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[106rallye]

Does anyone know what type of magic dust they use to make their parts better than anyone else? or why a dealer history means more than a reputiable garage?

I cant understand (but would like to learn  ) why most people see Vx as the best source point of parts. Personally i only use them if the part isnt avaliable elsewhere or for gaskets, bolts etc.

[mantahatch]

I think the simple answer is quality and fit, and if you have a trade card also the price is allmost the same as a motor factors.
Yes we no Vauxhall do not make all there own parts, but then the parts from motor factors can be such poor quality that there not woth fitting in my opinion.

Mike

[Jay w]

Does anyone know what type of magic dust they use to make their parts better than anyone else? or why a dealer history means more than a reputiable garage?

I cant understand (but would like to learn  ) why most people see Vx as the best source point of parts. Personally i only use them if the part isnt avaliable elsewhere or for gaskets, bolts etc.

Parts that are branded with Vauxhalls name on would have been sourced and made to OE spec, the same cannot be said of parts that have been made by companies who make aftermarket versions of the same product, exhausts and rocker cover gaskets are two items that spring to mind, genuine are infinatly better that anythin you can buy on the non gen side
I have bought aftermarket parts in the past and then had to spend time getting them to fit, bushes are a classic example, i have lost count of the times i have had to grind down the outer edge of metal bushes as the aftermarket ones are made using crap tooling or are totally out of spec.

Dealer history is worth more because the perception is the dealer is a specialist dealing in that make of car only, as a result you hacve the support of the dealer network if a part fails as a result of a component failing that was fitted in a dealership. People also believe that the dealers train their staff to a high level and that their training revolves purely around the cars the dealers specialises in.
High street garages (independants) do not always have a good name, nor do they have the backing of the vehicle manufacturer, hence the reason for the belief that the dealers are better

[Marks DTM Calib]

Does anyone know what type of magic dust they use to make their parts better than anyone else? or why a dealer history means more than a reputiable garage?

I cant understand (but would like to learn  ) why most people see Vx as the best source point of parts. Personally i only use them if the part isnt avaliable elsewhere or for gaskets, bolts etc.

Because for some parts, the pattern items are of such an inferior quality that they fail early and hence are not worth bothering with.

Not true for all items but quite a few.

[andyc]

Vauxhall Parts are made and tested to a higher spec than most "pattern" parts (as already stated).

There are a few notable cases on "pattern" parts that have failed. The main on the springs to mine is the lower arms for the Mk3 cavalier.

There had been a few accidents where the lower arm broke while the car was going through the corner/roundabout.

Vauxhalls got slated for this, by a top TV car program for one, that there parts are crap.

Vauxhalls had a look and found the the failed parts were "Pattern" and very badly made, thing is they carried the GM parts lable.

It wasn't until you had a good look at the lable that it turn out to be a forgery.

it turned out that a big shipment of fake OE parts had come into the country and the "pattern" boys were buying these cheap as they had been told they were genuine GM parts.

this has also happened with brake pads as well thats why all OE GM parts now carry hologram.....if that helps i can't say.

At the end of the day you pay your money you take your chance. If you fit poor quality parts to save a few bob and they fail and you take out a bus stop packed with kids ..................

Nearly all OE GM Parts also have carry a European wide. unlimited mileage warranty agains manufracture failure and as europe is opening up more & more do you want to get stuck with have to fork out more money to get your car fixed at some barn in the middle of France.

Same goes for the cambelt kits. Yes i know they are made by Gates and they are the same, but next time you buy a kit a kit from the Factors ask them what would happen if: your driving down the auotbahn in Germany and the belt lets go because there was a problem with a bolt and its snapped, your doing, say 90mph and total the engine.

I'll put a tenner on it they will only replace the belt kit, but your engine is trashed.

Now i'm saying for one mintue that if it was a GM part you could claim everything back but at least you have a starting place.

Look at it another way, how cheap is a piece of mind!!!!!

Ok sort of rant over

Andy        

[f13platform]

GM is good brand

but they re nt god

i ve seen how 2 new GM camsensor fail

and i ve seen how GM door strap brake like glass

...

and castrol gtx oil is so much better than vax oil

[Marks DTM Calib]

GM is good brand

but they re nt god

i ve seen how 2 new GM camsensor fail

and i ve seen how GM door strap brake like glass

...

and castrol gtx oil is so much better than vax oil

Never, good flushing oil but not upto the (fuchs supplied) Gm oil.

[andyc]

i was going to say something about GTX but i won't. Like i say pay your money take your chance

Andy  

[andyc]

ok as Mark beat me to it.....Lawn mower comes to mind  

[Marks DTM Calib]

I dont rate the GM cambelt kits at the moment, they clearly changed the supplier about 2 years ago and the quality has dropped (they can be noisier to) so I suspect they are no longer Gates belts!

[jonathanh]

I dont rate the GM cambelt kits at the moment, they clearly changed the supplier about 2 years ago and the quality has dropped (they can be noisier to) so I suspect they are no longer Gates belts!

Interesting:  just fitted a GM kit and yes the belt is noisy:  screeches on start up but soon goes away.  I double checked everything super carefully so I'm certain it is the belt 'bedding in'.

[Marks DTM Calib]

I dont rate the GM cambelt kits at the moment, they clearly changed the supplier about 2 years ago and the quality has dropped (they can be noisier to) so I suspect they are no longer Gates belts!

Interesting:  just fitted a GM kit and yes the belt is noisy:  screeches on start up but soon goes away.  I double checked everything super carefully so I'm certain it is the belt 'bedding in'.

Cambelt or aux belt?

I have found that the cambelts dont seem to have very well formed teeth and they make a noise particularly as they apss over the cam sprockets......fitting a gates kit resulted in the noise stopping!

[jonathanh]

Fitted both but I know it is the cambelt as I dropped the aux belt off to check.  You are right - noise is coming from cam sprokets.  

I think I'll live with it, but probably strip it back after 10-15k miles to check the wear on the belt.  If it looks iffy I'll change it.  

[TheBoy]

ok as Mark beat me to it.....Lawn mower comes to mind  

Only as Vx oil is cheaper, and better, I'll use that in my lawnmower

[Ironingboard]

Vauxhall Parts are made and tested to a higher spec than most "pattern" parts (as already stated).

There are a few notable cases on "pattern" parts that have failed. The main on the springs to mine is the lower arms for the Mk3 cavalier.

There had been a few accidents where the lower arm broke while the car was going through the corner/roundabout.

Vauxhalls got slated for this, by a top TV car program for one, that there parts are crap.

Vauxhalls had a look and found the the failed parts were "Pattern" and very badly made, thing is they carried the GM parts lable.

It wasn't until you had a good look at the lable that it turn out to be a forgery.

it turned out that a big shipment of fake OE parts had come into the country and the "pattern" boys were buying these cheap as they had been told they were genuine GM parts.

this has also happened with brake pads as well thats why all OE GM parts now carry hologram.....if that helps i can't say.

At the end of the day you pay your money you take your chance. If you fit poor quality parts to save a few bob and they fail and you take out a bus stop packed with kids ..................

Nearly all OE GM Parts also have carry a European wide. unlimited mileage warranty agains manufracture failure and as europe is opening up more & more do you want to get stuck with have to fork out more money to get your car fixed at some barn in the middle of France.

Same goes for the cambelt kits. Yes i know they are made by Gates and they are the same, but next time you buy a kit a kit from the Factors ask them what would happen if: your driving down the auotbahn in Germany and the belt lets go because there was a problem with a bolt and its snapped, your doing, say 90mph and total the engine.

I'll put a tenner on it they will only replace the belt kit, but your engine is trashed.

Now i'm saying for one mintue that if it was a GM part you could claim everything back but at least you have a starting place.

Look at it another way, how cheap is a piece of mind!!!!!

Ok sort of rant over

Andy        

Andy, I would have totally agreed with you 100% 6 months ago but when it comes to shelling out money for your Omega, VX seriously take the pi**. I was looking for some wishbones for my Omega and almost died when I heard the price.

Anyway I knew someone who bought some vx wishbones for the Omega and I bought my ones from eurocarparts. Side by side they are exactly the same, apart from the VX ones having the gm sticker and number, the ball joint is made by the same company Lemforder and the bushes are the same, a company called Boge makes them for both.

So you either fork out £200 for a vx one or £60 for the same OE one that doesn't have the gm sticker and number.

as for a guarantee.....  if your VX timing belt goes and they never installed it you will get a new belt but no new engine. If they fitted the timing belt and it goes then you might have a case for a new engine.

When I bought my Omega the last guy had VX change the timing belt. So when I went around to change it at 80k myself I found that each bank was around 3-4 degrees out, with nice white marks to help the Muppet mechanic line it up. Obviously they never had or couldn't be bothered using the proper alignment kit.

So needless to say I don't hold VX in high regard when it comes to service or part price. The only time I will use VX, is to supply parts if I can't get them from the OE directly. My advice is to take a good look at the part you’re trying to replace, get the OE name and shop around for the part.

Another example, prop shaft centre mount (OE febi bilstein) vx = £57 exc VAT, febi bilstein supplier (dingbro in Scotland) = £12 inc VAT

My advice…. shop around mate, since vx are taking us to the cleaners. Avoid ebay unless you trust the seller….. too many bad experiences to mention.