Why not to use cheap eBay parts.

[Fu Manchu]

This is a wild ride.
Car won’t run with alternator connected but does with it disconnected.

It is also a good example of how a fault should be found. Randomly changing parts (loading the parts cannon) is no way to resolve issues. Substituting the methods shown with “I checked it using a clothes peg, looking at it and some advice from a sewing group on Facebook” is not going to resolve the issue.

Great diag from this guy every time.

 

[hademall]

This is a wild ride.
Car won’t run with alternator connected but does with it disconnected.

It is also a good example of how a fault should be found. Randomly changing parts (loading the parts cannon) is no way to resolve issues. Substituting the methods shown with “I checked it using a clothes peg, looking at it and some advice from a sewing group on Facebook” is not going to resolve the issue.

Great diag from this guy every time.

I got five minutes into this and started to feel nauseous. Realising I have no idea whatsoever about how modern cars and their electrical systems work, I have resigned myself to going back out in the heat and doing something I know I'm reasonably capable of……Now, where did I leave that garden rake?

 

[Fu Manchu]

I got five minutes into this and started to feel nauseous. Realising I have no idea whatsoever about how modern cars and their electrical systems work, I have resigned myself to going back out in the heat and doing something I know I'm reasonably capable of……Now, where did I leave that garden rake?

… and clothes. The neighbours are complaining.

 

[Immortality]

I remember many years ago we had a problem with the boys Subaru which I eventually diagnosed as a cam sensor issue but wasn't 100% sure so we went to a local Subaru specialist to have it scanned to confirm. When we rocked up and explained the symptoms he said it was either the cam sensor or alternator!? Hooked up the scanner and it spat out the a cam sensor fault but the suggestion it was possibly the alternator had me intrigued to say the least.

Subaru are ******* expensive when it comes to genuine replacement parts.

 

[J_D 2.0]

Subaru are ******* expensive when it comes to genuine replacement parts.

Ex brother in law needed to buy a new PCV valve for his old Impreza RX one time. Was about $250 odd IIRC. Complete rip off for a ball bearing and a spring inside a metal casing.

 

[Skylarking]

I like such videos

Guess the lesson is that a good diagnosis and the correct (overprised?) OEM parts can be more cost effective than using cheap aftermarket parts via a parts cannon repair strategy.

Such is especially the case if/once things go pear shapped and then having to find some other capable technician that can fully diagnose the root cause using a picoscope (and such tools)

 

[Immortality]

The problem is, for Holden's many OEM parts are simply not available any more so we are only left with after market options.

 

[Skylarking]

The problem is, for Holden's many OEM parts are simply not available any more so we are only left with after market options.

That's partly true about newer Holdens but it becomes more true as they get older

Really, I was speaking more generally where relatively new cars still get customer support and parts availability via the manufacturers dealer network. I still think it's best to get good fault diagnosis (almost certainly not dealer service groups) and use known quality oem parts where possible from the get go... anything else can be false economy.

One thing i do fear is that it wouldn't surprise me if dealers pick up their parts stock from inappropriate supply channels so we poor customers end up paying top dollar for what are in essence cheap "fake" parts in factory boxes...

 

[losh1971]

The problem is, for Holden's many OEM parts are simply not available any more so we are only left with after market options.

Yep, especially Gen II stuff. The rubbish out there now. Been a couple of threads of a late on JC with people having issues with AM DFI's. I read somewhere that Holden have now made their gen DFI's obsolete too.

 

[Immortality]

That's partly true about newer Holdens but it becomes more true as they get older

Really, I was speaking more generally where relatively new cars still get customer support and parts availability via the manufacturers dealer network. I still think it's best to get good fault diagnosis (almost certainly not dealer service groups) and use known quality oem parts where possible from the get go... anything else can be false economy.

One thing i do fear is that it wouldn't surprise me if dealers pick up their parts stock from inappropriate supply channels so we poor customers end up paying top dollar for what are in essence cheap "fake" parts in factory boxes...

I believe the statutory requirement is 10 years but is that 10 years from when the model first hit the market or the last one was sold? You might find genuine parts for VE/VF will soon be NLA when existing stocks run out.

I remember many moons ago, the manager at a parts supply outlet was telling me he sells spark plugs to a major Japanese make at $2.50 and then they sell them on in the service centre at $20 a plug.