Having an EA I sometimes need to source some stuff via the big marketing push we call New Old Stock (NOS). Two recent examples shed some caution on buying some parts.

Shocks
My car had Sensatracs fitted when I bought it and as part of the refurb I put in new shocks. Since Monroe GT Gas are plentiful that's what I fitted. being the wrong side of 40 those guys were way too stiff. Sensatracs are on the way out and are special order so I bought a set off eBay. When I got them the piston rods had pitting and the seals leaked when the shocks were being bled. A check showed they were 1994 production! A closer check showed that the P/N was in fact a real old P/N long gone from the catalog. I sent them back!

Watts Link
I also bought a watts link from the same guy. It was a Noltec refurbished unit with poly bushes. I fitted this kit to my car and followed the OEM Ford manual. I drove around 4000km and noticed a squeaking noise and rattle from the rear. I jacked the car and found the left bush had disintegrated and two of the inner rod bushes torn. Pics attached. If you have purchased a Noltec refurbished or reconditioned watts link off eBay I suggest you check the bushes.

Lesson - parts age on the shelf just like they do in a car. Needless to say I will stay clear of the seller of these parts even though he is honest and fair - just sick of the time stuffing around working on the car and the safety risks of these parts failing.

 

 

Attachments:

File comment: Centre rod bush tearing apart. Notet his is torques by the vendor. IMAG0344sml35.jpg [ 184.92 KiB | Viewed 152 times ]

File comment: LH side bush note one side disintegrated (sorry for bad focus) IMAG0343sml35.jpg [ 166.5 KiB | Viewed 179 times ]

Noltec is s**t.

NOS is actually genuine factory parts that have been sitting on shelves forever.
You just bought old aftermarket parts.
Who said NOS was ever value? It normally costs much much more then aftermarket.

Being a tight a*** never pays.