OE parts vs "in house" parts

[Pete112288]

I am finally getting around to a full tune up and fixing a few issues with my 2000 Ford ranger, 5 speed manual, 2 wheel drive. I dont know about this though. It is really tempting to get the in house brands of parts at the part stores. My dad always emphasized using OE parts whenever possible. But the price difference is really hitting home right now. I am doing all 4 shocks, front wheel bearings, serpentine belt, rear speed sensor and EGR feedback pressure sensor. Napa and O'Rileys has their shocks for $20-$27 ea and the OE are $52-$68 ea. Wheel bearings at O'Rileys MasterPro brand is $4 and the OE are $12-$15. Serpentine belt is $20 for in house or $30 for OE. Speed sensor is $14 for MasterPro or $32 for OE, and the EGR senseor is $50 for MasterPro and $85 for OE. Has anyone had experience with the pros and cons of the OE vs in house brand? I am not hard on my truck and most of it is in town and freeway driving. it has 160,000 miles on it. If it were just one part I was working on I wouldnt have a problem spending more but the total for the entire tune up and work ends up being a couple hundred dollars different. Any advice?

[Buzz2401]

I got 275k on my toyota van.  I have done my fair share of maintenence on it and I can tell you the house brand stuff is typically garbage.  If you are in a pinch then it will work but don't expect it to last even half as long as the original stuff did.  When it comes to tune up stuff I won't buy house brand stuff at all.  As far as the stuff you are replacing I wouldn't be to worried buying the store brand stuff except for the sensors and the bearings.  Chinese bearings are really hit and miss and I haven't had very good luck with aftermarket sensors.

[wadu1]

Hey Pete, OEM parts are fine but do cost more in the long run and I've had OEM parts that did not fit (1987 Chev Suburban rear axle bearing were under size and leaked). I've had the best luck with NAPA parts and stick with them 99% of the time. I've even had OEM parts inside a NAPA box. 

[wadu1]

I got 275k on my toyota van.  I have done my fair share of maintenence on it and I can tell you the house brand stuff is typically garbage.  If you are in a pinch then it will work but don't expect it to last even half as long as the original stuff did.  When it comes to tune up stuff I won't buy house brand stuff at all.  As far as the stuff you are replacing I wouldn't be to worried buying the store brand stuff except for the sensors and the bearings.  Chinese bearings are really hit and miss and I haven't had very good luck with aftermarket sensors.

That's why I don't drive rice burners; most of their OEM is made in China but when it says TOJO you pay more.

[Buzz2401]

Never found a Toyota part from the factory that was made in china.  But I have found a lot of parts for my GMC that were store brands that were made in china.  Cheap chinese aftermarket is cheap chinese aftermarket it doesn't matter if its a chevy part or a toyota part.

[Pete112288]

I figured I would have more avise me to use OE. I was really hoping to have some feedback that would lean towards the others. The thing is right now I actually do have the money that I can afford to get most everything OE so I guess I better bite the bullet and do it. Esp since I dont have a backup vehicle.

[Johnb317]

Only car I bought new was a 98 Ford Explorer. 
Threw out the oe shocks and put on bilsteins first week. 
Truck handled so much better.
If you don't want to go that spendy I'd look at the Monroe single tube truck shocks. 
I usually look for aftermarket that is better than oe, or the same, just not the extra expense for the oe label.

[follow maggie]

I've always used the Echlin line of sensors from Napa with good results. They have two lines and I always use the more expensive of the two. They're made in America and have been reliable for me. Shocks I generally use Rancho on my truck and Gabriel on my car.   Tried monroe and the squeaking on every single bump drove me nuts. Exchanged them for another set and same thing.  That company has really gone downhill and puts out junk now. Plugs and wires on my pickup I use ford parts because they work better on that triton engine. If the serpentine belt breaks it can do some serious damage, so I would spend the little extra to get the good one.   You'd probably be better off breaking the project into 3-4 smaller pieces so you can afford the better pieces.

[robodad]

Shop RockAuto.com you would be surprised how just waiting a few days for shipping can save you quite a bit-o-muny !!!

[Bean Counter]

*tag* 

[HntnFsh]

AS mentioned. Rancho shocks are good. Thats what I use.
You can get OEM parts at very good prices from Amazon. Thats what I do. I can almost always beat parts stores prices on their house parts. Even though I buy OEM. Plus they are sitting on my porch in 2 days. Saves me a lot of time unning around. I prefer Amazon over Rockauto. But have bought from Rockauto a couple times.

If you know the part #s your looking for just google search them to see what comes up. Bet Amazon will be there.

[Bofire]

  :)Tenneco owns the following brands:
 Monroe[11]
 Walker[12]
 Rancho[13]
 DynoMax[14]
 Clevite Elastomers[15]
 Gillet[16]
 Fonos[17]
 Fric-Rot[18]
 Kinetic[19]
 Thrush[20]
 DNX[21]
 Marzocchi[22]
 Axios[23]
 Lukey[24]
 
These are sold to over 500 after-market customers including retailers and wholesalers and to more than 25 OEMs, including Audi, Chrysler, Daimler, Enfield, Fiat, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Honda, Navistar International, Jaguar Cars, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Renault, Škoda, Suzuki, Tata, Toyota, TVS, Volkswagen Group, Volvo, E-Z-GO, and CLUB CAR[citation needed


As you can see this company builds both Monroe and Rancho shocks, and lots of other stuff. This company builds International Harvester.
I think KYB is a better product for shocks. I have had good luck with OEM parts.
Carl

[T Pearce]

 

Shop RockAuto.com you would be surprised how just waiting a few days for shipping can save you quite a bit-o-muny !!!

I've saved a bunch even upgrading. (94 suburban to keep on the road)

[Pete112288]

Thanks everyone for the input, I had never thought of checking Amazon for car parts before. I ended up saving over $150 going through Amazon for the EXACT parts that I was about to buy in store. New KYB shocks all the way around, New EGR valve OEM, New EGR pressure feedback sensor OEM, New Serpentine belt OEM, new spark plugs Autolite, New spark plug wires, New rear speed sensor OEM, and on top of that, a routine oil change, differential fluid change (Royal Purple), new tranny fluid (Royal Purple), Next week will be new tires and radiator flush.