Gas struts for a boot hatch.

Pyxis

Does anyone know whether the boot gas struts supplied by a dealer of the car make in question would be a lot, lot better than buying some online from a 'made in the UK' supplier?

I've been quoted around £250 for a pair of struts alone, from the dealer, whereas online there is a UK supplier offering some (made in the U.K.) for around £40 -£50 the pair.

I know dealer prices are always higher because they use the authorised parts, but this difference of five times more seems crazy.

Are the cheaper struts likely to fail a lot sooner?

Gloomendoom

Pyxis wrote: »

Are the cheaper struts likely to fail a lot sooner?

They may be the same parts. You will need to know what force to specify.

Pyxis

Gloomendoom wrote: »

They may be the same parts. You will need to know what force to specify.

How do you find out the force?

Is it on the struts in the product code, etc?

wgl2014

Buy the cheaper ones online.

SGS do them, I have a couple of trolley jack's made by them and quality is spot on. I wouldn't be surprised if they exceed the OEM spec.

Pyxis

wgl2014 wrote: »

Buy the cheaper ones online.

SGS do them, I have a couple of trolley jack's made by them and quality is spot on. I wouldn't be surprised if they exceed the OEM spec.

Funnily enough, that's the firm I picked out online.

There were even cheaper ones, but I liked the idea of the SGS ones being made in the U.K., as regards quality assurance, plus they gave a very useful video on how to fit them.

Gloomendoom

Pyxis wrote: »

How do you find out the force?

Is it on the struts in the product code, etc?

It should be marked in Newtons on the barrel.

If you don't get it right, the boot may not stay open or, worse, you may not be able to close it!

Edit: Just had a look at the SGS web site and they do a repair service, so it may be a good idea to ring them and ask for advice. They also do adjustable force struts, although you will need to be in the right ball park to start with.

Pyxis

Gloomendoom wrote: »

It should be marked in Newtons on the barrel.

If you don't get it right, the boot may not stay open or, worse, you may not be able to close it!

Edit: Just had a look at the SGS web site and they do a repair service, so it may be a good idea to ring them and ask for advice. They also do adjustable force struts, although you will need to be in the right ball park to start with.

Thanks for that. Maybe they can just refill the gas, or whatever?


I'm still wondering why the dealer's price is so massively higher, though.

BeenThroughItAll

If you want gas struts, SGS are the place to go. Their quality is excellent.


18 months ago I needed some new struts for the drop down bed fitted above the cab seats in my motorhome of the time. They were big !!!!!!s, with something like a 2500N rating, but I wanted some made up at 2850N if I remember rightly to account for the king-size memory foam mattress topper (at 18KG extra) I'd got on the bed! SGS made me a custom set, for less than £100 delivered.


Motorhome manufacturer/dealer wanted almost £280 PER STRUT and of course they'd have not had the extra oomph I wanted.

BeenThroughItAll

Pyxis wrote: »

Thanks for that. Maybe they can just refill the gas, or whatever?


I'm still wondering why the dealer's price is so massively higher, though.

Because you get a nice manufacturer's logo on the box and screen printed on the strut, not because they're any better.


Needed new struts for the electric tailgate on my Accord tourer: Dealer price £242 a pair. Bought some Monroe struts for £38 off eBay brand new. They're identical and work perfectly - even if I had to replace them every year I'd be able to go until 2024 until I'd spent Honda money.


Don't overthink it.

Pyxis

BeenThroughItAll wrote: »

Because you get a nice manufacturer's logo on the box and screen printed on the strut, not because they're any better.


Needed new struts for the electric tailgate on my Accord tourer: Dealer price £242 a pair. Bought some Monroe struts for £38 off eBay brand new. They're identical and work perfectly - even if I had to replace them every year I'd be able to go until 2024 until I'd spent Honda money.


Don't overthink it.

Thanks!
I did expect a price hike. It just seemed such a mahoosive hike!

BeenThroughItAll

Pyxis wrote: »

Thanks!
I did expect a price hike. It just seemed such a mahoosive hike!

Same reason if I buy the Bosch oil filter in a Honda box from a dealer I pay £27, but if I buy the exact same part number from EuroCarParts I pay £8.


Fuel filter - Honda = £32. ECP = £17.


Normal dealer/manufacturer price differential can be anywhere between 10% and %500.