PRO-Parts Sweden - Any good?

Post by **scot850** » 14 Apr 2015, 16:02

More and more web-sites offer this companies parts for Volvos. Are their parts any good or are they up there with APA/URO and Scan-Tech?

Thanks,

Neil.

Post by **misha** » 14 Apr 2015, 17:09

I would avoid every suspicious aftermarket brand which i never heard about.There are a lots of great, well known & reputable aftermarket brands on the market you can trust.

Post by **erikv11** » 14 Apr 2015, 17:09

Over the last three years or so there has been a lot of speculation that ST and PPS are the same company. Based on the timing of ST's sale by Dorman, when PPS showed up, the fact that some vendors price their parts the same, and the similarity in quality - most parts are lousy from both ST and PPS.

Post by **mecheng** » 14 Apr 2015, 20:53

I bought PPS tie rod boot, it was made in Sweden and very high quality.

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 14 Apr 2015, 21:37

I had the same suspicion that PPS was simply a re-branded Scan Tech but after some research it appears that they are not. They have an incredibly deep catalog which is surprising for a new name. That too makes me suspicious.

I have bought a few non essential items with their brand on the package and they worked OK but that isn't a testament to their quality by any means. I can't remember exactly what parts they were but they may have been exhaust related, perhaps the clamps for the flange between the two sections of the exhaust.

...Lee

Post by **cn90** » 14 Apr 2015, 23:24

I just did a quick google search using keyword "pro-part sweden".

I had some fun reading.

My instinct tells me to pony up and pay for parts made by well-known brands such as Lemforder, Wahler, Bosch, NGK, Conti, Cortico etc. etc. My decision using these well-known brands is based on the fact that:

- I have very limited between work, family (kids soccer games etc.), so my time is premium, i.e., I can't afford to do any work twice because of premature parts failure let's say within 5K-10K miles etc.

- These parts fit much better, just install and done.

- I don't have the aggravation of returning bad parts even on warranty.

- Some parts are critical (i.e. Timing Belt), for these I use only Conti or Volvo OEM kit; surprisingly the Volvo OEM TB kit is cheaper than Conti kit.

- I pay more but on the long run, I save money because the quality parts last more ---> I am eternally happier.

Post by **mecheng** » 15 Apr 2015, 06:32

cn90 wrote:I just did a quick google search using keyword "pro-part sweden".

I had some fun reading.

My instinct tells me to pony up and pay for parts made by well-known brands such as Lemforder, Wahler, Bosch, NGK, Conti, Cortico etc. etc. My decision using these well-known brands is based on the fact that:

- I have very limited between work, family (kids soccer games etc.), so my time is premium, i.e., I can't afford to do any work twice because of premature parts failure let's say within 5K-10K miles etc.

- These parts fit much better, just install and done.

- I don't have the aggravation of returning bad parts even on warranty.

- Some parts are critical (i.e. Timing Belt), for these I use only Conti or Volvo OEM kit; surprisingly the Volvo OEM TB kit is cheaper than Conti kit.

- I pay more but on the long run, I save money because the quality parts last more ---> I am eternally happier.

I fully agree but for certain non cricital items, I could only get PPS and I was pleasantly surprised.
I forgot to mention, I also purchase Prof Parts Sweden rear parking brake shoes and they were very high quality. Good protective coating on the steel and they were Made in Italy.

The only other option was Volvo OEM, but at over x2 the cost and it is a parking break shoe. I wouldn't be surprised if the Volvo OEM was Made in China now.

I would defend PPS to say that they are decent and sometimes they are the only after market support like also in the case of my tie rod boot. I couldn't find any other company that makes the boot but that is okay because it was very high quality thick rubber.

Post by **misha** » 15 Apr 2015, 16:56

cn90 wrote:...- I pay more but on the long run, I save money because the quality parts last more ---> I am eternally happier.

Me too!

Post by **misha** » 15 Apr 2015, 17:01

mecheng wrote:...I couldn't find any other company that makes the boot but that is okay because it was very high quality thick rubber.

Gkn Lobro,Metelli...their boots are premium quality,oem and pretty cheap.They come as a kit...new clamps,nut,grease & boot.

Ooops....i thought that you were talking about cv joint boot.

Post by **scot850** » 15 Apr 2015, 17:05

I have e-mailed my brother who lives in Sweden and many years ago was a Mercedes trained mechanic before injuring his back. I know his son runs a V40 (2000-4 model) and he has done some work on it. He may have heard of them.

I think it is like most things, if you can afford the OE part and you know it should be good. I also don't like doing work twice over (or in the case of the IPD anti-sway-bar, 4 X and it still groans). There are times I will use the OEM part even over Volvo, for example Bosch, especially when they are at least half the OE price. Even Scan-tech used to be the only one who made the tailgate panel repair kit. I'm pretty sure that was were Volvo also got it.

So perhaps Pro Parts has a place, when the part is not available elsewhere or maybe if folks use there stuff they can feed back to the quality and longevity of the parts.

Interesting inputs, and if I hear anything back from my brother, I'll add his input.

Neil.