OEM Parts during lockdown

[oneohtwo 8]

Where does everyone go for their OEM parts now that the dealers have shut for the lockdown? The irony is I've now got more time than ever to work on the corrado, but can't get the parts...!

Obviously got Heritage for good parts, but some bits you want OEM. Online mostly seems to throw up the Autodoc sites and their variations (buycarparts, etc...) - I've got some INA tappets on order from there as couldn't find them on any UK sites but again with the disruption ordering from the UK would seem to be preferable. 

[Keyo 47]

I know heritage is still open. Well was yesterday they have a skeleton crew in the warehouse and the sales people are getting calls directed to their homes. 

[oneohtwo 8]

That's good to know.

Was hoping to get new OEM top mounts and bushes for the suspension - looked like heritage only had powerflex bushes when I first looked, but need to double check the actual parts. Also need to get the yellow, blue, black thermostat sensors - seems like they've got a few but not the blue and yellow.

[Keyo 47]

Think some of the parts your after are obsolete. 

There is VW international as well. Agreed I only buy OE parts from heritage as their aftermarket products seem to be all Crapran (Topran) and JP. Much better if obsolete if you can get Bosch- Lemforder or perhaps Febi, although I do think Febi lives a little off its association to Bilstein and probably not great either. . Murrays Direct on Ebay has some quality parts at a fair price, I use them when they have it in stock and they  also supply a very good delivery service. 

 

Edited March 28, 2020 by Keyo

[oneohtwo 8]

You might be right about being obsolete. Seems more and more like that is the default answer.

Yeah, noticed the rear engine mount I picked from them up was Topran and the gasket set JP. Didn't realise at the time. Hopefully shouldn't matter too much as the rear mount isn't so greatly stressed, and is just a big lump of rubber. Likewise you'd hope a gasket is a gasket...

Will have a look at vw international.

[Keyo 47]

The best thing to do chap  is put the part number on ebay or google  and see what manufactures  come up . I hate Topran because I had an oil cooler fail  after 500 miles use and had to flush out the whole system-  the internal cooler wept oil into the hoses- cured with a Hella cooler from Murrays direct on ebay .  Also I see Heritage sell a JP fuel pump for a  VR for £300 and something which is the incorrect bar and also more than a stock VDO pump- I don't take anything for granted they offer or say and have a few run ins and told the sales person  wrong you can get it- thats is incorrect your not reading the diagram correctly  etc - embarrassing to be honest. 

P,s the owner of VW International if you have an issue can take it personally they are only a small business. 

Edited March 29, 2020 by Keyo

[oneohtwo 8]

That's a concern, I bought an oil cooler from heritage - seem to recall it coming in an unbranded box but will double check.

[seanl82 23]

2 hours ago, Keyo said:

The best thing to do chap  is put the part number on ebay or google  and see what manufactures  come up . I hate Topran because I had an oil cooler fail  after 500 miles use and had to flush out the whole system-  the internal cooler wept oil into the hoses- cured with a Hella cooler from Murrays direct on ebay .  Also I see Heritage sell a JP fuel pump for a  VR for £300 and something which is the incorrect bar and also more than a stock VDO pump- I don't take anything for granted they offer or say and have a few run ins and told the sales person  wrong you can get it- thats is incorrect your not reading the diagram correctly  etc - embarrassing to be honest. 

P,s the owner of VW International if you have an issue can take it personally they are only a small business. 

I concur with the VW international guy. I recently bought a set of drive shaft spacer plates and they're a different shape now (rounded rather than square at the ends), so questioned it. He replied that they most certainly are genuine and have recently changed bit in quite a shirty manner.

[Keyo 47]

54 minutes ago, seanl82 said:

I concur with the VW international guy. I recently bought a set of drive shaft spacer plates and they're a different shape now (rounded rather than square at the ends), so questioned it. He replied that they most certainly are genuine and have recently changed bit in quite a shirty manner.

I wish a dealer would order the classic parts in from Germany as would only take a few days and more professional  I. know from owning an old Mercedes that Poole is there classic dealer and were an absolute pleasure to deal with. 

Edited March 29, 2020 by Keyo

[Keyo 47]

These would be my top pick for rubber strut mounts, Lemforder . 

Murrays direct sell the rear and front lemforder. Great seller. 

Front

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pair-OEM-Lemforder-Front-Top-Mounts-Bearings-VW-Mk3-Golf-Sharan-Corrado-VR6/400838980314?hash=item5d53dd72da:g:oJIAAOSwT6pVwcH5

Rear 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pair-Lemforder-Top-Rear-Suspension-Mount-Full-Kits-VW-Golf-Mk2-Mk3-Vento-Corrado/401629605370?hash=item5d82fd6dfa:g:XEkAAOSwolpb4GMm

 

Edited March 30, 2020 by Keyo

[Keyo 47]

Murrays Direct Hella oil cooler. 

Send the Topran back to heritage mate don't want you to have the stress of seeing oil in your coolant tank then flushing your system out several times. 

 

Hella Oil cooler 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HELLA-OEM-Quality-Oil-Cooler-Seal-for-VW-Mk2-Mk3-GTI-16V-T25-T4-068117021B/124126233739?hash=item1ce680048b:g:eXoAAOSwu1dedxlB

 

Edited March 30, 2020 by Keyo

[oneohtwo 8]

Good knowledge, happy for a recommendations so I'll go with  Lemforder. You're certainly the go to parts man on here it seems! Got the oil cooler ages ago so probably can't return it now - but it was cheap so won't lose much getting the Hella.

Do you have any thoughts on the JP gaskets? Seems hard to get a thin piece of metal wrong... but then, it is the head gasket. They weren't cheap either so I'd be loath to lose out on those.

[Keyo 47]

I will ask Vince at Stealth for you  , it is just a piece of  thin metal but it's the quality ingredients that make up the quality and manufacturing process I imagine. I always try to get Elring then Victor Reinz I think it's called. 

Edited April 1, 2020 by Keyo

[Keyo 47]

OK Vince says as above only uses Reinz or Elring . Think from memory Murray Direct do them off ebay just make sure you check its the correct assignment as I think there is a part number change over for the gasket set depending on year of model . Not 100 percent sure though.  

 

 

 

Edited April 1, 2020 by Keyo

[Keyo 47]

Ok mate told Vince you got a JP gasket and said they are SHITE. Don't do it to yourself ha.  I had a run in with a new JP mas sensor, after changing the fuel pump and having the injectors refurbished it came to light that the new JP sensor was causing a mixture adaptation fault code- all cured by putting the Bosch sensor back on- my fault cheaped out as thought oh JP must be good as branded as a Danish company. Wrong !

Edited April 1, 2020 by Keyo

[oneohtwo 8]

Great stuff mate, thanks! Glad I started this thread now, that's a real help. Hadn't really given them a second glance when bought off heritage, don't think they had listed the manufacturer at the time either. Bit annoying as it wasn't a cheap set either... that's a 100 odd quid down the drain.

Thankfully the other seal set I got from them are Elring. I've never really fancied buying from ebay, (not just parts but anything!)  but actually seems like it might be the better place now...

[Keyo 47]

Heritage love cheap parts with a high markup and people assume its quality because they sort of think it's VW , I really hope a Dealer starts doing business with VW Classics at some point, quicker delivery and in house knowledge. Send it back if possible still in packaging say wrong part or give me credit, you never know mate best of luck.  They shouldn't be selling this junk if good quality parts are available or have a budget or quality option instead of describing all products as TOP QUALITY. . 

 

Edited April 1, 2020 by Keyo

[seanl82 23]

Not all heritage parts are cheap, a lot of them are genuine VW, you just have to check the description. They can order specific parts from VW classics as well which if you're willing to wait up to 3 weeks (their scheduled shipping dates) then you'll save on the postage from Germany. They've also done a lot to get parts NLA remanufactured both by VW and aftermarket, and they're great to deal with and very helpful. Some parts may not be of the highest quality but we suffer with a bit of a lack of options on a lot of things, so it's pot luck where you get parts including eBay. I ordered a set of TREs off eBay (listed as lemforder) and when they arrived they were topran. I sent them back as the seller said the lemforder ones were out of stock. If I couldn't wait I would have paid a premium for substandard parts imo. It's a one stop shop for a lot of Corrado parts, but if you're willing to shop around and make multiple purchases for multiple parts each with their own postage price (don't kid yourself that it's free, it's offset against the item cost) then that's fair enough. 

[oneohtwo 8]

Yeah, I think that's fair. I've bought before from them and have been pretty happy with the quality of item - they sell plenty of higher quality stuff; got the Vibratechnics mount from them, and as mentioned the other gasket set is Elring, plus a few other quality brands and the VW Classics stuff. I guess I did partly fall into the trap of thinking because it was VW Heritage everything from there would be decent quality when I got the headgasket set. I see in fairness they do have the OEM headgasket from VW Classics, I just bought the full set which is JP.

I think what I might do is get a Reinz headgasket from ebay, and use the rest of the gaskets from the set, if I can't return them,  in less critical placesl. Like the inlet manifolds - shouldn't be under such harsh conditions as the head gasket and if they do go wrong it's much less an issue. That way I've not totally wasted the money.

[Keyo 47]

Listers VW Stratford Upon Avon are taking orders and medium postage delivery £5.00 UK . 

 

Lovely lady called Tanya who knew how to work  Etka better then my normal vag parts guy from Johnsons, also gave me 10 percent discount on the whole order- just said I was a mechanic/ diy classic cars. 

 

Listers Stratford Upon Avon call 01789 294477 and ask for parts. 

Edited April 14, 2020 by Keyo

[fendervg 32]

There's nothing like a good ETKA pilot - you need the professionals, and you'll be in safe hands!

[Keyo 47]

On 4/14/2020 at 11:12 AM, fendervg said:

There's nothing like a good ETKA pilot - you need the professionals, and you'll be in safe hands!

She was great mate compared to my normal parts go to , not sure if they use another system then Johnsons, but she was rapid and couldn't do enough to help. They also do the best rates for leasing new VW . Johnsons don't post either and like you to come in and pay/collect, also  tries to slime me by not putting my discount on- will be using Listers S.Avon in the Future. 

Tanya was also telling me that a Corrado owner who uses them a lot went in there for some obsolete clips and her Husband(also works there) was that disgusted that an ebay user was trying to charge £50.00 that her husband did a 3d print for him- now that going the extra mile. 

Edited April 19, 2020 by Keyo

[oneohtwo 8]

Great find there, I was struggling to get hold of the dowel sleeves for the engine block but they came up trumps. Think I'll definitely be using them more often in future, even after the lockdown - as you say my local dealer also doesn't post so you need to take a day off just to pick up parts!

[Keyo 47]

3 minutes ago, oneohtwo said:

Great find there, I was struggling to get hold of the dowel sleeves for the engine block but they came up trumps. Think I'll definitely be using them more often in future, even after the lockdown - as you say my local dealer also doesn't post so you need to take a day off just to pick up parts!

My local dealer is Johnsons and they have a crap rep and do the bare minimum I will be using Listers again as well mate -  Im not leasing at the moment but I know from the past that Listers Stratford Upon Avon do by far the best competitive VW lease in the UK from the dealers , few years back they were doing a new GTI for £160.00 a month from memory. 

[oneohtwo 8]

I'm sending a few parts back to Heritage, including the Topran right rear mount. Have been sourcing replacements, but other than Topran and JP only Ruville and Mapco appear to be available. Both German, and I believe both do OEM parts for various manufacturers so should be decent quality, but wondered if anyone had any experience of either? OEM are obsolete.