TOY89

Hey guys i just replaced my radiator,thermostat, and radiator cap and all three were aftermarket parts. Truck runs great and all is well but it started to get me thinking, as parts need to get replaced with time, are you guys comfortable in purchasing and installing after market parts on your yota? Is my toy a little less "genuine" because aftermarket parts are in my engine bay|?? Im just wondering what my fellow Yotatec'ers thoughts are on this topic. Take care guys. - Erik

85TurboRunner

I use whatever is cheapest at the parts store and have had good luck. Some folks are all about the OEM stuff and if they want to spend the extra money thats fine.

Some stuff you can only get at the dealership but anything else I don't bother.

snobdds

I have learned this lesson long ago and it has served me well. Aftermarket parts work, but they don't last as long or fit as well as OEM parts. Most OEM parts on my truck have lasted for 200,000+ miles. Why not go with them again for another 200,000 miles?

Going with OEM parts have actually saved me money over the years because I don't have to always go back in and replace things every 2 years. I often find myself asking my truck to break down so I can fix something. OEM parts last, plain and simple.

MudHippy

There are very few parts on my truck that I would insist must be replaced with OEM. Out of the 3 you listed, there's maybe 2. The thermostat for certain, and I'm pretty sure the radiator. I've only seen a few radiators that even looked like they might work as good as OEM. Another one that I'd only want an OEM replacement for would be the water pump. But just about everything else cooling sytem related like hoses, clamps, coolant, thermostat seals, radiator caps, drain petcocks, etc. are all the same IMO.


OEM is always a good option. But I can hardly ever justify paying for it unless I have to. There are usually cheaper ways to get the same results. And whenever I can, that's what I do.