.

I would like to say "price is your guide" - but there is so much "upselling" in the trade with big buying groups.

It is a lottery....