What happened to OEM?

[Matthews 855 T5]

Hello

Looking to buy lower control arms for a 2007 xc90. The adverts I see don’t state OEM so I’m not sure on quality. After market is flooded with cheap lookalike parts. I’ve used Partsforvolvo online before but can’t see the magic ‘oem’ anywhere.

What makes/suppliers do you recommend?
Thank you.
Matt

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Matthews 855 T5

Hello

Looking to buy lower control arms for a 2007 xc90. The adverts I see don’t state OEM so I’m not sure on quality. After market is flooded with cheap lookalike parts. I’ve used Partsforvolvo online before but can’t see the magic ‘oem’ anywhere.

What makes/suppliers do you recommend?
Thank you.
Matt

you wont get the same volvo quality parts with OEM on the box. You can only get those from volvo. Using the word "OEM" is the biggest advertising scam going in recent years as far as Volvo goes anyway ... If you cant see the word OEM now perhaps the sales regulations have changed for the good.

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by Matthews 855 T5

Hello

Looking to buy lower control arms for a 2007 xc90. The adverts I see don’t state OEM so I’m not sure on quality. After market is flooded with cheap lookalike parts. I’ve used Partsforvolvo online before but can’t see the magic ‘oem’ anywhere.

What makes/suppliers do you recommend?
Thank you.
Matt

Genuine Volvo arms are probably the best, but they're very expensive.

If looking aftermarket, try Lemforder or Meyle heavy duty. Pretty sure its Lemforder that manufacture the control arms for Volvo anyway, but you'll get them cheaper than buying them from Volvo.

As for suppliers, I got mine from Motor Parts Direct (Meyle HD).

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Kev0607

Genuine Volvo arms are probably the best, but they're very expensive.

If looking aftermarket, try Lemforder or Meyle heavy duty. Pretty sure its Lemforder that manufacture the control arms for Volvo anyway, but you'll get them cheaper than buying them from Volvo.

As for suppliers, I got mine from Motor Parts Direct (Meyle HD).

I cant vouch for Lemforder but generally non genuine parts are never the same ( as good ) as genuine volvo as Volvo have their own ( better ) specifications which they demand from the makers whether it is Lemforder or anyone else. That's why they are not cheap... and that practice goes way back to the 1970's and before...

[Tannaton]

OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer. I meant something once, but in recent years it means someone who makes tyre valve dust caps for a Dacia Duster will also make their own incarnation of a wheel bearing for a XC90 and sell it as "OEM" or "OEM quality".

Most reputable makes don't need to make this claim (e.g. SKF for bearings, Bosch for electrics) so it's use now more often that not means the parts are sh1te. i.e. wheel bearings and ball joints that last 10k-15k miles.

Whilst some manufacturers (VW, Ford) have parts channels (Motorcraft etc.) the only way in 98% of cases to buy Volvo OEM is in a box with Volvo written on it from their supply network. I say 98% - the only 2 exceptions I know of are INA alternator pulleys and MANN filters.

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by Kev0607

Genuine Volvo arms are probably the best, but they're very expensive.

If looking aftermarket, try Lemforder or Meyle heavy duty. Pretty sure its Lemforder that manufacture the control arms for Volvo anyway, but you'll get them cheaper than buying them from Volvo.

As for suppliers, I got mine from Motor Parts Direct (Meyle HD).

You can get a set of bushes for £140 (genuine Volvo) and they're a doddle to change of you have access to a press.

On the original arms, the bushes are marked "Volvo" so they are made to a spec you cannot get any other way.

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by Tannaton

You can get a set of bushes for £140 (genuine Volvo) and they're a doddle to change of you have access to a press.

On the original arms, the bushes are marked "Volvo" so they are made to a spec you cannot get any other way.

No access to a press unfortunately and the garage said I was just better off buying two new arms for the V70, as I'd have to pay the labour for them to press the bushings out and press the new ones in. By the time you do that, you may as well buy new control arms. Garages like speed and ease I guess.

I'm not sure if Volvo sell the control arm bushings and balljoints individually for my car (S80). They may do for the XC90. Not 100% sure.

Originally Posted by Clan

I cant vouch for Lemforder but generally non genuine parts are never the same ( as good ) as genuine volvo as Volvo have their own ( better ) specifications which they demand from the makers whether it is Lemforder or anyone else. That's why they are not cheap... and that practice goes way back to the 1970's and before...

That may be true... I'm not sure though. Volvo arms are very good quality, but at nearly £200 each on a 17 year old car, plus the labour to fit them... its costly. People try to save where they can. Can't say I blame them.

[YorkshireDave]

Originally Posted by Clan

I cant vouch for Lemforder but generally non genuine parts are never the same ( as good ) as genuine volvo as Volvo have their own ( better ) specifications which they demand from the makers whether it is Lemforder or anyone else. That's why they are not cheap... and that practice goes way back to the 1970's and before...

Thing is Clan, Volvo actually manufacture almost nothing. They design around what's available & buy in, as any business would. If you are sensible, and do your due diligence, which can be a real pain, you can indeed buy from the same sources, the same (consumable) products as they are almost always used on other vehicles.

Without doubt there is an element of risk. However, the flip side is that it's possible to buy the same quality but at huge savings. Whilst typing this it occurs to me that perhaps it may be possible to open a dedicated thread so that people can contribute their 'findings' in this regard?

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by YorkshireDave

Thing is Clan, Volvo actually manufacture almost nothing. They design around what's available & buy in, as any business would. If you are sensible, and do your due diligence, which can be a real pain, you can indeed buy from the same sources, the same (consumable) products as they are almost always used on other vehicles.

Without doubt there is an element of risk. However, the flip side is that it's possible to buy the same quality but at huge savings. Whilst typing this it occurs to me that perhaps it may be possible to open a dedicated thread so that people can contribute their 'findings' in this regard?

I agree.

I do not for one minute believe that Volvo "genuine" parts, which are made by another company are better quality than the ones that you can buy aftermarket made by the same company. For example, Volvo use Sachs shock absorbers. When I fitted a set of "genuine" shocks, they had Sachs stamps on them... fair enough, Volvo don't make shocks. However, I do not believe that they were any different to the ones that I could have got off Euro Car Parts stamped Sachs at a fraction of the price Volvo were charging. They look identical to me and likely are.

If genuine parts really are better quality, that would mean parts manufacturers would have to make the same parts and differentiate quality standards for different manufacturers. So a Mercedes shock would have to be better quality than say whoever manufactured it in the first place because its a Mercedes... That simply isn't realistic. The parts manufacturer's make the parts (not the car brand) and supply them to the car brands across the world. There's no difference in quality between a Sachs shock bought from Euro Car Parts than a Sachs shock bought from the main dealer. Its the same part made by the same company. If they were to make parts with different levels of quality to suit individual manufacturers, it would cost an absolute fortune with extra staff, storage faculties and so on.

This is why you can find so many parts that fit different cars. Some Ford parts fit Volvo for example. If I went to Ford and bought a part for my Volvo, that part isn't any different to the one I buy in Volvo. Its likely made by the same company anyway.

[seandodwell]

Originally Posted by Matthews 855 T5

Hello

Looking to buy lower control arms for a 2007 xc90. The adverts I see don’t state OEM so I’m not sure on quality. After market is flooded with cheap lookalike parts. I’ve used Partsforvolvo online before but can’t see the magic ‘oem’ anywhere.

What makes/suppliers do you recommend?
Thank you.
Matt

Matt I have a pair of old arms if you want to press in new Volvo bushes? Can't recall if they are Volvo but they're bloody solid and in good nick apart from the bushes.

Part nos for the bushes are

1. Front 31277881
2. Rear 31304040

left and right are interchangeable.

you could get a friendly local garage to press them in for a few quid.

£30.00 the pair collected.?

just a thought...?