Ebay Vs. Legit in the world of s13 suspension...

[Shift_Oversteer]

Ok, im looking into getting rear upper control arms, traction rods, and rear toe arms so I can not only dial in a proper allignment, but get a better overall feel. Apparently SS autochrome has a sister company called "Motoria" that is cloning cusco suspenion parts for much less. Take a look...

(the chrome arms are the knockoffs)Do you think i'd be alright getting the cheaper counterparts? Unless they bend I dont see any disadvantages as far as adjustability/feel.

[SmithSR]

No.Please do not buy important load bearing items from ebay vendors.The internet has horror stories of cheap suspension arm failure and the damage that followed.

Please buy the Cusco units. I did, and they are worth the money.

--quick disclaimer--some people say that name brands such as Cusco are JDM fantastic and therefore, price is run up to catch $ from the trend. There may be truth to this. There is also much truth to years of hassle free use in the real world vs. untested and unknown build quality ebay item.

[9240sx]

You get what you pay for....

[gniknave]

Have you priced these items at SPL parts?

[Juujai]

not only ebay but a lot of jic stuff which is supposedly made in japan go bad on people...

i think a lot of times you do get what you pay for. even those ctune parts have been rusting out on people... and ssautochrome has a "good" reputation lol...

[mrflip69]

The SSAutochrome cat-back has gotten good reviews (made by Motoria), and is certainly one of the cheapest cat-backs out there.

Maybe you'll have good luck with these?

[HashiriyaS14]

I see no problem using SSAC for something like a catback, because if something goes wrong with it....no big deal.

I agree with SR_Smith on the suspension parts however, especially something like that. Generic strut-tower bars are one thing, but don't cheap out on a replacement for a stock suspension component that the car requires to operate.
Modified by HashiriyaS14 at 8:52 PM 9/10/2005

[Rosco]

I have the SSA catback and it is great...(haven't heard it with my SR yet, swaps still in progress), but I would never buy anything else from them. Take a look and read their feedback....I saw many complaints about shoddy welds on their intercoolers and them being "chromed" over steel (not stainless) so you can imagine what susp. parts might be like. I just wouldn't trust them more than exhausts...

[superDorifto]

look in the suspension forum, i cant remember the exact details, but there was a thread about how even SPL farms out some of their parts...some of them are from a korean or taiwanese company that starts with an "m", ill find it and post up a link for it. with the SSAC parts its not so much the welds that cause problems, its the material of the control arm itself: mild steel vs. a moly alloy. bottom line, do some research before you go being the guenea pig...

P.S. i am in no way bashing SPL, or shops that farm out work, i personaly plan on using SPL parts on my project, because theyve done their homework and offer a quality product at a fair price....my 2 cents

[IowaRB240SX]

I had alot of SSAC suspension parts on my CRX. I beat the hell outa that car. Not a problem ever. I have bought some parts from them for my s13 too but haven't had it on the road yet. I am a certified steel and Stainless tig welder and I see nothing wrong with their welds. And I have seen suspension parts on dirt track cars mad of electriweld steel(very cheap stuff) and beat the hell out of the parts without any problems. If the parts are moving freely the springs and shocks should take the beating, not the arms. Do you think the aluminum susp. arms on F1, lambos, and so many other cars are stronger than steel?

[drifter_for_life06]

No.Please do not buy important load bearing items from ebay vendors.The internet has horror stories of cheap suspension arm failure and the damage that followed.

Please buy the Cusco units. I did, and they are worth the money.

--quick disclaimer--some people say that name brands such as Cusco are JDM fantastic and therefore, price is run up to catch $ from the trend. There may be truth to this. There is also much truth to years of hassle free use in the real world vs. untested and unknown build quality ebay item.

You get what you pay for....

I HATE EBAY

[masticatingcow]

I HATE EBAY

I LOVE eBay. Anything I need to get rid of that has ANY value goes on there before it waits for a garage sale... haha. But the only thing I've bought for my car off it was a shift knob. You can't really screw THAT up.

[Kenrik]

EBAY 240 PARTS SUCK! you get what you pay for...

[Shift_Oversteer]

hmmmm, well im really not sure what I want to do now. i HAVE seen some SSAC products on friends' cars that have taken a beating over time and are still functioning properly... but then again they werent control arms either... hmm maybe ill just go ahead and get them and do a write up on if they suck or not .

[chrislis]

ebay ****ing rules. i got a ****ing mint condition SAFC2 for $165 shipped. beat that? nope.

i also got:4 motegi FF7 gloss black rims - $445 shipped1 carbon fiber shift knob - $21 shipped1 5 bolt T3/T4 flange - $20 shipped

and now im looking into something for the rear of my car, some kind of bumper, but not too much. they're starting at like $120. who knows. turbo install, then paint first.

[chrislis]

oh they also have really god prices on lowering springs. i've seen plenty of teins for dirt cheap.

[lrb_2000]

yeah.. i bought all my stuff off ebay.. much cheaper than most websites...but I usually only buy name brand stuff... my B&M short shifter was like $165 shipped.. it goes for $250 on some websites.

[EazyBreazy]

I had alot of SSAC suspension parts on my CRX. I beat the hell outa that car. Not a problem ever. I have bought some parts from them for my s13 too but haven't had it on the road yet. I am a certified steel and Stainless tig welder and I see nothing wrong with their welds. And I have seen suspension parts on dirt track cars mad of electriweld steel(very cheap stuff) and beat the hell out of the parts without any problems. If the parts are moving freely the springs and shocks should take the beating, not the arms. Do you think the aluminum susp. arms on F1, lambos, and so many other cars are stronger than steel?

not to thread jack but im pretty sure f1 uses carbon fiber tubing with sperical bearing on the end for suspension peices..as such

Modified by sdwyzs14 at 11:41 AM 9/11/2005
Modified by sdwyzs14 at 11:43 AM 9/11/2005

[Riley2.4L]

Quited frankly you could probably find the same cusco parts on ebay for cheaper than any other site would sell them for. Thats usually what I do during part hunts. Find the brand and product that I want and then buy if for a hell of alot cheaper on ebay. Everyone is always afraid of ebay or has a friend's sister's brother's cousin that got screwed over. The entire internet market is risky. 9 second racing.com has the same potential of ****ing you over as ebay motors bottom line. If you really want to be safe Oversteer drive to a shop and buy the part right there and then. If not, then find the best part for the best price

[drifter_for_life06]

ive enver seen legit cusco on ebay

[sixxdeuce]

The cheaper arms often use lower quality heim joints with coarser threads making the joint both weaker and adjustment is not as fine. They also almost all use inferior metals in the arm itself. My recomendation is to buy battle version, kazama or spl parts for suspension components.

[Ca_laurier]

i have wondered about these myself, and have been waiting for some who has already purchased them to leave feedback. I probably will just go with put battle version stuff though.

as for ebay in general, i have bought my advan sa3r's off there, koyo rad, trust manifold, apex-i turbo timer, fmic and shocks and spring. Ebay is my friend cause when i go to a shop the stuff is still cheaper to buy off ebay than a shop. But i still prefer yahoo auctions japan over ebay, minus the 2 month wait for everything...

[blckkat]

I think it also depends on what your doing. i.e. I wouldn't think of it if I was autocrossing but for a street setup setup....does it matter? I have seen arguments both ways, but has anyone ever actually had failure of the ebay arms on thier 240? so far I've never heard of it happening

[Nismo_Freak]

look in the suspension forum, i cant remember the exact details, but there was a thread about how even SPL farms out some of their parts...some of them are from a korean or taiwanese company that starts with an "m", ill find it and post up a link for it. with the SSAC parts its not so much the welds that cause problems, its the material of the control arm itself: mild steel vs. a moly alloy. bottom line, do some research before you go being the guenea pig...

P.S. i am in no way bashing SPL, or shops that farm out work, i personaly plan on using SPL parts on my project, because theyve done their homework and offer a quality product at a fair price....my 2 cents

That was a rumor and is false, but it is possible the supplier we use has their components made overseas.

Either way our components have been tested time after time on 100s of cars, and so far with the rear links we have had zero failures due to the materials or construction that I am aware of.

On another note... in a few months you will see alot of good things come out of SPL, and it's possible that they might be more affordable on top of being better!

[chmercer]

yay ebay control arms!dont be cheap bastards. buy somthing that wont get you killed when it fails for no reason on the highway. on top of that, dont buy parts for no reason. why do you need rear traction rods? please explain.

[superDorifto]

sorry i didnt realize that the thread ended up being discredited as a rumor...i was only looking at it a few months back before i was focused on getting my motor assembled. i cant wait to see any new products that SPL has to offer, as i said already, when the focus of my project switches back to the suspension im choosing mostly patrs from them...

[Shift_Oversteer]

Well I figured while I was in there doing the RUCA's and toe arms id throw those in too, plus I hear they add some stability for drift/race applications...