Originally Posted by A_User55555
Gates is much better.
Last year when I bought a new upper radiator hose for my old 1999 Deville, I first bought a Dayco hose from AAP. However, that hose felt stiff and seemed as if it was sitting for a while. I returned it and bought a Gates hose from Amazon. MUCH better. It was way more pliable and smelled like rubber. I think the Gates was also made recently.
The top is the Dayco hose and the bottom is the Gates hose. Might be hard to see, but the Gates hose is thicker and "fresh"
I've always liked gates quality much more than the rest. But one thing to remember, Amazon (In my experience) moves a lot of stock! So of course they'd have something that was the most fresh. Most things I get from them are very new. But I still vote for gates.