Cheap Knock-Off Parts Kill Today's Cars!

Customer brought me their 2013 Toyota Camry with a rough idle. All this AFTER someone tried to 'Fix' it with cheap, knockoff parts and several questionable repairs! What did they do and how bad is it?
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#carrepair #carwizard #carmechanic #autorepairshop #automobile #cars #car #toyota #toyotacamry #toyotacars #toyotaparts #carparts

[@davidkrumwiede446]

AMD said it best: you bought a Toyota because it’s reliable. When you put cheap parts on it, it’s no longer a reliable Toyota.

Depends on the part. A Chinese headlamp bulb won't affect the reliability.

[@boogitybear2283]

He’s definitely right. If you own a Toyota always buy a Denso alternator.

[@cyrusdubash3097]

Sure it will.

[@LibSlayer69]

Most Toyotas are not reliable. In fact they’re horrendous!

[@InsideOfMyOwnMind]

@@LibSlayer69 Maybe the new ones ever since they adopted the American ways. Same with Honda.

[@freman007]

That's the good thing about BMWs. No matter how bad the aftermarket part is, it can't be worse than what BMW put on it in the first place.

[@d47000]

Exactly. My favorite one is, "Only use OEM BMW gaskets!" You mean the same one that started leaking at 50,000 miles? Right...

[@flybobbie1449]

@@d47000 Well i used after market seal on BMW oil filter housing, blew in 3k miles. Just refitted with BMW part. At least original lasted 100k.

[@d47000]

@@flybobbie1449 I've never had a problem using reputable aftermarket gaskets like Mahle.

[@freman007]

@@flybobbie1449 You're very fortunate. By the time my 120i got to 55,000 it had leaked enough oil from the oil filter gasket to coke up the alternator. $1600 later... Now I drive a 2005 Nissan Fuga 350GT (Japanese market Infiniti M35). It uses a bit more fuel, I average close to 25MPG with a very light foot, but I can budget an extra few dollars a fortnight for gas. Finding $1600 because BMW violated every law of engine design (like keep your electrics above the leaky oily bits) is a lot harder.

[@bdw66]

If the customer gives the go ahead, I'd like to see part 2 on this car - when it's all running perfectly again.

[@privateer0561]

Since all the Pep Boys, Oreilly's, Auto Zone, and Advance Auto Parts (Ebay and Amazon, too) came along, this problem of cheap (and counterfeit) aftermarket parts has been a scourge. They forced the smaller parts chains out of business that would have caught all these inferior parts and ceased to buy them, thus protecting their customers from this crap - and forcing us to buy very expensive OEM parts instead.

[@davidhammond8098]

Besides the dealer, who can we buy parts from

[@AcuraLvR82]

On top of that, Ebay and Amazon are loaded with counterfeit OEM Toyota and Honda parts. That have dang near the same exact packaging.

[@elliottkim6908]

@@davidhammond8098 RockAuto is my go to. If you know what's the OEM manufacturer you go with that every single time rather than the one you buy from a dealership.

[@amirraz1882]

​@@AcuraLvR82thats why you only buy parts from sellers that are actual dealerships

[@denawiltsie4412]

I tend to buy factory parts when possible but you can still buy quality parts from Napa, Orelly's and Auto Zone if you verify where they are made. Things like batteries, spark plugs simple electrical parts are pretty safe when you stay with name brand. We have equipment that's over 50 years old so your options are somewhat limited when you need parts. Interestingly, hydraulic parts are still pretty easy to obtain if you go to the right place.

[@superregera799]

I learned my lesson the hard way about name-brand MAF sensors when I replaced the faulty MAF in my '98 LS400 with a no-name aftermarket chinese unit. Shortly after replacement, the car shutoff when I was going downhill and wouldn't restart, I had no brakes and no power-steering coming into an intersection which thankfully was green and I was able to coast to a stop afterwards. When I finally got the car home, I replaced the MAF with an OEM Lexus part and never had a single problem again. Go OEM and nothing else, it's downright dangerous not to do so.

[@somenamelessdude8095]

That's friggin scary. Bought a distributor on Amazon, it looked good. Billet aluminum replacing plastic. Forgot about the cam position sensor inside...

[@theodorgiosan2570]

I have used plenty of aftermarket MAF sensors but I only have ever been around GM cars from the mid 2000s and other cars that are all carbureted or mechanical fuel injection. Never done more than an oil change on a car newer than 07 or even opened the hood of a Toyota. You can totally unplug the MAF sensor with the engine running under load on those 3.1 or 3.4 or 3.8 or 5.3 powered cars and it will continue running. Never had a problem with any one that lasted significantly less than another. I do at least always buy from Rockauto. I have only used cheap knockoff parts from Amazon when nothing else was available, which does happen with some cars particularly 1970s and 80s Subarus. Everything I've seen about Toyota's is they are way too sensitive to the type of parts used. They work well when everything is working but really work badly when a part is slightly out of spec and you are basically forced to pay tons of money for Toyota parts. Where on a GM car you could get a $20 part from Rockauto and it would work just as well as the original.

[@90MVtv]

That’s a problem within itself if one part can cause all those things not to work.

[@garyalford9394]

People should be able to sue these who sell this crap! But I hear alot of the OEM stuff is starting to be the same! of course some OEM is made in china and rebadged !

[@Sam-go3mb]

@@theodorgiosan2570 But the upside to using Denso, Aisin, Toyota OEM whatever is the parts don't go bad for 200k+ miles anyway lmao

[@DeftonesFan867]

I had a starter go out on an 2002 Camry. Brand new was $200 so I just went to the junkyard and got one for $35. Works like a champ.

[@laneeric]

Secret tip from us Toyota Techs. The only thing that ever wears out on an ND starter is the brushes in the motor. They can be bought through Toyota for $18

[@mdotguy]

The clutch in the drive gear sometimes slips too ​@laneeric

[@Stratocruizer51]

Was the used starter the original Toyota? Probably would be better than new aftermarket. I got a set of genuine MOPAR spark plug wires from the junk yard. They work great.

[@DeftonesFan867]

@@Stratocruizer51 yep it was a denso unit.

[@donniev8181]

​@DeftonesFan867 yeah most people do not realize there are plenty of crashed Toyotas that have excellent parts on them, especially steering and suspension components. Toyota designs these parts extremely well and they are built to last at least a hundred thousand miles. Take Toyota axles for example, they usually last 150k miles and cost $500/$600 new. Find a quality parts yard with a 10k mile crashed out same model Toyota and get those same axles for a hundred bucks.

[@tlawler88]

“Buy once, cry once” as they say. Learned my lesson with cheap parts years ago, but always good to be reminded

[@LibSlayer69]

Who are they?

[@carlandrews3037]

Bad parts are a waste of resources and energy.

[@nellayema2455]

"Buy once, cry once."

[@confederatenationalist7283]

These aren't just bad they are of corrupt state origin which should never be allowed import status.

[@tim3172]

@@confederatenationalist7283 So much for freedumbbbbb from the proud white nationalist. 🏳>🏳

[@jimharrington7532]

So great to see you using content for cars with affordable tips . Your audience is more interested in everyday cars that we can afford /NOT Hoovie Supercars that no one will ever encounter nor cares about. You are awesome Car Wiz.

[@ZoneProfessionalGardening]

Oh, come on, supercars? Yes, you can afford them, but can you afford the parts and labour to fix them? This is something my dad always taught me. Wise man. RIP.

[@billiebobbienorton2556]

@@ZoneProfessionalGardening Ah no...I CANNOT AFFORD THEM ! !

[@ZoneProfessionalGardening]

@@billiebobbienorton2556 Who can! lol

[@gstevens6948]

I’m almost 61 now and I’m ready to just stay close to home and not even have a car if I didn’t still have to get to work. Crap parts, shady mechanics and overall drama around driving a car these days is ridiculous.

[@jeffrobodine8579]

I have been using the same local mechanic for over thirty years. He is now 72 years old and I am not sure what I will do if he ever decides to retire.

[@andrewhansen4179]

A great way to put it..."the overall drama." People are way too confident in their abilities to drive right. I see so many abused vehicles where I live....even new ones.

[@ChristiannReitinger]

I love the fact that you’re working on a normal everyday car.. not a foreign super car…I see this kind of craftsmanship from my sisters boyfriend when he shows me….ya..I replaced that on mine…look😂😂😂😂

[@yoshimitsu1896]

Learned my lesson the hard way. My 2014 Nissan Altima just crossed the 200k mile range and the check engine light came on due to MAF sensor issue. I bought a new sensor, installed it and light was gone. However, the light came back on and it was giving me more issues. What I ended up doing I cleaned up the old sensor and put it back and car was running back to normal. Never buy from Amazon again!!

[@wingman-1977]

When it comes to sensors, always buy OEM.

[@allenparke5874]

I do buy from Amazon, but only OEM parts

[@ceylontea5877]

How do you maintain Altima transmission do you change fluid?

[@HondaSolutions]

@@allenparke5874tons of fakes on Amazon

[@elmayimbe_the_amateur_mechanic]

​@@ceylontea5877 just drain and fill it like an oil change on that model. The damn dipstick piece where you refill is a pain in the ass to remove. The Nissan NS-2 fluid sucks. I put Valvoline Maxlife in all the cars I service.

[@alitheretrokid]

Car wizard, I learned my lesson with aftermarket parts. The price difference is very tempting, I bought an aftermarket water pump which was $45 instead of the Mitsubishi OEM which was $130 and it immediately leaked out of the weep hole and wouldn't stop. I had to redo the entire job again, including the timing belt, just to change out the defective pump. It will cost you MORE in the long run just buy the OEM please!

[@mitchhedberg4415]

The harder it is to replace, the LESS you should even consider cheap parts.

[@My_Old_YT_Account]

The problem being when the OEM parts are also ass, you're screwed either way, it's becoming more common too

[@TheHolycrikey]

Aftermarket CAN be fine. There is quality aftermarket and there is (a lot) of junk aftermarket. OEM is best, but sometimes you can find good quality aftermarket parts for 1/2 the price. For many suspension components, I wouldn't have any issue going aftermarket. When you start doing anything engine/electronic related, best to stay with highly reputable brands.

[@jrbuch]

Same for me with my SC400/Toyota Soarer with the 1UZ-FE. OEM Toyota part for the win. Stripping down the front of a 1UZ-FE is not a fun job at all.

OEM is not available for any car much over 10 years old.

[@dhawk5712]

same for honda, oem only, i use ngk spark plugs with some Hitachi coil packs since they never been replaced on my honds fit for 100k miles and car runs better than ever before

[@Alex-xi2nz]

Can confirm you gotta go OEM with Toyota.

[@mph5896]

I have had luck with quality parts on Toyota like Denso. Not putting a China maf from Amazon on the car😂

[@markkrispin6944]

@@mph5896 Eff the China car parts. I always use OEM on my Toyota.

[@JOHNJ0HN9111]

never cheap out on a car.. always put name brand parts in it... cars today have a 100 computers in them... and all them computers know if you put junk in them and tell you so by running bad..

[@JorgeQuintasW]

@@mph5896 Yes, but Denso is OEM for Toyota (actually the brand that manufactures most of their parts stock), were the same company at one point, Toyota owns 25% of Denso still, outside of that, good luck.

[@ManuelFresh100]

Depends on the part.

[@DeLorean4]

Those janky woodscrew, washer, zip tie repairs are reflective of every non-enthusiast Toyota I've ever seen. It's not that the owners aren't car people, they aren't laws-of-physics people.

[@universalassociates6857]

In a crash that battery contraption might cause the car to go up in smoke!

[@indolentcheese]

Nothing like taking a precision engineered automotive machine and turning it into a Rube Goldberg POS. Stacking washers to make a bolt fit? WTF!?!

[@dlschgo]

The same problem is affecting OEM parts. Eric at South Main waited a day to get a Motorcraft ballast resistor for an F150 (tried the dealer and Ford discontinued that part.) When he installed the sealed and new looking part the next day, it didn't work and every terminal was in the thousand ohms or M ohms. He had to go NAPA and that thankfully checked out right in the mid-range of all specifications. He's smart enough to know that was just good luck for this part. If he can't get an new OEM mass airflow sensor, he goes to the junk yard now.

[@CarlGerhardt1]

Another good piece of advice is to keep any old part you replace, (not something like a gasket, obviously), until you're sure the NEW one is OK!

[@jondoes7836]

Bud laughed at me for what I paid for the replacement OEM fuel pump for my Mustang compared to the EBay pump he purchased for his Explorer. After four months, his EBay fuel pump died while on a family vacation.

[@macbere3326]

That's a good temporary fix.

[@antonisautos8704]

Never ever ever buy cheap ebay fuel pumps. I had a customer request a cheap pump from me. I declined to repair it with a cheap ebay part. I let him think about it and the next day he gave me the go ahead on a name brand pump.

[@markleggett3944]

I was unable to find an OEM fuel pump for my son's vintage Jeep, so I bought the best parts store pump I could find. It worked great for 2 weeks and began whining like a spoiled child.

[@insanegixxerdude486]

Shade tree backyard diyer. This is called automotive mending/bandaiding! This is not automotive repair. This is how you make a reliable Toyota into a Chevy Cruze. 😂

[@Error-bp6wy]

You can try and make a Cruze reliable but at the end of the day you just have a slightly less crappy Chevy Cruze

[@kennethhumphrey1439]

Aftermarket parts, even with a lifetime warranty (Thanks, Duralast! /sarc), are such a royal hassle. I've had to replace multiple times: CV axles, upper control arms, water pumps, 4WD switches, and headlight controls. When the CV axle I put in died after 5 years (no abuse or high miles), the manager of the AuroZone told me "5 years? That's pretty good, huh?" Umm, no... no, it's not.

[@NightStalkers-hx3dq]

Lol...people used to show up with outboard boat motors that wouldn't start. "It ain't the carburetors, we rebuilt them!" Nine times out of ten, carburetors.....

[@jameslovitt994]

You buy Toyota for its reliability, why tamper with that with inferior parts? They're expensive parts for a reason.

To save money? Most people driving Toyotas bought them as used cars not new. Dealer parts are expensive because of the huge mark-up. Many of them are just generic parts in a 'Toyota' box.

[@jameslovitt994]

You want to be cheap? Kia and Hyundai are popular for a reason.

[@g-mang-man7924]

Retired Toyota MDT. Even with side work over the years. Always use factory parts. Hell, Toyotas even hate different spark plugs than NGK/ Denso original ones.

[@tlo35]

I brought a cheap O2 sensor from EBay hoping to solve a bad gas mileage. The sensor didn’t last a year. Put back my old 10 year original O2 sensor and it is still good. Stick with OEM parts.

[@duancoviero9759]

I've done that in the past too 😓. My first Mercedes Benz was an ML and i needed an MAF sensor. The one from Amazon was $24 and the one from Bosch was $125. Took a shot on the Amazon one of course. It was so terrible. I no longer do Autozone or Amazon. Only OE.

[@skree_fpv436]

I needed to replace a purge valve for for my 4G Acura TL recently. I could've got one from Amazon for $25 or one from Honda for $170. While the cheap part was tempting, I chose Honda. If an engine part has an electrical connector on it, I always replace it with OEM so I don't have to deal with the headache a cheap part will most likely cause.

[@markleggett3944]

No question on this. Sensors and electronics from Amazon are a waste of money. There is too much precision needed in making these parts. Chinese companies will not take the time and money to dial them in with quality parts. Modern cars will produce a check engine light if voltages are off just a bit.

[@vincentconsolo5782]

Even the Big 3 use some parts from China . The thing is , they are made under strict quality control with engineers and company executives from America , overseeing things . But your right Wizard , crappy quality caused this . Thanks for your good advice . 🙂

[@ozarkliving7263]

Ya think???

[@vincentconsolo5782]

@@ozarkliving7263 I think 😄

[@tim3172]

Imagine thinking that Chinese quality standards are worse than US quality standards? This isn't the 1980s, champ. Your opinion is in tune with "But your right".

[@raygunsforronnie847]

In contract manufacturing one gets the quality one is willing to pay for, including "boots on the ground" inspection at the factory. The lousy knock off sensors and mechanical parts are built in the same country as the iPhone. From a trip in Mr Peabody's wayback machine, I remember when the country of origin to make fun of was Japan. A willing industrial complex and W. Edwards Deming changed that.

[@dRiifTeR667]

Just want to put this out there as an ex AutoZone employee, always check the parts you get there as the amount of cores and returned parts I'd find on my shelf's was infuriating.

[@kclefthanded427]

Anything to do with emissions, always go OEM

[@markleggett3944]

100% Sensors and electronics never seem to work from these aftermarket companies. Always try to buy the OEM fuel pumps for a vehicle. Parts store fuel pumps are junk.

[@DavidRivera-o8b]

I like how thorough you are. 👍🏻

[@neebob2]

Why do I get the feeling the Wizard has to hold himself back from really bashing the owner and junk parts . Just wants to scream "you idiot "

[@mikethompson3534]

😂😂😂😂

[@DJV94022]

The wizard would be the best tech at any nissan location

[@glennfields8121]

I love your blatant honesty David.

[@troycarothers8254]

These car owners are the ones you see behind Autozone working underneath jacked up with 2x4s.

[@0HOON0]

Just be grateful you've never been really poor.

[@troycarothers8254]

@@0HOON0 They are poor due to foolish spending. Cost this customer more to have it repaired correctly in the first place.

[@markleggett3944]

They are replacing those lifetime replacement parts for the 3rd time.

[@IanB22]

Wizard dropping knowledge in this one folks... pay attention

[@sardisironworks]

Learned lesson - bought powerstop brand brakes off of Amazon to save some bucks... 2 of the front pads, one on each front wheel, delaminated/separated from the backing plate and the front driver side one ate the caliper piston when it fell apart. So it went from cheap new brakes to a whole new front driver side caliper, new pads (bendix this time) again and turning the rotors again. Sage advice on cheap parts, thanks for the video, DIY is big again with everything being so expensive, wish we could all afford a good mechanic but we do what we can with what we got.

[@fredrikmasman9113]

Hey, Wizard. When a tensioner is vibrating at idle rpm, it’s most often the free-wheel of the alternator that’s at fault. It’s usually frozen.

[@josebentancourt6770]

it is Unistrut brand bracket and L bracket. It is used to hold pipe, cable trays, etc. industrial supports.

[@themasslesspenguin]

I'd wager it's actually the "super strut" home Depot brand unistrut knock-off

[@BobBasshead]

I was going to comment on the battery hold down but I scrolled through the comments and found yours, very good.

[@michiganman4398]

I have that same year Camry for my commuter car. Mine has 220000 on it and my lowest cylinder compression is 195 and I even have one that is 210. New is 214. My goal is 500000 miles. The thing just goes and never breaks. That is one of the best years of the most reliable car ever made.

[@wingman-1977]

Optima batteries used to be good but have become trash in the last few years.

[@iHaveTheDocuments]

I heard the same thing.

[@pfsantos007]

And those battery tray parts were only a junkyard trip away.

[@Bandito518]

Quality in almost everything has gone down! I got a box of wooden matches from my local cigar shop the other day, every stick was brittle and broke and wouldn’t stay lit. Found a box of wooden matches from the 80’s in my tool box… stayed lit and match stick was sturdy.

[@Rick-vg2pz]

Disagree I have optima red top in a car that I don’t drive much that sits in the weather 4 years old. Cranks great every time. Good battery

[@jamesgullo8240]

@@Rick-vg2pz 4 years old. There's your answer.

[@touraneindanke]

I never skimp on maintenance even before I drove Toyota. Take care of your ride and it will take care of you and is way less likely to leave you stranded 💪

[@matthewkrahn3]

I bought Max Brakes from Amazon for my car. Rotors warped in a week. Pads would lose all braking force after one hard stop. I was broke and learnt my lesson.

[@ArtVan-s4l]

Just before watching this video i watched one at another KZbin Channel and the exact same situation was discussed - defective new parts. Even a Motorcraft blower motor resistor was bad ( open ). And it came out of an unsealed plastic bag. What a PITA !!

[@kylesnyder9452]

I learned this lesson the hard way with my 2001 Highlander v6. Replaced the knock sensors with ones from Amazon. The job was a pain in the arse and the code came back a month later. I was PISSED!

[@OddBike]

When I had a Saabaru, I replaced the 02 sensor with a cheap parts store special. It ran even worse... When I went in and monitored the readings, the sensor was reading BACKWARDS. Not backwards like a reversed wire, it read rich as lean and lean as rich, so it was compensating in the wrong direction and making the car run like garbage. Spent a few bucks more on a Denso and problem solved. Never thought I'd encounter a sensor that works in the opposite way it should.

[@lordcorgi6481]

Toyota are really reliable, but when it comes to sensors you HAVE to put Denso parts on it. They won’t work with any aftermarket ones. If you want to be cheap, go to a junkyard and find a used Toyota/Denso part. Even with 200k miles it’ll work better than a brand new aftermarket.

[@scittw22]

At this point my son's old Hyundai Elantra has enough Chinese parts we'd have to pay a tariff to sell it.

[@DJV94022]

Good 1😂

[@martybuck]

Hahaha

[@tyates8156]

I used to deal with Chinese manufacturers. They made Samples as we requested. Very good quality. But after a couple of production run, they started replacing the requested parts to cheaper parts (materials) without our knowledge. And ended up with lots of rejected items. They only think about MONEY, MONEY, MONEY.

[@markleggett3944]

My son's ex boss in Korea said he did not like to deal with the Chinese because he said that they have no honor.

[@banerific7541]

Biggest thing our trainer and older techs say is “new means new not good” even though it’s brand new it could be broken seen it way to many times

[@JBSibley]

The vertical support for the battery is made of unistrut parts!

[@samrice1015]

when i worked at a toyota dealership the masters would frequently say stuff about cheap parts and tell you to only put oem parts on a toyota. at the time i thought it was because of course THEY would say that, they want the work but as time went on i started to realize that its much better to spend the money on something YOU KNOW will work instead of a crapshoot.

[@Joe-z6q2i]

I've used AC Delco & Motor craft parts that have failed just as readily as a cheaper version. Even OEM parts aren't always the best option. Many times Dorman parts are better quality than OEM parts.

[@elliottkim6908]

Car Wizard you know what's funnier? The MAF sensor they used brings up Blue Streak MAF, which for the 2013 Camry it costs $105-110. While the Denso MAF sensor not label as Toyota costs about $160 from retailers like Autozone, but from an well known online wholesaler cost $100. So they did all this to save $50 at the store, or for the same price since they refuse to wait 1-2 weeks.

[@tbm3fan913]

Just found a Toyota marked purge valve for the 2013 for $99.99 from my favorite seller on eBay. I bought from him for 15 years and it is always NOS and OEM Ford, Motorcraft, and Mazda parts at great prices. Other wise it is TRW, Federal Mogul, Sealed Power all made in USA years ago. My parts stock would stun you for 11 cars.

[@stevemonkey6666]

That battery bracket is hilariously scary😂. Who would do that?

[@tims8603]

Me.

[@duancoviero9759]

Gus and Ricky Bobby....

[@seeya205]

I bet it's a young guy's car.

[@chadhaire1711]

A Mexican

[@universalassociates6857]

I have one better for you. I bought a salvage Mini at a Marshall’s auction (I know; a bad idea) and the locksmith who made the key found the battery in the trunk! Since the Mini was hit in the front, and the battery compartment was damaged, someone ran new battery wires all the way to the trunk!

[@gregedmand9939]

One of the main reasons why the auto industry has been flooded with so many poor quality aftermarket parts is, vendors being willing to sell ANYTHING. Every skilled tech knows there are various grades and formulas of steel, made to meet certain design requirements. So a guy buys himself a lathe and takes a few courses, before deciding he can turn out things like lifters, brackets and gears. He's not so concerned about what steel he works with, because he just wants them to look like precision parts. So some guy in China buys the cheapest and easiest stuff to work with. Little steps like proper surface hardening are just ignored. He discovered that it may take ten hours to make a dozen lifters with the right steel and hardening process, but using mild steel he can churn out 2 dozen in the same time. They look the same to the untrained eye and that's all that matters to him.

[@markleggett3944]

That's correct. They may last a year or two before problems show up and at that point there is no way to recover your cost and now there is an expensive rebuild or repair.

[@jeffrobodine8579]

My Uncle used to rebuild the original parts back in the day when it was still a thing. Master brake cylinders, calipers, alternators etc.

[@paulbenkovitz2061]

That battery holder is unistrut.

[@troycarothers8254]

Shocking. Not made in China.

[@Pr0jectSPL]

I bought a made in china starter for my 99 maxima - an amazing, reliable car. It fit and installed, worked for 3 days, then it caught fire and burned the car to the ground. Lesson learned.

[@0HOON0]

I feel your pain. My 97 Maxima was the best car I've owned. It made it to 300k before it needed some expensive suspension repairs. If I could rewind, I would pay double to put it back on the road.

[@logicthought25]

😥

[@Mabeylater293]

@@0HOON0was it the automatic or the manual transmission?

[@0HOON0]

@@Mabeylater293 5 speed manual with LSD that I swapped out of a junkyard I30.

[@rdb389]

Lol. The Unistrut battery bracket.

[@markmalasics3413]

0:35 "That's exactly where I'm going to start." I'm really surprised you needed a mentor to introduce you to that simple logic.

[@cnorton1us]

I don't know that even older American cars would do that well with cheap knock-off parts, but newer ones definitely are more sensitive to the performance of sensors and the like. Out of curiosity, I looked up the air flow sensor for my Subaru on Amazon, and found ones ranging from $22 to $150; the real part from Subaru parts costs $289. I could probably find the real Denso part a bit cheaper from other suppliers, but if I needed to replace mine I definitely wouldn't go with the $22 option, since who knows how much damage it might cause if it even fits. At the very least, I would end up having to buy a more expensive one anyway to make the engine run right again.

[@markleggett3944]

MAF sensors are very sensitive. There is about zero chance of any Amazon MAF sensor working or lasting on your vehicle. OEM only

[@bikecommuter24]

Im a life long mechanic in my early sixties, after retiring I started working part time in an auto parts store and a lot the parts that come in are made in china or other overseas places.

[@TedChandler-r1i]

one big problem is counterfeit parts that are sold on line, just because it says denso on it, does not mean it is!! i learned my lesson on knock sensors on a toyota highlander. the dealer wanted $ 200 each for them so looked for cheaper ones, i put them in which was a 4hr job for me, so after i drove it for a couple weeks it started acting up again! getting all kinds of codes and going into limp mode. my grandson said to go to napa and get them but i was already bitten once so i paid the price at the stealership and never had another problem! car never ran that good before.. made a believer out of me, when it comes to toyota sensors stay with oem parts

[@lilpoindexter]

im surprised you agreed to work on that isht

[@bernie472]

I like your new opening Wizard.

[@NomenClature-o8s]

Nothing is more expressive than cheap car parts.

[@oby-1607]

I used to deliver truckloads of dead batteries to a recycle plant and asked them about the Optima batteries. They said they get them just as much as any other battery. The only difference of the battery is the appearance and the advertising was their quote. Knock off parts people should be convicted and jailed as much as bad drug dealers. Like a drug, the part lasts for a little while and the effect is gone.

[@dagamer667]

As an aside, this is also why you do patient vehicle intake before you give any estimate. This is precisely the sort of situation where the "last guy" was unqualified to work on anything more than a Hot wheels, and there might be other oopsies like a bolt barely hanging by on mostly stripped threads. The moment you try taking it out, boom! It's your problem now. Old MAF sensor got replaced due to the lean code. They rarely have anything go wrong with them that can't be fixed with a can of MAF cleaner available at every parts store. As for parts made in China, some are better quality than others. For what it's worth, the US has been busy driving its own people into poverty since the 70s. A lot of customers can't afford OE, and many times it won't even be available. Luckily, that purge valve is easy to get to so using cheap parts is less of a liability.

[@BigJohnAUonline]

I have owned Toyota, Honda and currently a Mazda 6, I have never had any issue because I only use OEM parts on the cars I have owned.

[@hyphyhusky]

Totally agree, OEM or OEM suppler parts only for parts in the engine bay and the fuel system only. Suspension and brakes and bearings from the few OEM suppliers in the proper sizing only. I'm still annoyed with the adjustability for most OEM suspension parts, and I end up on weird missions to get quality parts to get a proper track alignment. Who do you trust for after market suspension parts that add alignment adjustability? I seem to end up with Moog and Whiteline for Bushings on the regular.

[@cedricjackson7521]

It’s better to fix the vehicle right from the start with quality parts than it is to cheap out on the repairs.

[@blackericdenice]

The customer is an idiot for changing the battery holder.

[@andresboza8285]

He might have kept the original. Car Wizard should inquire and put it back. Or get the proper one from the junkyard.

[@henrykim4230]

When I bought an used Scion TC, previously owner told me they changed bunch of parts. A year of driving that car, I noticed brakes, ignition coil, oxygen sensor all went out prematurely. I noticed none of them were oem parts. Even the brake pads they decided to use the cheapest after market. Parts like ignition coil and oxygen sensors can last 10 years no problem with OEM parts but they went out in a year so do the math.

[@waiting4aliens]

Bought what was supposedly an OEM thermostat for the Ram which I replaced when doing a water pump and timing chain gasket. Ended up digging the old thermostat out of the trash and temp again was in spec. On our 4runner we went with an OEM exhaust on a 07 4runner. Caught it on dealer internet special and got 25% off of list. Picked it up at the dealer. Pricey, but the last one the 07 gave us 16 years. Open purge valves can cause the pump to fail. Some dealers will give you 20% to 25% off if you order the parts over the computer and pick them up at the counter.

[@paulhudson231]

Water pump on my wife's 2001 Ranger, 2.3L Mazda motor, started leaking. Cheap pump from China was $21; pump from the OEM in Japan was about $45, and that's what I installed. Will probably be good for another 20 years.

[@davidgrisez]

One of the problems is that we live in lousy economic times and many people are barely making it from paycheck to paycheck. Maintaining a car in good running condition is expensive. So car owners are trying to cut the costs of maintaining a car in what ever means they can. As a result car owners will use cheap knock off parts, not realizing that it will cost them more money in the long run. Also today's cars are far more complicated than they were back around the 1960s which makes maintaining a car far more expensive.

[@NomenClature-o8s]

Long time Toyota owner and amateur mechanic. If the part doesn’t come from a red and white box…it’s not going on my vehicle.

[@mannywilliams6409]

Problem is they are counterfeiting the boxes. If it does not come from the dealer, it's not going on.

That's ok if you live near a dealer. Many people don't.

[@mannywilliams6409]

Don't know what other people due but I have my local mechanic get the parts from the dealer. My 18-year-old Toyota has not been to a dealer since the warranty expired.

[@markleggett3944]

I have seen Chinese fakes come in what seems to be the original Toyota box. Compare them carefully if you are not buying them from a trusted source.

[@NomenClature-o8s]

@ I buy them at the dealership

[@petersonanson4300]

8:25 this is at the time where I am convinced that someone didn't care about what parts to put on the car or how they put it on.

[@elmayimbe_the_amateur_mechanic]

I put 2 Carquest knock sensors in a 2002 Highlander V6. A week later the CEL came back on 😅😅😅

[@eman0828]

Rule of thumb esp for anything electronics on a car is to always buy OEM. I experienced this myself after replacing 1 ignition coil i bought from advanced auto parts 3 times that failed with in 3 to 6 months. I went straight to the Toyota dealership and bought and the original Denso coil and never had an issue sense. Stay away from cheap chinese parts.

[@toddbob55]

Auto zone , Oreilly , Napa ... All garbage low quality parts!!! I only buy my parts through the Dealership. OEM

[@JustinMijnbuis-q1n]

BMW dealership: mass airflow sensor = $700 + 4 weeks delivery. FCPEuro: same OEM sensor is $300 + 5 days delivery. They are called Stealerships for a reason.

[@Robbie-sk6vc]

Cheap parts are a problem. But stupid are the biggest problem to me. It's amazing how there's never the time/$$ to do things right the FIRST time. Yet, there's always enough for a do over!

[@Wizard6]

I made a remarkable discovery. I needed to replace a couple of oil lines on my Lexus. I went to Auto Zone and prices were $ 130.00 for the lower line and $ 13000 for upper line. My mechanic said not to use after market part. I checked with Toyota and price was $ $85.00 for lower line and $ 13000 for upper line. I checked with Lexus and prices were $ 130,00 for lower line and $ 65.00 for upper line. Result saved $ 50.00 on lower line and $65.00 on upper line, total $ 115.00 savings. Checked on Toyota Air filter same price at Az and Toyota, but the Toyota part fits perfectly. Toyota oil filter was $ 7.50 cheaper at Toyota and is designed for car. didn't check at Lexus because price was right at Toyota for filters..

[@NoInfoFound]

Sweet! a Car Wizard video. No scamtastic products or services, no steering wheels!

[@deepat]

I love handing my car to the local volvo independent specialist and it's handed back perfect every time.

[@liorwohl]

The owner of the car here is really something.. all the issues and shady fixes shown are made by the owner, which will now pay the wizard much more than the cost of the initial issue fixed properly

[@sreginkc]

I agree with the inspection to CYA. Too many times I have worked on cars to help someone out and end up getting blamed for something totally unrelated that I should have let them know about before I ever worked on their car.

[@lezivanerrol3697]

What's worse? Crap fake branded parts in a genuine box. Some of the great auction site sellers are notorious for this.

[@Steverz32]

Zip ties holding on to body panels, is a dead giveaway to crappy repairs by the owner. Let’s not even talk about the dangerous battery hold down!😮🤔

[@Solo-_-..]

I have drywall screws.. works great 😎

[@robmobster911]

That zip tie will last longer than any Chinese sensor lol

[@mikeyspeeds1056]

It depends on how many miles the car has. If 200k then that being a non mechanical part I wouldn't spend any more money on it either for something like that. Zip ties sounds good to me.

[@NylonStrap]

A few years ago I had a rough idle/loss of power on my 2001 Sienna. I got a new MAF from AutoZone and it was better but still not good. I read about the finnicky engine electronic parts on Toyotas, so I took and cleaned the old MAF and the problem went away. I just chucked the AutoZone one in the garbage.

[@seeya205]

I don't get why you would get the wrong part and have to modify it. That takes more time and higher chance of failure. You don't save anything in the long run!

[@estuardo2985]

You notice Mrs. Car Wizard did not do an interior inspection. I bet it is gross in there. In my experience these vehicles that are examples of bad driving tend to be like that. Even on the left side the quarter panel looks faded like they went to a bad body shop and they cheaped out on the clear coat.

[@thomaslam6821]

You are absolutely correct! Only Denso or Toyota brand parts for Toyota!

[@ludicrousbanana4708]

Had a 2011 Subaru Forester from a family member that had a running lean code, and it received the parts cannon at it like a MAF, O2 sensor, etc… I noticed they had an Autozone MAF sensor. Got a junkyard Subaru OEM sensor and it runs perfectly. Gotta go with quality or OEM parts or you’ll be wasting money & time!

[@MyViewToronto]

That's a nice colour. Toyota parts are expensive because they last over 15 years.

[@billfly2186]

People complain about the dealerships. They would have fixed it correctly with an OEM part and warranteed their work.

[@markleggett3944]

100% People buy 60K cars and then look for the cheapest oil change price they can find. Three dollar oil filters ( if they change it ) and the cheapest oil available. I have even seen some of them buy reprocessed oil. Let's not talk about all the shady scams they run selling replacement parts that customer's don't even need. I have worked in service departments of dealerships and I am only aware of one example of a mechanic that was replacing parts under warranty that were not bad. The manufacturer was getting ripped off (no charge to the customer) but the person in question was fired.

[@lawrencewheeler8868]

Baretta :" if ya can't do the, don't do the crime!" Lol😅