Parts brands - OE Volvo, trusted aftermarket, and bad

[FireFox31]

Which aftermarket parts brands do we trust and which should be avoided? Which brands make the parts that Volvo sells under their brand and is there any difference between theirs and Volvo? Which parts are better bought as Volvo brand instead of any aftermarket?

Please reply with any:
- Information about which companies make specific parts sold under Volvo brand.
- Experiences you've had with brands and parts, good or bad.
- Brands and parts to add.
- Corrections, changes, etc.

I will compile all submitted opinions into the list below.

The following is a list of brands with the categories and parts they make. This list started from browsing FCP for a 2000 V70 so the categorization is theirs. Additional brands and parts have been added based on forum user comments. The raw data in Excel (from the initial list from FCP) is attached, grouped in by brand or by category in separate tabs.

Brands I'm most curious about:
Febi Bilstein, Hutchinson, Lemforder, Meyle, Nissens, Rein
Specifically for gaskets, o rings, seals - Corteco, CRP, Elring, Victor Reinz


Categories by brand:

Aisin:
Cooling System - Water pump

Akebono:
Brake - Pads, rotors

ATE:
OE Volvo, per FireFox31.
Brake - Pads, rotors, fluids, hoses, master cylinder, sensors

Beck Arnley:
Engine - Coils - Avoid. They rebox parts from other, unknown vendors, per erikv11 in 2014.

Beru:
Engine - Spark plugs

Bilstein:
Suspension - Shocks, struts

Bosch:
Air Intake - Switches
Brake - Pads
Engine - Alternator, mass air flow sensor, sensors, spark plugs, starter, valves, voltage regulator
Engine - Coils - OE Volvo, per FireFox31.
Fuel System - Fuel filter, fuel pump
Steering - Power steering pump

Bougicord:
Engine - Spark plug wires

Brembo:
Brake - Rotors

Bremi:
Brake - Sensors

Cardone:
Steering - Rack - Avoid!! Three reports of locking up weeks after install, per abscate.

Centric:
Brake - Calipers
Drivetrain and Axle - Wheel bearing

Continental:
Engine - Belts

Corteco:
Air Intake - Gaskets
Brake - Hoses
Drivetrain and Axle - Seals
Engine - Engine mounts, head gasket, o rings
Engine - Seals - OE Volvo, per scot850
Exhaust - Gaskets
Suspension - Mounts
Transmission - Seals

CRP:
Cooling System - Clamps
Engine - Seals, valves
Fuel System - Clamps, vacuum hose

Delphi:
Fuel System - Fuel pump

Denso:
Engine - Crank sensor
Exhaust - Sensors

ECS Tuning (retailer):
Service kits contain a mix of OE and junk parts, per BlackBart.

Elring:
Air Intake - Gaskets
Cooling System - Gaskets
Engine - Head gasket, seals
Fuel System - O rings

Empi:
Drivetrain and Axle - Axle boots - Avoid! Rubber was terrible and barely lasted 6 months, per scot850.

FAE:
Engine - Cam sensor

FAG:
Drivetrain and Axle - Wheel bearing

Febi Bilstein:
AC and Climate Control - Blower motor
Brake - Parking brake cable
Engine - Head bolts, pulleys
Suspension - Bump stops, control arms, trailing arm links
Suspension - Mounts - Good after two years, per Goupil.

Gates:
Cooling System - Fluid tank caps
Engine - Belts, pulleys
Fuel System - Gas cap

GKN:
Drivetrain and Axle - Axle boots - OE Volvo, per FireFox31.

Glyco:
Engine - Main bearings

Hepu:
Cooling System - Water pump

Hutchinson:
Engine - Engine mounts - Good after two years, per Goupil.

INA:
Engine - Pulleys, tensioners
Suspension - Mounts

IPD:
Service kits may contain inferior parts like URO brand, per scot850.
Suspension - Sway bar and components - Poor quality, per scot850
TCV (Transmission Control Valve?) - Fragile design, per scot850

Jurid:
Brake - Pads, rotors

K&N:
Air Intake - Air filters - Oiled filter may affect thin film MAF, per 454cid.

KaE:
Fuel System - Fuel pump relay - Avoid. Under 12 month life, per abscate.

Koni:
Suspension - Shocks, struts

Lemforder:
Engine - Engine mounts
Steering - Tie rod boot
Suspension - Control arms, mounts, sway bar links

Lesjofors:
Suspension - Springs - Thinner than OE Volvo, per jreed.

Luk:
Transmission - Flywheel bolts (single mass M56) - Might be OE Volvo, per Goupil.

Mahle:
AC and Climate Control - Air filters
Cooling System - Thermostat
Engine - Oil filter
Fuel System - Fuel filter

Mahle Behr:
AC and Climate Control - Blower motor, heater core
Cooling System - Radiator
Engine - Oil cooler

Mann:
AC and Climate Control - Air filters
Engine - Oil filter

Meyle:
Brake - Rotors - Good coating, per 850oldschool.
Engine - Engine mounts
Exterior Body - Washer fluid pump
Steering - Tie rods and boot
Suspension - Control arms, sway bar links, trailing arm bushings

Nissens:
AC and Climate Control - A/C system, heater core
Cooling System - Radiator
Engine - Oil cooler

NSK:
A Japanese manufacturer of similar quality to SKF and INA, per 850oldschool.

Pagid:
Brake - Pads, rotors

Pentosin:
Brake - Brake fluid
Cooling System - Antifreeze
Transmission - ATF

Pierburg:
Air Intake - Air pump, valves
Fuel System - Fuel rail regulator - OE Volvo, per FireFox31.
Transmission - PNP switch, retainers

Pro Parts Sweden:
Only use for non-critical applications, per scot850.
Brake - Hardware
Drivetrain and Axle - Hardware
Engine - Engine mounts, hoses, main bearings
Exhaust - Exhaust manifold, hardware
Exterior Body - Lights
Fuel System - Fuel pump
Interior Body - Relays
Interior Body - Tailgate repair kit - Better than Volvo and includes clips, per scot850.
Suspension - Bump stops, hardware

Rein:
AC and Climate Control - A/C evaporator, o rings
Cooling System - Hoses
Steering - Hoses
Suspension - Subframe mounts

Sachs:
Clutch and Flywheel - Clutch
Suspension - Mounts, shocks, struts

Santech:
AC and Climate Control - O rings, switches

SMI:
Steering - Rack - OE Volvo, per FireFox31.

Stabilus:
Exterior Body - Tailgate strut

Textar:
Brake - Pads, rotors, shoes

TRW:
Brake - Pads, rotors
Steering - Power steering pump, rack, tie rods and boots - OE Volvo, per FireFox31.
Suspension - Control arms, sway bar links

URO:
See URO parts thread with input from URO.
Avoid everything except air guide, per scot850.
Engine - PCV rubber parts - Avoid! Multiple reports of 3-6 month life, per abscate.
Exterior Body - Under-engine air guide - Reasonable quality and price, per scot850.

Vaico:
Engine - Engine mounts, PVC oil trap
Steering - Power steering fluid tank

Valeo:
AC and Climate Control - Heater core
Clutch and Flywheel - Clutch

Victor Reinz:
Air Intake - Gaskets
Cooling System - Gaskets
Engine - Head gaskets, o rings, seals
Exhaust - Gaskets

Zimmermann:
Brake - Rotors

[abscate]

Do we add in the bad boy reports , too?


Cardone steering racks - three reports of locking up weeks after install

URO Pcv rubber parts - multiple reports of 3-6 month life

KaE fuel pump relay - under 12 month life

Aftermarket p80 battery cable - less than 12 month life

[454cid]

I would not want an oiled K&N filter in front of our thin film MAF since they don't clean well (so I've read), I've heard of them messing with hot-wire MAFs, but at least those are readily cleaned.

Thanks for compiling the list. With Volvo there are lots of companies/brands that I have not heard of.

I'd like to suggest Bougicord for spark plug wires.... even though my first box was mislabeled.

[scot850]

Marvelous list but I would like to disagree on a few items, hope you don't mind!

Bosch - Please add MAF

EMPI CV boots - I would never use them!! Rubber was terrible and barely lasted 6 months!!

Corteco - Engine Mounts/brake hoses/suspension mounts? I have never seen them but if they exist are they good?? Engine seals are OE and only ones I use that are not Volvo OE boxed items. Suspension - Volvo or Hutchison. But good to know there may be other options for this stuff as Volvo continue to NLA parts.

Pro-Parts Sweden - Nothing critical! Only thing I have had which was good was the tailgate repair kit for P80 V70. It is actually better than the Volvo kit as that does not include the clips and is x 1/3 the price!!

URO - They make an undertray/air guide for the P80 and is reasonable in quality and price. That is the only thing though! LoL!

I think the time you have taken to make this list for us all is much appreciated. It is helpful for us all and heck, even old guys like me can learn from this!

Many thanks,

Neil.

[FireFox31]

Do we add in the bad boy reports , too?

Yes, please. Reply with any experiences you've had or reports you've heard.

I started this list because it seems there are trusted brands that I've never heard of, like Hutchinson for engine mounts. Then there are brands like Febi Bilstein, Lemforder, Meyle, Nissens, and Rein which make lots of parts but I don't know if they're actually good. Let's get a consensus to help us all make better purchases and avoid part failures.

[abscate]

Made sticky so we can find it easily to fill out.

Destined for links to bothVRD and Major Topics

[Goupil]

I've had a Febi lower engine mount (the one under the timing side) and a Hutchinson gearbox mount for two years, they seemed fine when I took the engine out last month. Cant remember which but I've used a few Febi seals over the years without issues as well.

Oh and my subframe bushings are from Febi as well

I bought Luk flywheel bolts (single mass M56) and they looked a lot like the OEM volvo ones.

[matthew1]

Since we're on the subject, here's the infamous URO parts thread where URO responded, defending its products.

I'm not judging, just reporting. URO, if you'd like to post here again in any capacity, please do.

[454cid]

Since we're on the subject, here's the infamous URO parts thread where URO responded, defending its products.

I'm not judging, just reporting. URO, if you'd like to post here again in any capacity, please do.

I'm not seeing the connection between UroTuning and URO Parts after visiting each website.

[matthew1]

454, you're right. Thanks for your post! I've edited the links to point to the right place.