Outstanding service!!

[roddy1960]

Big thanks to good old EBAY . I rang two local Ford dealership parts departments in the past week for the following .

Gas Struts for AU Falcon with spoiler and the pivot studs .

Best price for the struts was $140 and for the pivot ball only , not the stud as they're no longer available was $13 excluding postage . Hmmm.

Got on EBAY ,. Found the gas struts to suit Ford Falcon AU 1-2-3 built between 1998 and 2002 for sedan and for those with the spoiler for , wait for it , wait for it .......$35 , free postage too . Then I found the 10mm studs and pivot balls for $5.75 for 6mm thread or 8mm thread , so I got a pair of both for the same cost as what Ford wanted for the pivot ball only wqhich is useless anyway without the stud . I'd already sourced two new steering dust boots for same Falcon via EBAY for $18 for the pair and free postage .

Yesterday they arrived , so did the gas struts ant the pivots should be here Monday according to the tracking info .

This morning I tried one of the gas struts on the yet to let go side of the boot lid and fits into the ball socket fine behind the retaining clips . Although a bit of sloppiness that's due to the buggered pivot ball that's slightly better than the broken one on the other side . The new one will fit fine .

This is why Ford ****s me so often with the prices and growing frustration but faith restored when many items not specifically genuine required can be found via online retail or outright EBAY etc ...

[roddy1960]

To be fair to Ford (re my previous post) one of the guys at Tilford (Hobart) did give me the part numbers for genuine / cross reference etc.

Pivot ball is EFF43634A

Stud is V800241536D but was told no longer likely available

Spoiler compliant gas strut AU sedan 1998-2002 is ERF406A10B

Just incase anyone wants to track down genuine parts for boot lid issues .

So , I was happy about that via the chap at Tilford ..

[GTLEGEND]

Originally Posted by roddy1960

Big thanks to good old EBAY . I rang two local Ford dealership parts departments in the past week for the following .

Gas Struts for AU Falcon with spoiler and the pivot studs .

Best price for the struts was $140 and for the pivot ball only , not the stud as they're no longer available was $13 excluding postage . Hmmm.

Got on EBAY ,. Found the gas struts to suit Ford Falcon AU 1-2-3 built between 1998 and 2002 for sedan and for those with the spoiler for , wait for it , wait for it .......$35 , free postage too . Then I found the 10mm studs and pivot balls for $5.75 for 6mm thread or 8mm thread , so I got a pair of both for the same cost as what Ford wanted for the pivot ball only wqhich is useless anyway without the stud . I'd already sourced two new steering dust boots for same Falcon via EBAY for $18 for the pair and free postage .

Yesterday they arrived , so did the gas struts ant the pivots should be here Monday according to the tracking info .

This morning I tried one of the gas struts on the yet to let go side of the boot lid and fits into the ball socket fine behind the retaining clips . Although a bit of sloppiness that's due to the buggered pivot ball that's slightly better than the broken one on the other side . The new one will fit fine .

This is why Ford ****s me so often with the prices and growing frustration but faith restored when many items not specifically genuine required can be found via online retail or outright EBAY etc ...

Agree and disagree, its good to see aftermarket components available when genuine is obsolete. From my history, the cheaper ones that although fit don't seem to last as long as the genuine, speaking in general terms that is, not specific to gas struts (front wheel bearing on a AU for an example).

I hope I am wrong in your case and that your purchase is a good one, but most times the genuine one is dearer for a good reason, but best to check as sometimes the genuine is cheaper also.

[roddy1960]

Originally Posted by GTLEGEND

Agree and disagree, its good to see aftermarket components available when genuine is obsolete. From my history, the cheaper ones that although fit don't seem to last as long as the genuine, speaking in general terms that is, not specific to gas struts (front wheel bearing on a AU for an example).

I hope I am wrong in your case and that your purchase is a good one, but most times the genuine one is dearer for a good reason, but best to check as sometimes the genuine is cheaper also.

Thanks ...I see your point .. With certain things , no compromise such as brake components , transmission stuff , drivetrain items etc but the dust boots I got came from a company called CV Joints Pty.Ltd Australia via their EBAY facility .On inspection they look perfectly fine but only time will tell if they let go any sooner to the original ones .

The gas struts if they fail fairly quickly it's only $35 down the drain but if they last several years it'll be a bonus . A lottery is correct . The studs though cannot be got from Ford so I was told although the pivots can be . Like a ship without a deck !!!!!...so to find the complete stud/pivot although there are two different threads I bought both , 6mm and 8mm was good . Got to drill and tap or weld anyway because the original surrounds are corroded to buggery , common fault apparently as it turns out .

Genuine v non genuine . About 7-8 years ago I bought a new Panasonic DV Camera but came with only a single battery . I rang the Authorised Panasonic dealer not too far from me and was told a second battery would cost $230 .

We have a crowd called Every Battery in Launceston who source all sorts of batteries for all sorts of things so I rang them . I was astounded to be told that they could provide the same battery , made by a licenced under Panasonic (Japanese company) with same 7.2V rating for $92 including postage . The salesman told me that the only difference was it wouldn't have the Panasonic logo on it . I use that camera to this day a lot and both batteries are still working and recharge the same . In that instance I could have paid $138 more for essentially the exact same item .

I think that this happens more and more over time .