Aftermarket or Genuine from breakers?

[tapir]

Is there a list on here of aftermarket brands best avoided?

 

I need a new headlight for the astra and can get a pair of new "Depo" light off ebay - anyone bought any of their stuff?

Otherwise I can just get a genuine part in good condition from a breakers,

 

Cheers,

[Shep Shepherd]

I have fitted Depo light units to various cars in the past and The Volvo currently has front indicator/running lights and rear light clusters made by the company. I've been happy with them, as they are decent quality, easily available and are far cheaper than the OE equivalents

[sierraman]

You can't really fuck up with a headlamp. Not like tyres or brake pads.

[tapir]

You can't really fuck up with a headlamp. Not like tyres or brake pads.

your right of course, but it's a hassle if they start yellowing in a matter of weeks!

[panhard65]

I had a cheap new rear lamp off ebay for a scenic and it was incredibly shit. The fit was so bad I had to file the inner edge down to get the tailgate to shut. If you can find used at a sensible price locally so you can inspect them before parting with cash that would be best.

[egg]

I've got depo indicators for the Mondeo, and they seem ok.

[srad34]

your right of course, but it's a hassle if they start yellowing in a matter of weeks!

DEPO stuff is good kwality, you wont go far wrong

[sierraman]

I once bought a pattern elec wing mirror for the focus. It was something daft like £18 delivered. Was fine!

[Vince70]

I made a mistake the other day buying a pattern part window regulator from eBay the original lasted 20 years and the pattern part two days.

There was so much play on the pinion that the window would drop at the front and the metal was half as thick.

Looking at the original it had 3 nice spot welds on it and the pattern part had a couple of loose cheap rivets going through the same part which is causing the window dropping.

 

The thing is I could of repaired the original but thought it would be easier just to change over the part.

So now I have no window and lots of new clips to fix as well as its now been apart 3 times.

So it's genuine decent secondhand for me from now on.

You can see the difference in the picture

[NorfolkNWeigh]

My best* cheap pattern part experience involved an indicator.

I'd bashed the wing on my, at the time , 4 year old Carlton. In 1994 there weren't many in breakers so I got a cheap pattern one, then got a mate in a body shop to paint it for me. The old one came off easy enough, the bending and filing needed to make the new one fit was a pain in the arse but eventually it was on and the gap to the door almost acceptable.

Just the liner to fit, after putting the repeater on, obviously........ Bollocks, there wasn't a hole. I taped the indicator to the inside of the wing, put the plastic liner on and hoped it'd go away. Nobody ever noticed it, not even the MOT tester or most importantly the bloke who bought it 6 months later.

[Hendry]

I'd always go genuine on things like this, however if it's a mk4/5 Astra then chances are the second hand one is already going to be cloudy, misty or faded or yellow already, unfortunately just what old plastic headlight lenses do.

[Richard]

Any transparent Astra headlamp in a breakers will be aftermarket anyway. I would base my choice purely on cost.

[fatharris]

Personally, with cosmetic stuff, I try and go secondhand, otherwise the new item sticks out like a sore thumb. Secondhand part looks slightly more aged and blends in better.

 

Plus, I'm tight as balls.

[Guest Hooli]

Used, at least the buggers fit.

[rml2345]

If it's a plastic lens then secondhand ones will almost always be just as fucked so you're as well buying new if you can. Other than that it depends on urgency/safety/cost etc. Whether good used is better than new. For trim items it's almost always used purely due to availability.

[Split_Pin]

Depo are 100% fine, popular with VX modders.

[fordperv]

when i worked selling parts i never had a complaint from a customer i supplied depo lights to

[barefoot]

All reproduction parts for VW T2 are shit.

[lisbon_road]

Secondhand for me.  Also saves waste and helps the breakers who need our support to survive as they are so useful to us.

 

That's my thought!

[scaryoldcortina]

I've fitted a few Depo brand headlights to cars with cataracts because of headlamp MoT fails, they are pretty good and always seem to fit and work well.

[Richard]

Loads of people fit expensive new parts to cars just before they scrap them, I managed to get a clear headlight for the Punto for a tenner. IIRC even a knock-off new one was getting on for three figures so it was definitely worthwhile. Obviously for a cheaper new headlight you would have to weigh up the cost versus hassle although, as somebody else pointed out above, at least with a scrapyard part you can see whether it fits the car.

[brickwall]

Britpart windae wipers. Lasted one return jounrney