Anyone use these guys for parts?

[Super_Dave]

AM Autoparts ( http://www.am-autoparts.com/ ) They have really good prices on some parts I need, and free shipping to boot!

I have never heard of them before, but the wife's Camry needs new struts all around. Since I do not have the necessary equipment to compress the springs, I looked into the "Quick Struts" that have a new coil spring included in a ready to install package... just need some wrenches and my impact wrench. A lot of places sell the complete assembly for $600-$700 plus shipping. I can get all four from AM Autoparts for $267 and free shipping. 1A Auto has the same set for $296.

The wife also broke her door latch and bezel (she's rough on vehicles... I could tell stories...) Most places want $20+ for the latch and $8+ for the bezel and then shipping. AM wants $13.70 for the whole setup and free shipping...

So... I was hoping some of you guys and gals have used these guys before and can attest one way or the other about their product quality and service. They have a lot of stuff for Chevy Trucks.

[cableguy0]

There are some really crappy complete struts floating around. The struts or mounts usually fail quickly on the cheap stuff. You get what you pay for. The thing that scares me about that site is they don't even mention a brand name of their parts. You cannot compare prices without knowing what brand the parts are. Check rockauto at least they tell you the brand. Kyb isn't cheap but their stuff lasts.

[Super_Dave]

Yeah, I am concerned about that. They offer a 10 year warranty, but what's that worth?

[Super_Dave]

I am going to call AM Autoparts in the morning. I want to nail down the manufacturer and 10 year warranty and why their prices are 70% less than Monroe or KYB... I don't want to spend $375 more if I don't have to, but I also don't want the hassle of replacing crappy struts multiple times even with a 10 year warranty... If these are really "disposable" struts, then I would be using my 10 year warranty several times a year based on some of the horror stories out there... Let you know what I find out.

[cableguy0]

This is what I do for a living. Had a ball joint fail in 2 days last week. Chinese garbage in name brand boxes. Literally 2 days and the ball joint was loose to the point it was dangerous. Customer brought the car back because of the banging noise from the ball joint. Didn't hit anything, nothing bad happened to the car. Some of the cheaper complete struts are noisy right out of the box. Some are fine. The warranty is fine and great but the shipping back and forth will make it instantly not worth it. By the time you pay to ship it back and then pay for shipping from them its probably cheaper to just buy good stuff in the first place.

[Super_Dave]

The 1A Auto Parts people look real reputable and their prices are low for the "generic" and they do sell brand name. RipOff Reports has no reports for 1A Auto but there is one for AM Autoparts... so I am taking the position that the "As of April of 2014 our parts come with a 10 year warranty" as chum in the water to get people to bite.

1A Auto, though, seems to be reputable, has a great reputation online and at least deserves a phone call about their parts quality.

Rock Auto has the going rate for retail prices, then kicks you in the nutsack with (2) struts from column B shipping for $38 and (2) struts from column A shipping for $14. With KYB's $40 rebate, they still net out at $529.

Amazon's KYB's come in at $20 more than Rock Auto, free shipping and a $40 MFG Rebate, netting a price of $498.

So, unless 1A can sell me on their import quality for $295 on a full set, it looks like Amazon is the best deal.

Oh, and summit... not even in the same universe, even with free shipping.

[ka_jd7and1]

Don't know what you have around you, but the parts stores here have strut spring compressors in the loan-a-tool section if you need them for a weekend.

[rcrahn]

My son just installed front Monroe Quick-Struts on his 2009 Mazda 3 that has 220,000 miles. Got them from Rock Auto. Install was straight forward. Yep, he drives it a ton for his work and it's still going strong.

I suggest only buying name brand parts. It's the wife's car after all....Nuff said.

[cableguy0]

Originally Posted by ka_jd7and1

Don't know what you have around you, but the parts stores here have strut spring compressors in the loan-a-tool section if you need them for a weekend.

Strut springs are nothing like the springs on an old car. Strut springs are sagged by the time the strut is worn out and should be replaced. The issue previously was it was just too expensive to buy the mounts, struts, springs and hardware all separate. As with everything else you get what you pay for and its usually cheaper to spend more in the first place.

[Super_Dave]

I talked to 1A and they claimed that their "house brand", with a 10 year guaranty, has never had a return. They have a credible online reputation and no complaints on the usual websites, something they are quite proud of and advertise... so, I bought a set.

If it becomes a bad decision, I will definitely be talking to the brothers who own the company and letting them know that I will be the first to file complaints and do a return for a refund.

[95 S_Trucker]

I have bought tons of lights and mirrors from 1a. I have not bought any steering/suspension parts. But they do have good prices, and they ship their stuff out fast.

[Super_Dave]

95 S_Trucker - Thanks for the info. I am hopeful that they are as good with these strut assemblies as they are with everything else. As I said before, they really have worked hard at building a reputation online, so you would think they wouldn't do something stupid like bring in import products that will fail prematurely, make customers mad, cause multiple returns and ultimately ruin the reputation they worked so hard to build... at least that's what I am banking on.

[LockDoc]

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I bought new headlight assy's for my wife's 2001 Jeep from AM about a year ago. No problems so far.

LockDoc

[Super_Dave]

We got the front struts and installed them. Rids real nice now. Wife said she probably wouldn't know the difference... nothing surprising there.

1A split the order into two shipment and didn't let me know about it... so shot off an after-hours e-mail complaint. Remaining struts should be here tomorrow.

Manufacturers recommend getting an alignment and her car does track to the right and the steering wheel is off-center... so that will get done real soon before she scrubs the tread completely off the front tires.

This girl is really rough on cars... front brakes last barely over a year... rotors needing turned or replaced. Every stop is a stabbing emergency situation... she just can't get the hang of taking her foot off the go peddle when approaching a stop.

And brake lights... well let me tell you, any sign of a brake light causes a grand mal seizure emergency stop. So, about every 12-18 months we rebuild the entire front brakes.

Being her passenger is no fun. I keep a supply of Quaaludes in the glove box, recline the seat and wait for the sound of screeching brakes and crunching sheet metal. Getting home in one piece is cause for getting out of the car and kiss the ground repeatedly.

[JHT67]

Originally Posted by Super_Dave

And brake lights... well let me tell you, any sign of a brake light causes a grand mal seizure emergency stop. So, about every 12-18 months we rebuild the entire front brakes.

I don't know if I was supposed to but that just cracked me up.