Parts Acquisition - Non-Main Dealer
Traders, T25 specialists and 80-90 community members find that some non-genuine VW parts don't always cut the mustard! Thanks to contributors - these sort of tips can save an awful amount of time, trouble and.... money.
Header tank caps, loads of problems, never hold pressure - buy genuine!
Thermostats, don't seems to open far enough, again cost me time.
Temp senders, problems on Diesels, they seem okay on petrols.
There seems to be 3 qualities of rear wheel cylinder, I only now use the most expensive ones, had problems with the cheaper ones leaking within 12 months.
Anti roll bar to bottom arm bushes don't last 2 minutes, but I use poly ones now anyway.
Washer jets need to be dropped into boiling water before fitment or they just snap their little legs off!
Front inner wheel bearings seem a little tight on the shaft, you really need to fettle the shaft with some 80's to get them to slide on.
Brake pads - whilst many cheaper alternatives work - Genuine VW really work better, so if it matters at least get your pads and shoes from VW.
Rear wheel bearings - GSF have been selling really duff ones lately - Don't buy them, last 3 months or less.. Brickwerks sells good ones
Beaker: Had a Hi-Torq branded top ball joint from them last year, started to fail inside 3000 miles, was spotted and replaced but I missed out on the warranty by 2 days !!!
I would agree that you pays your money and ......I get VW when I can justify it, i.e. a part that should be good for ten years, and which is a major job to replace, or when there is no choice, otherwise GSF, EuroCarParts, Brakes International or my local factor AndrewPage [1], who will pay the labour charge on replacing failed or out of spec parts which means they do really try to get it right.
Pickles: In my experience I would not buy any more from GSF the following items:-
Tie rod ends and tie rods
Water jacket gaskets (only full kits)
Wheel Cylinders
Bushes
Thermostats
Ball Joints
I would buy:-
Exhausts (Ernst)
Clutches
Brake Pads (top quality ones)
Simon at brickwerks
Anything branded "Vetech" is to be avoided. Anything with "7RL" after the part number is to be avoided. Anything made by "Topran" or "HansPreis" is to be judged on it's merits, Some is "pooh", some is so so but at the cheaper end. Febi - good and bad, some really good, some so so. Meyle - again, some is excellent, some is dubious JP Group - "Mechanix" "Eletrix" "Brax" etc again, just another reboxer of budget stuff, they make parts a lot of people don't so your knackered really if you need something only they supply, I don't think we have any of it on the shelf, I don't like it.
fairly safe to say you can trust anything from.... Beru.
Bosch.
Lemforder.
Elring.
Victor Reinz.
Pagid.
Jurid.
Mintex.
ATE.
FTE.
Sachs.
LUK.
FAG.
INA.
KS (Kolbenshmidt)
Supplier..............................Parts.........................Good Quality Mfr.....................Poor Quality Mfr
EURO ..........Ball joints tie rod ends...............................Lemforder..............................Hi-Torq
CARPARTS
GSF.................Brake slave cylinders.................................FAG
GSF.................Wheel Bearings..................................................................................Vetech
GSF.................Clutch/parts & kit........................................LUK
GSF.................early brake pads........................................Pagid
GSF.................2wd/4wd rear cv joints................................GKN
ANY.................CV Joints.............................................................................................Interparts
