Kev_VR6 0 Posted May 23, 2014 Hi guys, just had the dreaded heater matrix disaster whilst the car was in for its MOT! Tried getting a genuine part but they've been obsolete for a while now I believe. So that left me with a choice of Euro Car Parts or GSF... Euro are selling a part manufactured by EIS (£29.46), if anybody is familiar with them..? And GSF offer a standard (own brand) or a Premium brand (manufactured by Hella). Priced £33.00 and £47.64 respectively. I went for the GSF Premium one on the logic that the dearer part would probably be the better product... Just wondered if anybody has had one of these in the past and knows if it's likely to last a while as the last thing I need is to have the car in bits again in another couple of years! Thanks, Kev Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
g0ldf1ng3r 13 Posted May 23, 2014 Hi Kev Im not sure on the GSF ones but i thought the valeo ones were the manf to go for - hopefully someone will confirm Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seanl82 23 Posted May 23, 2014 I got that one from GSF. I thought it was a valeo item, which is why I went there in the first place, but behr/hella are a respectable brand so should be ok. Mines been fitted about a year and no probs so far. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dannyboy 0 Posted May 23, 2014 Hi Kev Im not sure on the GSF ones but i thought the valeo ones were the manf to go for - hopefully someone will confirm Behr is a german refrigerator/cooler system company.either one is good gents. Just stay away from the generic eBay ones Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seanl82 23 Posted May 23, 2014 Behr is a subsidiary of hella. Or the other way round....... Either way, it's marked behr/hella on it! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kev_VR6 0 Posted May 24, 2014 Thanks for the reply guys! it turns out that the Hella ones supplied from GSF are wrong! Although it's listed as a Corrado VR6 Heater Matrix on their website, it's actually for a MK3 Golf! Seems the website is wrong..... The plastic plate that sits behind the bulkhead was on completely the wrong angle, and the matrix itself didn't quite fit into the heater box... Anyway, long story short, I took the old unit to Euro's today and they did a search from the VW part number on it and it's the cheap EIS one that is the correct fit. It is exactly the same part that came out of the car (which has been in about 5 years, with very limited use) minus the part number being stamped on the plastic. It looks identical to the eBay Febi-Bilstein ones that are for sale for £35. Does anyone know if there is an alternative brand available from anywhere else? I'd sooner chuck this one in the bin if there is a better alternative out there for more money. Don't wanna have this again in another few years... Thanks, Kev Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Goldie 2 Posted May 24, 2014 Ive always been advised to go Valeo.. I haven't done the job yet but thats what ill be going for... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jon_vr6 1 Posted May 24, 2014 Search for a valeo one mate part number on my receipt is 812031 the website i originally got mine from dont sell them anymore but that part number was exactly the same valeo one i took out of mine minus the VW stamp Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kev_VR6 0 Posted May 26, 2014 Cheers for the part number John! I'll keep looking around. I've put a pic up of the problem I described above in case anyone else has the same problem in future... The top matrix is the Hella/Behr one from GSF (£47.64) and the bottom one is the EIS one from Euro's (£20). If you look closely at the angle of the plastic plate on the pipes you'll see that they are different. The Hella one will not fit into the heater box without excessive force and the plate is angled wrong to fit against the bulkhead when it is in place inside the heater box. The cheaper EIS one is a good fit and the plate is on the correct angle once fitted into the heater box. Just wish I could find a hella or valeo unit that was the correct fit as this EIS one looks pretty poor quality tbh... [ATTACH=CONFIG]78676[/ATTACH] Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jon_vr6 1 Posted May 26, 2014 What make was the one you took out? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diarmaid16 1 Posted May 26, 2014 Just had a quick google and found this: http://www.bestpartstore.co.uk/1103706 £40 posted Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jon_vr6 1 Posted May 26, 2014 The good thing about the valeo one i got too is it came with all 3 gaskets that were needed Nice find diarmaid16 said youd just have to google the part number Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GusPW 0 Posted May 26, 2014 Just had a quick google and found this: http://www.bestpartstore.co.uk/1103706 £40 posted Turns out to be more like £50 posted, the web page price is misleading, it adds tax and postage at checkout, a customer service box popped up so I pointed out that it was misleading and got offered 3% discount. It's a German company though and I forgot to ask if it was right hand drive version before ordering Anyone know if that part number is specific to right hand drive version? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kev_VR6 0 Posted May 26, 2014 What make was the one you took out? It didn't have a brand on it John, it had a VW part number stamped into one of the pipes though (1H2819031A) but I'm pretty sure it isn't a genuine part. It looks exactly the same as this snide one from Euro's... Just had a quick google and found this: http://www.bestpartstore.co.uk/1103706 £40 posted Thanks diarmaid16 that's spot on! Got it ordered. Will post pic up when it arrives and compare it to this EIS one from Euro's. Hopefully it'll be money well spent... Thanks again for your help guys. Much appreciated! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kev_VR6 0 Posted May 26, 2014 Turns out to be more like £50 posted, the web page price is misleading, it adds tax and postage at checkout, a customer service box popped up so I pointed out that it was misleading and got offered 3% discount. It's a German company though and I forgot to ask if it was right hand drive version before ordering Anyone know if that part number is specific to right hand drive version? Hi Gus. Yeah it is a little misleading, but typical of these online ordering companies. It is definitely the right hand drive part if you've used the part number that ends in 31. The left hand drive part is the same but ends in 30 so you're safe. Cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jon_vr6 1 Posted May 27, 2014 Good stuff as said part number for mine ended 31 so will be correct part Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skintoss 10 Posted May 30, 2014 Cheers for the part number John! I'll keep looking around. I've put a pic up of the problem I described above in case anyone else has the same problem in future... The top matrix is the Hella/Behr one from GSF (£47.64) and the bottom one is the EIS one from Euro's (£20). If you look closely at the angle of the plastic plate on the pipes you'll see that they are different. The Hella one will not fit into the heater box without excessive force and the plate is angled wrong to fit against the bulkhead when it is in place inside the heater box. The cheaper EIS one is a good fit and the plate is on the correct angle once fitted into the heater box. Just wish I could find a hella or valeo unit that was the correct fit as this EIS one looks pretty poor quality tbh... [ATTACH=CONFIG]78676[/ATTACH] They're not LHD vs RHD are they? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VAG-hag 0 Posted December 12, 2015 (edited) To anyone wanting a Valeo one. The best parts link above came up trumps £40 delivered. Edited December 14, 2015 by VAG-hag Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dr_mat 0 Posted December 13, 2015 Thanks for the reply guys! it turns out that the Hella ones supplied from GSF are wrong! Although it's listed as a Corrado VR6 Heater Matrix on their website, it's actually for a MK3 Golf! Seems the website is wrong..... The plastic plate that sits behind the bulkhead was on completely the wrong angle, and the matrix itself didn't quite fit into the heater box... Wish I'd found this thread back when mine went. They sold me the same (wrong) part, but because I didn't get around to even attempting to fit it for so long they now refuse to take it back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dr_mat 0 Posted December 13, 2015 They're not LHD vs RHD are they? No, they have the wrong type of hose fitment inside the engine bay too. It's just the wrong part full stop. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wompa 0 Posted December 13, 2015 I got a Hella unit in my car now. The one before was the original unit! Damn, it had hold up great all these year! But, it fitted like it should, and it works great. Cant see why anything would be better? The only ones that can be called a better unit is the ones with metal flanges so it will never ever crack. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
