Amazon vs Advance Auto

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I'm looking to buy Moog front control arms for a 2004 Civic. Amazon price is $52, Advance price is $77 and has a "lifetime warranty". Is the warranty and ability to do a quick exchange in the future worth $25?
 
Originally Posted By: JamesBond
I'm looking to buy Moog front control arms for a 2004 Civic. Amazon price is $52, Advance price is $77 and has a "lifetime warranty". Is the warranty and ability to do a quick exchange in the future worth $25?


Are these lowers control arms? If so, check on RA when I bought Moog was cheaper. I remember even AAP with coupon was still expensive.

Amount of effort involved in replacing them, I would buy quality parts and be done with it.
 
Originally Posted By: maverickfhs
Originally Posted By: JamesBond
I'm looking to buy Moog front control arms for a 2004 Civic. Amazon price is $52, Advance price is $77 and has a "lifetime warranty". Is the warranty and ability to do a quick exchange in the future worth $25?


Are these lowers control arms? If so, check on RA when I bought Moog was cheaper. I remember even AAP with coupon was still expensive.

Amount of effort involved in replacing them, I would buy quality parts and be done with it.


Rockauto will be around $3 less than Amazon, but will have the same warranty/shipping issue vs Advance.
 
Moog has dropped off in quality big time, I just got some Problem solver bushings that I wont even put in the car its a waste of labor, in the trash they go, I wont send them back and pay shipping for $8. Moog is a once top shelf name gone bad.
Their LCA have corrosion issues and poor finish (welds. etc) Look at TRW if they have them for your car, very nice fit and finish and a durable e coat.

ProForge is another Taiwan brand that is very well made. For VW strut mounts I only use the Power Flex Poly, UK made and super quality.
Before anyone accuses me of pushing parts brands I use them and they are good, next month who knows they might make in China or India instead of Taiwan.
 
It depends on how long you're going to keep the car. And also, are the MOOG parts from both places the same part#?
MOOG has two levels of suspension parts. The "R" series and "Problem Solver".
 
Originally Posted By: Char Baby
It depends on how long you're going to keep the car. And also, are the MOOG parts from both places the same part#?
MOOG has two levels of suspension parts. The "R" series and "Problem Solver".


Both are the same part# made in China R series.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Moog has dropped off in quality big time, I just got some Problem solver bushings that I wont even put in the car its a waste of labor, in the trash they go, I wont send them back and pay shipping for $8. Moog is a once top shelf name gone bad.
Their LCA have corrosion issues and poor finish (welds. etc) Look at TRW if they have them for your car, very nice fit and finish and a durable e coat.

ProForge is another Taiwan brand that is very well made. For VW strut mounts I only use the Power Flex Poly, UK made and super quality.
Before anyone accuses me of pushing parts brands I use them and they are good, next month who knows they might make in China or India instead of Taiwan.


Most of the brands available seem like Chinese parts in different boxes. RA has Mevotech and Beck-Arnley but I assume they are no better with an undetermined country of origin.
 
Did you check Altrom at Napa? They were Made in Canada and definitely better than Moog and price wasn't bad either.
 
Originally Posted By: JamesBond
Is the warranty and ability to do a quick exchange in the future worth $25?

Yes.
 
I never buy anything at Advance Auto without using a discount code. I use Retail Me Not to locate current valid codes. https://www.retailmenot.com/view/advanceautoparts.com Your $77 part is only $57 with the current best 25% off coupon code. You do have to buy online though to take advantage of most of the offers but they give the option to pick up in store almost as soon as the online order is complete.
 
Originally Posted By: JamesBond
Originally Posted By: Trav
Moog has dropped off in quality big time, I just got some Problem solver bushings that I wont even put in the car its a waste of labor, in the trash they go, I wont send them back and pay shipping for $8. Moog is a once top shelf name gone bad.
Their LCA have corrosion issues and poor finish (welds. etc) Look at TRW if they have them for your car, very nice fit and finish and a durable e coat.

ProForge is another Taiwan brand that is very well made. For VW strut mounts I only use the Power Flex Poly, UK made and super quality.
Before anyone accuses me of pushing parts brands I use them and they are good, next month who knows they might make in China or India instead of Taiwan.


Most of the brands available seem like Chinese parts in different boxes. RA has Mevotech and Beck-Arnley but I assume they are no better with an undetermined country of origin.


Not true, there is Chinese and Taiwan, generally Taiwan is better quality but all are made to price point. Moog R is the worst along with Mevotech, Uro, Meyle, Flennor and a few others, the Moog problem solvers just judging from the parts I got lately are not much better, I wont use them again if there is any decent alternative or OE.
 
Chassis parts have gone to heck since Spicer became Raybestos and then got dropped by Affinia....
 
Originally Posted By: mclasser
Originally Posted By: JamesBond
Is the warranty and ability to do a quick exchange in the future worth $25?

Yes.


Yes based upon what? Not singling you out per se, just figure you have experience.

I think it comes down to how the warranty is implemented. How much of a hassle is it to call the warranty? Do you have to buy the partand ship the busted part? Is reimbursement guaranteed? At whose discretion?

FCP Euro has a "lifetime" warranty on everything. You rebuy the part, send back the original, and they pay you back. Essentially something like that...

For $25 on a $62 part, you're already over a third of the way there. Depending upon how it works, it may or may not be worth it. Other wild cars is if OP factored in an AAP discount code.
 
Moog only seems to make the cheap R-series control arms for this car. (Their premium control arms' part numbers start with C rather than R, for example, CK12345)

Delphi has some good control arms for your Civic. Part numbers TC1734 and TC1735. They are made in Turkey. They are probably made by Deeza/Disa. That company makes good parts
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: slacktide_bitog
Moog only seems to make the cheap R-series control arms for this car. (Their premium control arms' part numbers start with C rather than R, for example, CK12345)

Delphi has some good control arms for your Civic. Part numbers TC1734 and TC1735. They are made in Turkey. They are probably made by Deeza/Disa. That company makes good parts
smile.gif



The stock photos of the Delphi ones seem similar to the AC Delco (45D3263) ones on rock auto.
 
Originally Posted By: JamesBond
The stock photos of the Delphi ones seem similar to the AC Delco (45D3263) ones on rock auto.


Stock photos of the control arms are going to look the same since they all have to be the same shape, and they're all painted black. It is also possible that the ACDelco ones come from the same supplier.

But if you look it up in a database, they do show up as being made in Turkey. Opticat is one such catalog. Many parts are also listed in eBay's product guides, which may be from Opticat, or possibly another source.

Actually, Disa supplies a LOT of different brands that you are familiar with, and they even make OEM parts for some cars. Almost any chassis part like that (control arm, sway bar link, tie rod) made in Turkey almost certainly comes from the Disa factory in Corlu, Turkey.
 
Why do you need control arms?

The front compliance bushing is the only one that wears out. Get a new one from the dealer and press the bushing in/out. It will save you a lot of headaches compared to installing the aftermarket arms.
 
Originally Posted By: The Critic
Why do you need control arms?

The front compliance bushing is the only one that wears out. Get a new one from the dealer and press the bushing in/out. It will save you a lot of headaches compared to installing the aftermarket arms.


The front bushing is cracked and won't pass inspection. I am in a city and have to do the work on the street, and don't have a press, nor can I really leave the car sitting and disassembled while I try to find a place to press in a bushing. I'd love to use Honda parts but it's not really cost effective on this car. Are all aftermarket parts that bad?
 
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