I have no experience with the brand, are they any good? I ordered a TRW ball joint from FCP Groton a few days ago (I specified this in the "Comments" field of the online order form) and, of course, I got a Meyle brand with "Germany" stamped all over the box and a wee little "Made in Turkey" sticker.

I'm so sick of sending back the wrong parts, unless someone on here says it's garbage I'll probably go ahead and use it. I'm about half tempted these days to order nothing but OE Volvo parts because at least then you're not taking your chances throwing your money away on crap.

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Sean Corron

I think it's like rolling the dice with any parts today name brand or not. Meyle was a OE brand for some of Volvo parts in the past but that does not mean anything anymore. The last set of TRW/Moog ball joints I bought, one was made in Germany one Spain. You gotta hope TRW is specifying their parts for quality and reputation. Even with Volvo brand parts you don't know where they are coming from.
Dan

hello all
i personally am done with aftermarket parts and use oem volvo parts 99% of the time.
i been getting my new 940T up to snuff with oem volvo parts.
seems many of the original parts lasted 12 yrs so when i replace the parts i want them to last.
if you do the math the oem volvo parts are actually cheaper than aftermarket most of the time because they last longer.
i will use volvo parts from the JY, like a alternator someone just paid volvo 400 bucks for and i pay 14.99$ radiators for 30.00$ (many are date coded)
volvo remaned starters 12.99$. headlights, taillights. stuff like this.
i have been using tasca volvo (http://www.getvolvoparts.com/) they have some very low prices on oem, sometimes half that of west palm beach, volvo.
i order from them over the phone and tell anthony you found the prices on the internet. (cant hurt to try) reasonable shipping also.
i dont know if i used meyle, but i did use a ball joint that lasted 3 months.
good luck sean
take it slow
mike
less time under car = good
85 244 turbo
95 944 turbo

Meyle? When I needed a tie rod, I examined two different TRW versions from two different sources and a Meyle from a third source. The better of the two TRW rods was excellent in finish and apparent quality. The Meyle and the lower-quality TRW were, to my eye, obviously inferior. The tie rod of choice came from Swedish Engineering.

You'll find that the aftermarket parts world is, at best, confusing. I mean, what's the deal? TRW is Moog. Moog goes by the name Lucas, too. Two tie rods by TRW/Moog/Lucas for the same application of two different quality levels? I've bought timing belts from Germany that were made in Mexico. A professional mechanic told me, when I asked him about this, that you can't be sure what you're going to get until you open the box. It's crazy. What I decided to do is stay away from the really cheap stuff and ask for the quality version of everything. I stay away from ScanTech, if possible, especially their rubber stuff. Although, when I bought Sachs Advantage struts, which are nice quality, they came with a ScanTech piece of tape on the box.?.? I've had cheap aftermarket flame trap housings crack and fall apart in a year, only to be replaced by a Volvo junkyard piece still flexible and uncracked after spending probably years on the donor car. I might go cheap if the part is not safety related and is very easy to access and replace, but, even in those cases I generally go with good stuff. I'm putting in all the labor and working meticulously to get it right. Why stick in some cheap-*** part that I'll have to replace three times sooner than I should?

Also, the price of the part is not necessarily related to quality. I've bought the exact same parts from IPD and FCP at radically different prices. People develop their own favorite places to shop. FCP, IPD, and Swedish Engineering have all treated me very well and sold me good parts. The Volvo dealer will have really good parts at a high price and, if you are lucky, a nice helpful parts guy who cares about older Volvos. Others Bricksters will give you their own experiences and favorites.

BTW, the four little bolts that hold the ball joint to the strut housing should be replaced not reused. I'd go Volvo on those.







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Thanks for all the help. DougC 1981 242, Turbo bars and wheels, M46 ----------- 1993 245, B230 NA L-Block, M46, Turbo bars.

Although, when I bought Sachs Advantage struts, which are nice quality, they came with a ScanTech piece of tape on the box.?.?

Hi Doug,

I believe ScanTech is an outfit that buys and boxes parts. I believe they don't manufacture them. I've learned no retailer does QC on the parts they sell, although Volvo must have qualification and incoming inspection before they put them into their blue boxes. So, when not buying from Volvo, it is up to us to know parts, and brand is only one means and not that reliable either.

It is good we can critique the parts ourselves and write about what we find, but if we want to trust that to a particular vendor, Volvo would be the only one.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

Experience with Age: When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you're down there.

Good post, Doug, thanks! FCP has been good to me and I know that if I called up and said something Nick would bend over backwards to make me happy. But having to do that is the annoying part. No, waiting another week to put on this last piece of the front suspension wear items before I get it aligned and call it done is the annoying part.

I'll probably just go ahead and install the Meyle. Worst I expect is that in a year or two I have to do it right and find a TRW/Moog ball joint. Only takes about half an hour to an hour to swap a ball joint so it's not a huge deal, I've lifted the front of the car a couple times a week for months now, it's getting routine.

Best case is that the Meyle lasts as long as the MOOG balljoint on the other side and I can recommend the brand in the future. And either way I'll be able to say that I do have experience with Meyle parts.
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Sean Corron

Hi Sean,

I bought a half dozen of each side several years ago after being caught twice without stock. I check ball joints, now, during any work where the wheel is off, so since then I've replaced several old ones with Meyle brand, but not had any I've changed come up defective. Just now I checked one of the boxes, broke the seal and looked inside, but could not find any reference to Turkey. However someone - it may be the warehouse - puts their inventory label over the manufacturer's label, and it doesn't peel up nicely.

Anyway, I'll continue to use up the Meyle stock, and always remember to check under the grease seal to be sure they didn't forget the lubricant.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day." -Frank Sinatra

That's what I wanted to hear, Thanks Art!

I guess it's possible that the "Made in Turkey" sticker got stuck on in the storage rooom shuffle, but it doesn't look torn up so I'm guessing it's legit.

I don't have anything against Turkey - quite the contrary, I took Psych 201 with an extremely hot girl from Turkey ;) - but when a part "from Germany" was made in Turkey, then I've got an issue with cost-cutting out-sourcing aftermarket companies.

I'll try it out, hope for the best, and order from someone other than FCP Groton when I care about the brand.
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Sean Corron

When it was made in Germany it was very likely to be made by Turkish workers. What gets my attention, is not so much which country something is made in, but the possibility production just moved from one plant to another. Quality always has this inverted bathtub curve plotted along the lifecycle of a manufacturing facility.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

If you have a lot of tension and you get a headache, do what it says on the aspirin bottle: "Take two Aspirin" and "Keep away from children"

I occasionally used Meyle parts on the '81 Mercedes and the '91 VW that I used to have. They appeared to be of good OEM quality - but I have not used any of their parts on my Volvo.

YMMV...