Anglo-Frenchman Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Just out of interest, what the general view of buying spares. Is it worth paying the extra for the genuine article or are the non-gen parts considered value for money? In a world of you-get-wot-you-pay for do the genuine part last any longer? Just a thought as my non-gen front prop wings its way to me............... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ajlorton Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 I'd say it's a bit of pot luck really. I've never gone wrong with genuine stuff, but non-genuine has been a mixed bag. I've had some excellent non-genuine bits which have been far far cheaper and perfectly good enough. However, I've had some bits which were comically useless and gone straight in the bin. I know some are very scathing of britpart and bearmach, but I've had good and bad experience of both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Nothing wrong with well known brands such as Lockheed,Girling,Woodhead,Monroe,GKN, as examples, most of the big parts companies supply LR anyway as OEM.[Original Equipment Manufacturer] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Hancock Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Just out of interest, what the general view of buying spares. Is it worth paying the extra for the genuine article or are the non-gen parts considered value for money? In a world of you-get-wot-you-pay for do the genuine part last any longer? Just a thought as my non-gen front prop wings its way to me............... My two penneth is that if parts say 'County' on the box then the box is the best bit and the contents are only fit for the scrap bin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 County - agreed! The best value IMHO are the "OEM" bits from the likes of Bearmach and Allmakes, so your Coopers filters, Magneti Marelli alternators, Bosch starters, GKN driveline bits, many are the same as genuine without the expensive box. For example the Bosch Tdi starter motors even have a Land Rover logo on them.... Much of the Own-Brand stuff from certain suppliers is carp. Especially true of "unidentifiable" bits like bushes and things, there's a post on here somewhere about some shocker bushes I bought for my 90 (not from our shop I hasten to say as we were out of stock!!), they lasted 150 miles (10 of which were off road) and were totally shot away, worse than the ones I took out! rubbish quality and I only buy Genuine bushes if I can especially the ones like radius arm bushes that are hard to change. General rule for me is that if it is more expensive and more of a PITA to change than the cost of the part is worth then I would get genuine, if it is easily changed and/or you know the bits are good as OEM, then save the money and get those. OEM filters for example, coopers or crosland no problem at all and much cheaper. I hope this doesn't qualify as spam but I deal with Bearmach on a trade basis for LR parts we sell in the shop at work and their stuff has never caused any problems for us, in fact I can't recall the last time somebody brought something back to whinge about it. On the two occasions we did have to whinge about minor things (one was some alloy wheel nuts that lost their caps which weren't crimped on properly, the other was some muppet who had taken some 300Tdi Disco air filters out of their packets and folded them in half to make them fit in the crate!) they were very apologetic and supplied replacements FOC. Propshafts and things, difficult one. I can't say for sure but in my personal experience genuine ones last much better but are a few times the price so I guess you pays your money and takes your choice... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 here it is why not to buy non-gen bushes go down the post a fair way and look at the photos of the bushes on the bench utter rubbish genuine ones fitted then and still fine now with lots of off road use Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diff Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 I am happy to buy many pattern parts, but I am now very wary of any rubber pattern parts. I have had very poor rubber Britpart components in the past and won't use britpart rubber under the Landy again. These were a propshaft gaiter which virtually perished as you looked at it and was completely rotted in a couple of months, suspension bushes (radius arms) which were knackered in 6 months and anti rollbar link balljoint rubbers which were perished and cracked within months. Yes they are cheap, but not worth it in my opinion. I have had better luck with Allmakes components, and genuine bushes seem to last well. Regards, Diff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeagent Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 I am happy to buy many pattern parts, but I am now very wary of any rubber pattern parts. I have had very poor rubber Britpart components in the past and won't use britpart rubber under the Landy again. Diff agree with that. the last Britpart hub seals i bought were total rubbish, they went in the bin, rather than on the truck. anything thats either mechanically critical, or a right sod to fit i tend to go OEM or genuine, some, and only a few, genuine parts prices are ok, i bought a water pump from the main stealers last summer for £50ish, after the rubbish britpart (£25) one lasted 10 days... i'll probably buy very little thats not genuine or at least OEM for the new truck... the cheap stuff is just false economy. i'm sure Britpart must be falling foul of the 'fit for purpose' bit of the sale of goods act with some of the crud they sell.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 Concensus is to fit Genuine parts where required (or OEM copy, same thing in a different box) but are there any parts where Genuine isn't best? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglo-Frenchman Posted April 26, 2006 Author Share Posted April 26, 2006 Well thanks for al the comments - very intersting indeed. My new Allmakes front prop shaft has arrived so I'll be fitting that in a couple of days. Just a quick word to 'big up' (God! I hate that expression) Bob Mayou at LRP in Camborne who manages to get parts to me in France the next day - Top supplier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 I'm 100% for LRP when I need parts His service is excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeagent Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 Concensus is to fit Genuine parts where required (or OEM copy, same thing in a different box) but are there any parts where Genuine isn't best? well, i don't like genuine bushes, but only because i like polybushes... genuine bushes are better than the Britpart copies though...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimAttrill Posted April 28, 2006 Share Posted April 28, 2006 Concensus is to fit Genuine parts where required (or OEM copy, same thing in a different box) but are there any parts where Genuine isn't best? Yes, 300tdi crankshaft pulley LHH100660 which comes as part of the belt kit. The shoulders are spot-welded on and either wear through (you can catch this if you change your belt often) or the front one simply falls off and destroys the belt with disastrous consequences. The one time I know of this happening LR Centurion refused to even supply a new kit, let alone a set of pushrods and a few rockers, as the kit had not been fitted by them. Typical Land Rover good service. But if you buy the Bearmach kit it comes with a one-piece forged pulley. The other bits are OEM anyway, Dayco belt, INA pulleys and Corteco seals. So avoid this Land Rover part! We only use the Bearmach kits in our workshop. When buying seals, etc from Bearmach it pays to get the bits with the suffix 'G'. This means Genuine. All Defender clutch master cylinders are hopeless. Buy the cheapest one. County stuff is rubbish, especially their tdi glow plugs. My engine has no 1 plug sheared, so like TD5 owners I have one cylinder with no glow plug. Only fit BERU OEM plugs, but don't buy them from your stealer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.