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[cd 2.2]

Today I went a little crazy and blew £349 including VAT at the local motor factors (about the only one I trust in the area as they are fairly good)! My 349 finest english pounds bought me the following things (at trade price) ...

 New Camshaft Sensor
 Catalytic converter
 Catalytic converter to manifold gasket
 A pair of MOOG front wishbones
 Apec front discs and matching pads
 2ltr of brake fluid

Now I never heard of MOOG car parts in this country until today, If the wishbones last me 12 months I will be happy with them for the price. They carry a standard 12 months warranty and if they break within this period I'm told that they will replace them for free so that's something!

I couldn't start work on the car until 4pm, shame because it's been a wonderful day for messing with the car. I only managed to get the N/S wishbone and brake disc/pads changed before I called it a day because of darkness issues! I will do the other side in the morning and see if there is any kind of monumental change in handling!

I did notice after I had changed the wishbone and brakes on the passenger side of the car the steering wheel is over to the left and the car seems to want to pull right, tested it first on the drive after I got the front wishbone bolt tightened up on the ground, then took it around the block (just literally 1 tenth of a mile) ! I think I have massively upset the geometry on that front corner as it doesn't feel quite as it should, but we will see in the afternoon if completing the other side see's any further improvement/worsening of it ... got to get the front geometry done anyway!

So yes I have been a very busy bee today and will be tomorrow also   
not looking forward to tackling the rear brakes after I have the locking wheel bolts air chiseled off 

[05omegav6]

Busy boy indeed

If the sensor wasn't a genuine one, expect to be changing it again soon

[omega3000]

Today I went a little crazy and blew £349

I bough a Pug 106 for less than that  Didnt last long though 

[SIR Philbutt]

Busy boy indeed

If the sensor wasn't a genuine one, expect to be changing it again soon

And also the cat' needs to be a genuine one. Just put my old GM one back on, with new flexi, after less than 2 years use of a pattern one 

When taken off, the pattern one had a cricket ball sized piece of honeycomb inside it  which had been rattling around for ages. Checked the silencers for bits of cat and found none so presumed the cat had actually melted down to that size  .

[tunnie]

Oh dear. Pattern cat, they sound dreadful! Better off with second hand breaker off here. Far better quality and sound 

[biggriffin]

Today I went a little crazy and blew £349

I bough a Pug 106 for less than that  Didnt last long though 

you was robbed...

[biggriffin]

Cd 2.2 keep mentioning pattern parts and the genuine police will come round and burn you on a winter tyre cross  

[TheBoy]

In addition to the cat problem, I wouldn't expect the Apec discs to last the warranty period if driven "properly".

MOOG wishbones, never heard of them either. I'd expect replacement of any part that doesn't last the warranty period, but remember the bulk of the cost is in the alignment costs afterwards, which won't be covered.

[cd 2.2]

Well this time is a needs must with the pattern parts! I couldn't afford all this at genuine prices 

If I get a year out of them I will be happy enough, As for the cat, well it's got to sound better than it does now! It's not always an option to wait around for the right second hand or genuine item. I need the car daily so I don't have much options open at the moment.
It's a non genuine sensor unfortunately  so as you said Al I will be changing it again soon for sure, but it should hopefully stop the starting issues and backfiring for a while until I get a genuine part

[chrisgixer]

But you'll have to end up with the genuine items anyway at some point.

I hear what your saying on the bill but as long as your aware that some might say, this has been a waste of time and money.

I wish I had the time and money, and the passion for working on cars continuously, to fit pattern parts that last, say, a fifth of the life of genuine parts. At a lot more than a fifth of the cost. If that makes sense?

[chrisgixer]

Moog
http://www.moogproducts.com/en-global/Pages/ecatalogue.aspx?VehicleSearch/en/Moog/pc#

Historically, re wishbones. Gm, lemforder and possibly Meyle (we've had Meyle bushes but not the complete wishbones) have been reasonable acceptable on life. Anything else has been suspect to say the least. Some have had reasonable life out of pattern wishbones but others haven't from the same part. So a gamble at best.

Add in set up costs and tyre wear if they fail early, pattern parts can often prove to be much more expensive.

[TheBoy]

cd2.2, good luck with it anyway, report back in a few months how well items lasted, so we know what works and what doesn't.

[cd 2.2]

I will be sure to report on the situation in say 6 months! I'm sure most of the parts will last 12 - 24 months but only the cruelty that is time will tell!

I know we all need to find good pattern parts suppliers if we intend our cars to last way into the future as GM will pull parts support at some point, that is a sure thing to happen

[tunnie]

Sadly people take advice of genuine and turn it into stupid games, rather pathetic really. (not you cd 2.2) The reason for that advice, which many others will also duplicate, is I've heard 2.2's with a pattern cat. Terrible! They are cheaply made compared to GM's and make so much noise.

Far better to get one from a breaker here, for fraction of the cost of brand new pattern, which will last longer too 

[cd 2.2]

I was considering a used one first off ... everyone seems to be miles and miles away from where I am  The only other problem was if I were to get it delivered it would be even more time off the road 

I went for a non type approved one (I know you shouldn't) as it was £108 including VAT and a £12 surcharge, Total eventual cost is only £96! I was assured that it was a good quality cat, but as usual I am very dubious and I will know for sure when I get it on the car tomorrow afternoon (if it even fits properly). For me I would rather decat it but I know you can't for several reasons A] It's illegal due to the age of the car, B] It would never pass an mot and C] the ECU would have a panic attack

If it sounds like utter cr*p then I will be taking it straight off and fitting a used/genuine one for sure!

The Apec brakes feel o.k on the pedal and they certainly stop the car reasonably but I expect that I will burn through them quickly, this is mostly to do with my driving style. As my brother says I have one speed on all roads and it's usually around the speed limit and I don't slow down enough in corners  I also get through tyres quite quickly but the firestone fuel savers I have on the fronts are lasting well at 2k on them now, The rear accelera alpha's on the rear are extremely close to their limit now and they had plenty on them when I got it (also around 2k miles ago) ... I love how well this car corners, endless grip in the dry but totally sideways in the wet