[s-cars] Looking at suspension parts,

[Tom Green]

The Chinese brand names are almost comical if they weren't designed  
for deception.  First Equipment Quality, OEM (really cute), and
JL Germany are some of the Chinese suspension parts that aren't  
carried as a major brand label.

The company just informed me that the Karlyn control arms are  
manufactured in Taiwan.  Mine seem to be doing fine, but it's  
longevity where
the quality shows.  I feel confident with these, but I don't know how  
to phrase a recommendation for others, other than I bought another  
set from
Pelican parts-in large part because they were $45 each, but the  
installation isn't free, especially if you have to do it again.  The  
new impact wrench
and large air compressor almost make this stuff fun.  These arms were  
bought from Blau, who professes to deal in German parts, without any  
reference to
the brand or origin.

The service and tech assistance that goes with buying from Scott  
Mocky make all the difference when you aren't certain about parts or  
even installation.
How many guys have I told, "read the troubleshooting section at  
SJMautotechnik"?

Tom

On Jul 31, 2008, at 3:32 PM, Peter Schulz wrote:

> Guys:
>
> Just watch out for the "Made in China" sticker on a box that  
> otherwise would appear to be made in Germany...
> BTDT...
>
> BTW, based on some of the low prices I'm seeing on Febi parts  
> online, I would start suspecting that they are being sourced from  
> China also...
>
> Scott Mockry has been very helpful in this regard..
> His prices are typically in the middle of the pack, but his Audi  
> knowledge is worth the difference, by far.
> that and UPS ground shipping are free for orders over $50.
>
> I went to Scott to  obtain a non-chinese-made heater core
> - Scott couldn't identify where the available part was made from  
> his catalog, so he ordered it.
> And his response to me at the time was "I wouldn't put it in my  
> car...recommend that you order it through an Audi dealer"
> -which I did...
>
> THAT's worth an endorsement, not to mention how often the  
> diagnostics on his website have helped me out.
> http://www.sjmautotechnik.com
>
>
> -Peter
>
>
> At 02:22 PM 7/31/2008 -0500, Young, Steve wrote:
>
>> I try to stay away from Meyle and any brand I don't readily  
>> recognize.
>> Even if I don't recognize it, if they can tell me the box says  
>> "made in
>> Germany" I would use it in a pinch.  I generally look for TRW, Febi,
>> Lemforder, or Karlyn.
>>
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Steven Young
>> Area Operations Manager - Albany
>> ____________________________________TRANE
>> 301 Old Niskayuna Rd., Latham, NY  12110
>> Tel: 518.724.1453
>> Fax: 518.785.4359
>>
>> www.trane.com
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: chris chambers [mailto:fastscirocco_2000 at yahoo.com]
>> Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2008 3:18 PM
>> To: Young, Steve; Tom Green; s-car-list at audifans.com
>> Subject: RE: [s-cars] Looking at suspension parts,
>>
>> Steve,
>>
>> I sent my list toAnthony and German auto parts for a quote, and he  
>> will
>> be including the brand info.
>>
>> Is it your view that any brand but meyle is a good brand?
>> Unfortunately I don't knoiw what brands to avoid.
>>
>> Thanks
>> Chris
>>
>>
>> --- "Young, Steve" <sryoung at trane.com> wrote:
>>
>> >
>> > Mark, the owner of GermanAutoParts, is a good guy and is a  
>> sponsor of
>> > //SFest.  He has always been fair and has accepted returns with no
>> > issues.  I don't buy Meyle either, so I call and they look at their
>> > stock.  If all they have is Meyle, I go elsewhere, but many  
>> times they
>>
>> > have more than one brand in stock.
>> >
>> >
>> > Regards,
>> >
>> > Steven Young
>> > Area Operations Manager - Albany
>> > ____________________________________TRANE
>> > 301 Old Niskayuna Rd., Latham, NY  12110
>> > Tel: 518.724.1453
>> > Fax: 518.785.4359
>> >
>> > www.trane.com
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com
>> > [mailto:s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com] On Behalf Of chris  
>> chambers
>> > Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2008 2:25 PM
>> > To: Tom Green; s-car-list at audifans.com
>> > Subject: Re: [s-cars] Looking at suspension parts,
>> >
>> > Tom,
>> >
>> > thanks for the input, for some reason I thought Moog and Beck- 
>> Arnley
>> > were good brands to trust! LOL
>> >
>> > The parts I'm looking for include:
>> >
>> > Rear subframe bushings
>> > rear wheel bearing 82 mm
>> > shock Boge Turbo Gas 32-115F
>> > rear stabalizer bar link kit
>> > rear stabalizer bar bushing
>> > rear tie rod left
>> > rear tie rod right
>> > rear brake lines
>> > anti lock brakes pressure metering valve front upper strut bearings
>> > front upper strut mounts strut Boge Turbo Gas 32-402F tie rod  
>> end left
>>
>> > tie rod end right Lower control arm right Lower control arm left  
>> front
>>
>> > lower control arm stabilizer bushings
>> >
>> > Finding all these parts in one place, let alone in reliable brands
>> > hasn't proven to be difficult.
>> >
>> > Germanautoparts.com seems to have Meyle, which I've learned to
>> > distrust, but they do have the best pricing on the boge shocks/ 
>> struts.
>> >
>> > Any thoughts?
>> >
>> > Thanks
>> > Chris
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > --- Tom Green <trgreen at comcast.net> wrote:
>> >
>> > > That sounds like tie rod ends you had the problem with, Chris.
>> > > You will see a lot of original parts rusted in place because the
>> > > plating was inadequate or non-existent. Most suppliers have  
>> gotten
>> > > better at that, but you don't know for sure until you open the  
>> box.
>> > >
>> > > Ideally, you would like several thousand Germans to test these
>> > > individual> parts for you.  That's where the preference for Febi,
>> > Lemforder,
>> > > Bilstein,
>> > > Eibach, FAG, etc, came from, but traditional manufacturing is
>> > changing
>> >
>> > > in Germany just as it did here.  Plants moved to the former  
>> eastern
>> >
>> > > bloc countries and some are now sliding toward China.
>> > >
>> > > If you can buy from a place where you can have them open the  
>> box at
>> >
>> > > the counter and they have a solid, no-hassle return policy,  
>> you can
>> >
>> > > assess some quality yourself.  The labor installing suspension
>> > parts
>> > > has to be considered in your plan, since that is a sunk cost- 
>> maybe
>> > > twice.  :-) Convince the parts place that it is a defective part
>> > you
>> > > installed correctly or you will eat the parts cost as well since
>> > most
>> > > parts will be special order.
>> > >
>> > > Specifically, Moog--always take TRW instead, unless they suddenly
>> > drop
>> >
>> > > the price by 50%.  Spicer is better know for US parts.  I would
>> > doubt
>> > >
>> > > their
>> > > ability to catalog S4/S6 parts properly.  Beck-Arnley is a
>> > value-added
>> >
>> > > supplier, the foreign car JC Whitney.  They repackage parts from
>> > > world-
>> > > wide suppliers with a mark-up in price.  I doubt their  
>> catalogs are
>> >
>> > > good enough to identify the URS specific parts.  You can usually
>> > see a
>> >
>> > > red
>> > >
>> > > flag
>> > > on these catalogs that lump A6/S6 parts together.  This is not  
>> the
>> > > place to get the part when time is important unless there is no
>> > > question it is correct.
>> > >
>> > > If you use the ETKA and use online suppliers with a good  
>> reputation
>> >
>> > > for
>> > > S4/S6 parts, and call or email if in doubt, you will do as  
>> well as
>> > > these marginal suppliers that try to cover everything.  I like to
>> > > include dealer pricing in the search at the best discount place I
>> > > know, but the online catalog for genuinevwaudiparts.com or Audi
>> > Parts
>> > > Depot (Riverside
>> > > Audi)
>> > > is almost useless unless you check by part #.
>> > >
>> > > Tom
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > > Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2008 07:21:28 -0700 (PDT)
>> > > > From: chris chambers <fastscirocco_2000 at yahoo.com>
>> > > > Subject: [s-cars] Looking at suspension parts,    are any of  
>> these
>> > > brands
>> > > >   bad? Moog, Beck Arnley, Spicer
>> > > > To: Scar <s-car-list at audifans.com>
>> > > > Message-ID: <89115.4528.qm at web65414.mail.ac4.yahoo.com>
>> > > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>> > > >
>> > > > Are there any brands I should consider?
>> > > >
>> > > > I've ruled out meyle, although a couple suppliers claim they
>> > haven't
>> >
>> > > > had ANY problem with Meyle, every Meyle part I have bought has
>> > > > rusted/seized fast.
>> > >
>> > > _______________________________________________
>> > > S-CAR-List mailing list
>> > > S-CAR-List at audifans.com
>> > > http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/s-car-list
>> > >
>> >
>> >
>> > Make April 15th just another day http://www.fairtax.org
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > S-CAR-List mailing list
>> > S-CAR-List at audifans.com
>> > http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/s-car-list
>> >
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>> Make April 15th just another day http://www.fairtax.org
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>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
> -Peter Schulz
> Chelmsford Ma, USA
> http://www.naaclub.org/
>
> 1995.5 S6 Avant Emerald/Ecru
> 1995.5 S6 Avant Silver/Platinum
> 1991 200 20v Q Avant Titan Grey (for sale)
> 1991 90 20v Q Red
> 1991 CQ silver  (eS2 recipient)