Lifetime warranty reman auto parts SUCK

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Aftermarket parts strike again; I replaced the clutch master and slave cylinders about this time last year with Oreilly lifetime warranty parts. The slave was 15 bucks; master was about 30. This last week, my clutch was getting spongy/soft when first driven in the morning, which was the same symptoms when I changed them last year. I pulled the dust boot off both cylinders; the master was dry, but fluid poured out the slave.
mad.gif
I bit the bullet and bought an OEM Toyota slave from the dealer. 75 bucks! Hopefully it will go more than a year. Now it's the countdown to when the Oreilly master cylinder fails! I'm gonna order an OEM one online and have it ready.

Lesson learned; at least for parts that are hard to change, buy OEM. I think someone here said lifetime warranty means you spend a lifetime changing the part every year!
 
You're not following the scientific method. You're assuming that the cheaper part is to blame for the early failure. Maybe it was defective. Maybe the OEM part won't last any longer than the cheap part. Wait until you have evidence that the OEM part is superior before you conclude OEM is better. Plus, your sample size is too small to draw any conclusions.

I have two AutoZone starters in my vehicles. Both have lasted longer than the OEM parts. Do I conclude AZ starters are better than OEM?
 
Yeah I've been learning this too, though it was a tough choice for my alternator. $175 for O'Reillys lifetime warranty or $600 for OEM. I went with O'Reillys and have replaced it AGAIN! It's not terribly difficult but it's not something I feel like replacing every few years. Oh well.
 
I had a "lifer" O'Reilly alternator on my '96 Cherokee that lasted two years. There are worse examples out there, but it's not the easiest to R&R. I took the defective alternator back for a different one and the parts man makes an effort to get the replacement off the top shelf and fails. I watch that box hit the floor with a deafening crunch and he mutters the "s" word loud enough for the whole store to hear. Sure enough, the plastic housing on the back side is in about 100 pieces and is unusable. With a smile on his face, he mutters that it got damaged during shipping and handling. Since it's was the only one in the store he refunds the purchase price of my alternator and I walk out with cash in my hand. I don't think I was ever that happy to leave an O'Reilly store.
The replacement Denso works great.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Leo99
You're not following the scientific method. You're assuming that the cheaper part is to blame for the early failure. Maybe it was defective. Maybe the OEM part won't last any longer than the cheap part. Wait until you have evidence that the OEM part is superior before you conclude OEM is better. Plus, your sample size is too small to draw any conclusions.

I have two AutoZone starters in my vehicles. Both have lasted longer than the OEM parts. Do I conclude AZ starters are better than OEM?
Those two were !!!
 
Originally Posted By: Kruse
I had a "lifer" O'Reilly alternator on my '96 Cherokee that lasted two years. There are worse examples out there, but it's not the easiest to R&R. I took the defective alternator back for a different one and the parts man makes an effort to get the replacement off the top shelf and fails. I watch that box hit the floor with a deafening crunch and he mutters the "s" word loud enough for the whole store to hear. Sure enough, the plastic housing on the back side is in about 100 pieces and is unusable. With a smile on his face, he mutters that it got damaged during shipping and handling. Since it's was the only one in the store he refunds the purchase price of my alternator and I walk out with cash in my hand. I don't think I was ever that happy to leave an O'Reilly store.
The replacement Denso works great.

thing of beauty. wish we all could be so lucky.
 
As far as hydraulic parts, I buy new when I can, and rebuilts when I have no choice (stainless sleeved calipers excepted). Hard to imagine $75 for a slave cylinder. I worked on Japanese cars for a 4 year stretch (mainly Toyota)and we got new Beck-Arnley stuff that was the exact same OEM Aisin parts as the dealer sold.
 
Originally Posted By: punisher
As far as hydraulic parts, I buy new when I can, and rebuilts when I have no choice (stainless sleeved calipers excepted). Hard to imagine $75 for a slave cylinder. I worked on Japanese cars for a 4 year stretch (mainly Toyota)and we got new Beck-Arnley stuff that was the exact same OEM Aisin parts as the dealer sold.


We have Bap Geon Auto parts locally that carry in stock Beck-Arnley, but they didn't have a slave. They had the master. The Toyota dealer got it quicker so I went with them even though it was 15 bucks more.

I'm definitely going to check out Beck-Arnley more though if I can get them quick, as, Like you said, they seem to be well sourced/made new and generally Japanese made parts for Japanese made cars.
 
The long running joke with "Lifetime Warranty" reman parts is that you spend your lifetime changing them under warranty
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That kinda part is one I wouldn't buy in a parts store
RockAuto or Amazon would give you a wider choice of brands and prices
 
Oreilly's parent company name is Ozark Distributors.Doesnt make them sound so Irish,more like Jed Clampett-ish... Weeeell Doggy..
 
Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
I have a local rebuilder put bearings & brushes in my starters & alternators-costs far less than a "Hecho in Mexico" rebuild!
+1 Brushes are easy to change yourself. Denso bearings last a long time and have to be really bad before the rebuilders change them. SO, a "rebuilt" Denso can often get just a new, cheap brush/regulator module and some paint. "High output" rebuilds get more attention.
 
Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
I have a local rebuilder put bearings & brushes in my starters & alternators-costs far less than a "Hecho in Mexico" rebuild!


You're very lucky. Rebuilders are going the way of the Dodo bird.
 
With hydraulic parts, like brake or clutch cylinders, you can often just slap new rubber on the original pistons and you're good to go, unless there's scoring of the bores or pistons.
I've had both good and bad luck with aftermarket reman or rebuilt parts.
I've had some parts that worked great and lasted the remaining life of the vehicle I installed them in and I've also had early failures.
My experience with brand new made in Taiwan power window regulator assemblies on some of the Hondas we've owned has not been all that good.
OTOH, I just replaced both sides front with a couple of these for all of a hundred bucks shipped, not too bad.
 
My understanding from years ago is that a remanufactured part like an alternator was taken apart, down to the major casting. All components were checked for size, function and replaced with new if compromised. Bearings and electrical parts like diodes were automatically replaced. A rebuilt part was checked for function and only the defective part was replaced.. It seems today that is description is not followed. I think possibly, dealer remanufactured may be the best. JMO. Ed
 
I'm already saving money by doing the work myself, so I treat myself to the best parts and the best tools if I need any.
 
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