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[Tick Tock]

I'm in the process of refurbishing the front suspension on my 2.5 V6 CDX, with replacement rear wishbone bushes (genuine GM bought off OOF member  ) and new Powerflex polys on the front. Knowing the GM quality is consistent and reliable, I took a trip to the parts counter at Bayliss in Hereford to find out price and availability on lower ball joints. The computer says no, and it's an obsolete part said the man - no longer on the system..... but he did offer me the whole wishbone assembly!

Are these common-user parts really not available from GM now?

I guess there will come a time when most parts won't be stocked by the main dealer, especially for anything that was last produced over 12 years ago, so the bay of e, or motor factors offering after market parts will be the norm. Quality can be hit and miss, and it's no problem doing a track rod due to premature failure, but a lower ball joint is a different matter and a lot more work.



Options so far can range in price, so word of mouth sometimes helps.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KEYPARTS-KBJ5323-BALL-JOINT-LOWER-L-R-fit-GM-Vectra-95-on-Omega-94-on-/400803837878?hash=item5d51c537b6:g:5qgAAOSwibFUX6OW

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BORG-BECK-BBJ5323-BALL-JOINT-LOWER-L-R-fit-GM-Vectra-95-on-Omega-94-on-/400803632768?hash=item5d51c21680:g:MtAAAOSwzOxUXzRS

Cheers




   

[TheBoy]

AGP do Lemforder balljoints that seem OK on mine

[05omegav6]

I replace mine with Delphi (yes I know) ones, about a tenner each and in stock at local factors.

Once you've drilled the rivets out, it's easy to treat it as a service item

[VXL V6]

Borg and Beck are distributed by Firstline so highly likely to be as utterly rubbish as anything made by Frontline.

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Double check, but I believe that Astra / Zafira are identical. Do some digging, the GM ones I bought as for 'Zafira' which, of course will be available for a while yet.

I know there's haters out there, but there's plenty of ex dealer stock comes up on auction sites etc.. and never been burned yet. Just read the ad carefully, and do your research 

[05omegav6]

Don't overlook the US either...