Thread: Air strut questions

OEM doesn’t mean “same as Genuine”.
All it means is made by an OE supplier.

Where LR may have a high QA/QC on pets supplied, the tolerances etc on the same aftermarket offering may be simply all the units the “didn’t meet LR spec”.

Some OEM parts are even found to be the old part, not the current revised versions where improvements may have been made.

Simply using a lower quality oil and seals for non-geniune versions can make a big difference, let alone if the vehicle manufacturer has restricted the use of the valving for which they paid to be developed.

Originally Posted by Tombie

OEM doesn’t mean “same as Genuine”.
All it means is made by an OE supplier.

Where LR may have a high QA/QC on pets supplied, the tolerances etc on the same aftermarket offering may be simply all the units the “didn’t meet LR spec”.

Some OEM parts are even found to be the old part, not the current revised versions where improvements may have been made.

These aren't even stated as Original Equipment Manufacturer - the actual brand of the strut is "OEM" which gives me even less faith that they will be a quality product. But the guy at TRSpares said thats all they use, and they seem to have a good reputation. That, combined with the fact i need them before the weekend, means I was eilling to take a punt on them.

I may be looking for genuine shocks in a month or 2...

Originally Posted by Disco-tastic

Yeah. The hissing stops once the car has lowered partway, and the height stabilises. I figured it was the bag folding on itself. I jacked the car up off the chassis and as the wheel drooped the hissing started up again. Sticking my hand at the base of the bag i could feel the air coming out.

The car still drives short distances without throwing an error but after about 6mins the compressor starts to get hot and it throws a code.

I've also gotta get a license for my IID tool now too...

I had almost the exact same issue on the front right on my D3 about a year into ownership.

I'm in the market for 4 replacement struts for my MY12 hse D4, 195k on the clock. Just replaced LCAs for second time, front drop pins, sway arm bushes and rear radius arm bushes. Also looking at the lower steering slip shaft donut top determine if it's end of life.

Regarding struts it's a big number for 4 genuine LR struts plus fitting (although I can fit myself) versus quality OEM. I'm trying to convince myself one way or another of the value of genuine over OEM.

I’d suggest if you were happy with the ride then stick with what you know.

The expense is high but the kilometre/$ isn’t a bad thing to have the ride quality.

Originally Posted by BushDisco

Regarding struts it's a big number for 4 genuine LR struts plus fitting (although I can fit myself) versus quality OEM. I'm trying to convince myself one way or another of the value of genuine over OEM.

I suggest that you get a quote including freight from Duckworths.

Thanks Graeme, Toombie. I'll be getting quotes for both before moving forward. I agree on the arguement of genuine, and yes $/km is a persuasive arguement. But if OEM is 90% as good for half the price then that's a big chunk of cash I can spend elsewhere or not at all.

Then there's the decision on how long I keep a vehicle that is now nearly 8 years old with close to 200k. It's a great vehicle and realistically I can't think of a vehicle better suited to my lifestyle and needs, but at what point does it become a money pit? I always over service and have as a result not had a breakdown in over 15 years, but cars are getting more complex and more costly to maintain and to fix.

Sorry, starting to meander. For cheaper parts it would be genuine every time, but...