quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:
It’s paid off so I’ll happily shell out upkeep money to keep it on the road.

At 7.5 years and 80k miles, my truck finally needed new front and rear brakes complete. In 2019 I did not skimp replacing the 6 yr old battery, and I was not starting now.

The shop wanted to use "their" parts but I went the extra mile and supplied OEM ACDelco. Drums, shoes, springs, rotors, pads, clips. No regrets. A part lasts for EIGHT years, why replace it with anything else?

Heck, even the dealership is promoting half-price "Professional-Series" replacement parts.

Next job: Carid took my order for the ACDelco OEM serpentine belt, idler pulley, and tensioner. Awaiting drop shipment from the manufacturer. Even though there are parts at a third of the cost, it is working great at 8 years / 86000 miles, just starting to make a racket (the tensioner). So why mess with aftermarket kits?

If a tensioner blows out on scenic US-191 between Appleton and St Johns, will I really save a nickle with a cheap parts kit?

Can't think of more fun with a 15mm ratchet. Twenty minutes, and it'l be better than new, at half the cost of a shop and their 'kits'.

I have needed to replace control arms on several mid-2010s Subarus, most recently a 2014 Forester. So far it has always been the front bushing, and the left side. Typical:



The front bushing is at the lower center, the rear bushing at upper left, ball joint at upper right. Note the size of the front bushing compared to the rear. This is why the rear bushing failure is unusual. The ball joints are their own brand of "fun" (not) to replace.