Should I use "Nissan" parts for a tune up?

Hello all.

I have a 94 Sentra XE and I'm looking to do a tune up (plugs, wires, cap, rotor). Will there be any performance/longevity problems if I get the parts for a local auto store versus "official" Nissan parts?

Thanks.

Brian

Reply to
Brian Burke
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Nissan OEM parts are very expensive. The only ones I found were worth the extra money were spark plugs cables.

Reply to
Daniel

I agree. I bought Bosch cables from AutoZone which were supposedly made for my 97 2.4 PU and the boots that attach to the distributer cap terminals were loose fitting. I was afraid of water getting under them, so I used black plastic ties around each terminal boot to tighten them. Additionally, the length of the shortest cable was a little too long requiring some redirection.

Reply to
Bill Schnakenberg

I use Autozone premium plug wires on my 89 D21 V6 4x4. 160K miles, and still going strong.

Jim Rojas

Reply to
Jim Rojas

Yes.

Reply to
iBuyMinis.Us

You'll get a lot of different opinions, the positive for aftermarket from people mostly trying to save a couple of bucks. Personally I don't feel it's worth the effort to try to save the few $$ not using nissan parts. Considering how long this stuff lasts on todays cars, doing the research to find who makes equal quality replacements, hopeing the aftermarket parts store gives you the right parts and then posibly the time spent re-replacing them when you find out some of it isn't as good and figuring out which part is the problem etc etc.

I'm always amazed people will spend $20,000 to $30,000 for a car and then try to find the cheapest parts they can get when it comes time to do mantainance work! Figure out how often these parts need to be replaced (every 4 years for the average driver) and how much you save using non-nissan parts (maybe $40 at most?) and you're saving $10 a YEAR using something else.. Seems pretty silly to me.

If you do go the "auto store" route, only NGK plugs work right in these cars and I've seen substandard air filters ruin very expencive air mass meters.

Reply to
Steve

Why?

Reply to
WindsorFox[SS]

Very good info. Incidentally, what airfilters and what caused the problem. I don't think it's necessary to use a Nissan oil filter, but I certainly never would use a Fram.

Reply to
WindsorFox[SS]

I can tell by your posture that you are on the other side. It's all good and that is why I love living in the US as we have freedom to chose whatever we want.

Good luck.

As for me I will use factory parts for all my vehicles.

Reply to
iBuyMinis.Us

No idea. Someone else installed them, I just had to fix the damage.

Again what would you use, how do you determine it is the same as a nissan filter and how much money would you save a year using cheaper oil filters that are still high quality?

People make the mistake of assuming that finer filter paper is better. If the filter paper is too fine, when the engine is cold, the excess pressure opens the internal bypass in the block which causes the oil to totally bypass the filter altogether. How would you know if a non-nissan filter is the right micron size to avoid this yet still be fine enough to protect the engine?

As expencive as engine rebuilds are now, I think it's false economy trying to save a couple of dollars on mantainance parts. But then again some people argue that it's OK to run 87 gas in a twin turbo 300 because it has a knock sensor!

Reply to
Steve

Yep me too. I watched my sister and brother buy identical mitsubishi trucks in 1985. I convinced my sister to use only dealer parts down to the oil filters. My brother didn't listen and used whatever he could find cheapest. Both changed the oil every 3000 miles and if anything my sister was more likely to miss oil changes.

My brother's started burning oil at 105K and needed a ring/bearing job. At

125K the lifters went bad. The engine overheated from what turned out to be a poorly made aftermarket waterpump impeller and ruins engine number 2 before the cause could be determined. He had various problem with the carb, a spark plug broke off in the engine (autolite) etc etc.

My sisters truck had 200K on it when she sold it with the original engine and only normal maintanance.

Reply to
Steve

Official parts won't always be better than aftermarket, but at least the official parts will be good enough. So unless you want to do the research to find out which, if any, aftermarket parts are better than the Nissan ones, you might as well go with Nissan.

- Dave

Reply to
Dave

as a previous potser pointed out the only main dealer parts i have come across that seems to be better than aftermarket parts are plug leads, however its possible to pay sometimes 5 times the price for a slightly better fit. there are lots of aftermarket companies out there that i will stay well away from, "first line" and "cooper" to name a couple, but by the same token there are lots of other companies that provide better, and cheaper aftermarket parts. NGK and Champion are 2 of the best known and (probably) most respected plug manufacturers in the world, but not every manufacturer recommends them, why is that? it all comes down to money and contracts between the 2 companies. lets say in 2002 Nissan agree to fit champion plugs to every new Nissan, then that's what they will recommend you buy, if the contract expires and they get a better deal from NGK in 2003 then that's what they will recommend instead. Nissan don't manufacture oil filters do they, they simply put their logo on them and charge you for the privilege. But that's just my opinion.

Reply to
steve

Even if a particular part is inferior to a particular after market part??

Reply to
WindsorFox[SS]

I use Amsoil filters which are made by Hastings. I trust Hastings to have the proper specs and tolerences. I don't know who makes filters for Nissan but I would bet they cost a lot more than what I use. If Champion makes filters for Nissan how do you know that they are all in spec tolerances? You don't really anymore than you know whether the Hastings is, but Hastings has a far better reputation and test results. I know for a fact that my Taylor plug wires are better than genuine Ford (or Nissan) wires and the cost less. Another point would be to price an air filter for a Nissan or a Honda. Then price the same fiter from Infiniti or Acura. Why does the latter cost more?

Reply to
WindsorFox[SS]

Of course there is a big difference between the cheapest possible parts and AM parts that are as good or better with some small savings.

Reply to
WindsorFox[SS]

Possibly that is what I should have said in the begaining ROFL!

Reply to
WindsorFox[SS]

Why? And how many different manufacturers does that same filter fit?

Have you checked? Nissan filters are pretty reasonable.

Reply to
Steve

Throw some champion plugs in your nissan and get back to us..

Reply to
Steve

I buy vehicles made by well known manufacturers. I will trust the engineers at Nissan to assure that OEM replacement parts are as good as it gets.

Reply to
iBuyMinis.Us

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