Autozone parts quality, More expensive = better? Options

[CilverSeliST205]

I just wanted to know everyones opinion on quality of autozone replacement parts for 6gc. I need to order inner and outer tie rods for both sides, and they have couple of different brands listed (I will check the brand names today). cheap outers are like $34 while the expensive brand is like $68, does "you get what you pay for" applies to autozone parts? tie rods are not mechanically complicated so i assume that quality/durability of 2 brands will not differ by much. When you guys buy axles, tie rods or other suspension components at autozone/advanced auto, do you stick to expensive brands or get the cheap'o brand?

[lagos]

ive had nothing but bad luck with any of the parts autozone deals with.
i would recomend buying them right from toyota.

if you want i have a pair of brand new toyota outer tierods i could sell you. PM me if you want them.

[airswoosh1]

ive had nothing but bad luck with any of the parts autozone deals with.
i would recomend buying them right from toyota.

if you want i have a pair of brand new toyota outer tierods i could sell you. PM me if you want them.

Very true! Genuine Toyota parts are always the way to go.

This dealership (which I've ordered from on a few occasions) has the outer tie rods for $33 for an OEM part.
https://www.1sttoyotaparts.com/partscat.html

[CilverSeliST205]

Ahh i see... thank you guys! I will stay away from autozone in favor of toyota oem parts, Lagos I will PM you tonight about those parts - I want them!

[sanchezian16]

yeah autozone has never did anything right for me...so like the other two said...stay away and go through the dealer or somebody on here

[Mynzeyes]

Maybe it's the person putting the parts in?

I've never had any trouble from any parts i've ever bought from AutoZone. Certain things are good to get straight from toyota, such as brake-pads and rotors, but other parts are perfectly fine being replaced by new after-market, or even refurbished items.

Clutches, wipers, starters, spark plugs, suspension components, gaskets, oil, filters, axles, etc can be safely purchased at an outside auto parts place(all of which i've purchased for my celica, and installed with no problems what-so-ever).

Even brake-pads and rotors can be purchased and long lasting from an outside market, i'm just saying some things are better worth spending more money on. The only thing i buy from the toyota dealer are those random things, like rubber headlight gaskets, or an interior peg or something.

-John-

BTW: when you go to toyota, you essentially get the same exact part. The only difference is, when you go to autozone, you get a replica, or a refurbished factory item. They are the same. You pay more for the Toyota name, bc it is the same part.

[CilverSeliST205]

Well here is my autozone experience:

Today i was changing tie rod with my buddy from work (inners, and outers for both sides), turns out that the nut that keeps tierod end in place (the alignment nut or w/e its called) was not included, i wasted two hours going from lee autoparts to ace hardware to home depo to advanced auto to random shops i knew and noone had 14mm locking nut, i had to use 9/16 that wiggled on the inner rod, but my buddy managed to get it tight somehow... now if i was paying someone to do this i would have to pay for his time wasted on looking for a nut... bleh... thank you autozone

[lagos]

heh thats nothing. i bought like 5 replacment axels in a row from them. each one was either broken, the wrong size or broke after 5min of driving.

getting stuff like sparkplugs, oil or something like that is fine... but thats about all i would trust them for.

i found that CarQuest seems to have some good quality stuff, followed by nappa, if you dont want to sell your soul to toyota.

[blu94gt]

I don't even get oil from Autozone anymore, their parts cause nothing but problems for me. Like my Mustang's refurbished power steering pump...after 8 hours of installing the damn thing on the car it doesn't even work and was in worse shape than the one I was replacing.