Share Your Experience

[camlex]

Hello,

I have an opportunity to change my steering pump. Rebuilt costs $172, but Lexus sells it for $311. I need input if anyone has a rebuilt one to see if it works as good as the Lexus steering pump.

Thank you

[Tsquared]

I have used rebuilt pumps for other vehicles and had mixed results. Many of the rebuilt units come with a lifetime warranty. If you have a problem with the pump you can take it back to the parts house for another unit. The down side is it can be a PIA to install and to remove.

[jahon]

buy new, dont get screwed with used rebuilt parts.. new parts are always more reliable IMO.

[SKperformance]

I have a rebuilt pump because my main pulley bearing came apart

the rebuilt one works fine

after all it is only a few parts they actually replace

and mine came with identical replacement bearings and parts inside

[Shaggz]

It's just metal and seals, what's the big deal? Are they made of different metal compositions? That's the only reason I can think of that would make any difference at all. But even then, we already know the Lexus p/s pump lasts for about 150k-200k miles. I can't imagine a logical argument that would suggest a reman pump would not last just as long, or longer.

Depending on your capabilities, you could always rebuild the part yourself. To take apart the p/s pump and "rebuild" it, all you're doing is cleaning it up and replacing the seals. Voila, same original parts except for now it's clean with new seals and you can call it "remanufactured".

I would suggest that in general, there is no advantage to spending a lot more money for the same result. Sure, you may have to get a warranty replacement from time to time, depending on your karma, but it's far cheaper and general just as effective to use reman parts in the long run. Experts out there, if I'm wrong please educate me :)

As for personal experience, I replaced my p/s pump and pressure hose last weekend using reman parts from www.buyautoparts.com. It's actually kind of funny though, because the pump actually looks like it may be better quality (at least from the outside) than the original one. I also just replaced my seized up fan bracket mounting assembly yesterday and ended up getting that part from my local Lexus dealer for $225. Primary reason being the only other supplier I could find that even stocked this part was only $40 cheaper and would have taken until next week to get here.

[jragosta]

Hello,

I have an opportunity to change my steering pump. Rebuilt costs $172, but Lexus sells it for $311. I need input if anyone has a rebuilt one to see if it works as good as the Lexus steering pump.

Thank you

←

Depends on how long you plan to keep the car. If you're planning to sell it in the next 6 months, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

If you're planning to keep it longer, I'd want to be convinced that the people who rebuilt it really did the job properly and know what they're doing. There are plenty of 'rebuilders' who take parts from the junkyard, clean them up a bit, and call them rebuilt. Unless you know the people who did it very well, I wouldn't think it's worth the savings.

[psolov]

Hello,

I have an opportunity to change my steering pump. Rebuilt costs $172, but Lexus sells it for $311. I need input if anyone has a rebuilt one to see if it works as good as the Lexus steering pump.

Thank you

←

I usually buy OEM but with power steering pumps Lexus doesn't have a good track record..experience from two SC400s and and a LS430. The ones sold by Lexus are made by other manucaturers like DENSO.

Check out the manufacturer stamp on the pump and see if the company makes ones for your car.

[SKperformance]

Mine came with a 2 yar warr

and was no different for $200

[camlex]

I spoke to my mechenic, He going to install rebuilt PSP for $250.

Thanks for your all inputs.

[ArmyofOne]

I spoke to my mechenic, He going to install rebuilt PSP for $250.

Thanks for your all inputs.

←

The mechanic i go to ( you all know him) prefers a lexus power steering pump becuase he has seen Aftermarket ones fail after as little as 1,000 miles. i myself do not have the $450 to spend on a lexus power steering pump, $450 will buy me 6 aftermarket power steering pumps, so even if i have to replace one a year, i still am dead even for 6 years.

i have a set of rebuilt driveaxles that have been installed for over 1,000 miles and have given me zero issues. remanufacturerd parts go through the same quality standards (sometimes more strict ones) as new parts. so i have no issue with rebuilt parts.

[camlex]

May be I don't know too much about rebuilts PSP.

But its depend who is rebuilting. May my mechenic knows

somebody who he is trusting. but thank you for encourage me.

Thanks,

[jragosta]

I spoke to my mechenic, He going to install rebuilt PSP for $250.

Thanks for your all inputs.

←

The mechanic i go to ( you all know him) prefers a lexus power steering pump becuase he has seen Aftermarket ones fail after as little as 1,000 miles. i myself do not have the $450 to spend on a lexus power steering pump, $450 will buy me 6 aftermarket power steering pumps, so even if i have to replace one a year, i still am dead even for 6 years.

←

Well, that's true if you don't have any labor costs.

AND if your down time isn't important to you.

AND if you don't mind being stuck in the middle of nowhere and having to get the car towed in when the pump fails.

The decision obviously depends on your personal situation, but I would never install a rebuilt pump - for exactly the reason your mechanic is stating.

[ArmyofOne]

I spoke to my mechenic, He going to install rebuilt PSP for $250.

Thanks for your all inputs.

←

The mechanic i go to ( you all know him) prefers a lexus power steering pump becuase he has seen Aftermarket ones fail after as little as 1,000 miles. i myself do not have the $450 to spend on a lexus power steering pump, $450 will buy me 6 aftermarket power steering pumps, so even if i have to replace one a year, i still am dead even for 6 years.

←

Well, that's true if you don't have any labor costs.

AND if your down time isn't important to you.

AND if you don't mind being stuck in the middle of nowhere and having to get the car towed in when the pump fails.

The decision obviously depends on your personal situation, but I would never install a rebuilt pump - for exactly the reason your mechanic is stating.

←

i refurbish things for a living. i can tell you from personal experience that all refurbished items go through STRICT Final Quality Audits, some standards even more strict than the ones for New items. i have no problem with rebuilt anything.

a rebuilt motor will run just as long as a new one, and in some cases, longer. i had an aftermarket power steering pump on my ranger (see sig). it was remaned. lasted 100,000 miles (till i sold it) and it was still going strong. its a matter fo personal prefernce honsetly.

oh, and you need to get some muscles dude! if you cant get a car with no power steering to a mechanic, you need to hit the bowflex! i drove my contour with no power steering (i disabled it for a mod) for a year. the only thing it might do is prematurely wear a rack and pinion. but not one time. you dont have ato get a car with no power steering towed. i drive a 68 Charger R/T without power steering all the time.

[SKperformance]

agreed ,sort of

The powersteering pump can be remaned by anyone ,what parts are used is what will make it last or not

a disabled pump can cause a problem on a 92-96 es which uses a hydralic cooling fan so it can overheat if it stops but should be fine if driven at over 30 mph

i am pretty sure the 97 uses an electric fan though

good luck

the better way to evaluate the pump is to look how long the warr replacement is

6 months forget about buying it

12 months is ok

but 2 years is someoen who stands behind their work

[ArmyofOne]

agreed ,sort of

The powersteering pump can be remaned by anyone ,what parts are used is what will make it last or not

a disabled pump can cause a problem on a 92-96 es which uses a hydralic cooling fan so it can overheat if it stops but should be fine if driven at over 30 mph

i am pretty sure the 97 uses an electric fan though

good luck

the better way to evaluate the pump is to look how long the warr replacement is

6 months forget about buying it

12 months is ok

but 2 years is someoen who stands behind their work

←

The aftermarket pump i will be putting on my lexus has a Lifetime warranty.

[camlex]

Thank you to everyone for their input. Job is done.(I went with rebuilt)

Hope Brake job will be the last job for this baby.

Again, Thanks.

[JPI]

Thank you to everyone for their input. Job is done.(I went with rebuilt)

Hope Brake job will be the last job for this baby.

Again, Thanks.

←

Lexus have the rebuilt PSP kit for $15. They used to offer this service but after many rechecks and upset clients. They stopped it in 2000, at least Parkplace Lexus did. The success rate on this is 7 to 10. It's very time consuming and many special tools are needed. The hardest part about the rebuilt is to make sure you have the vanes back in it orginal position. Otherwise, it will make a lot of noise. We trust lexus parts and that is the only thing we put on our client's car! Autozone parts are lifetime warranty but you will have to replace 4 or 5 times before getting a right or good part.

JPI

[jragosta]

i refurbish things for a living. i can tell you from personal experience that all refurbished items go through STRICT Final Quality Audits, some standards even more strict than the ones for New items.  i have no problem with rebuilt anything. 

a rebuilt motor will run just as long as a new one, and in some cases, longer.  i had an aftermarket power steering pump on my ranger (see sig). it was remaned.  lasted 100,000 miles (till i sold it) and it was still going strong.  its a matter fo personal prefernce honsetly. 

oh, and you need to get some muscles dude!   if you cant get a car with no power steering to a mechanic, you need to hit the bowflex! i drove my contour with no power steering (i disabled it for a mod) for a year. the only thing it might do is prematurely wear a rack and pinion.  but not one time. you dont have ato get a car with no power steering towed.  i drive a 68 Charger R/T without power steering all the time.

←

Since you refurbish things for a living, I would say that your opinion might be just a bit biased.

And while you are no doubt one of those refurbishers who does everything right and can provide a very high quality part, that doesn't negate the fact that there's a lot of crap out there being passed off as refurbished. That's why I made the comment that you need to have confidence in the people who did the work.

IN GENERAL, it's not realistic to expect that refurbished parts will last as long or longer than OEM parts. A refurbished part has wear that a new part does not have. Even though you're replacing the obvious wear parts, things like the bodies can have small cracks that you don't see.

I consider it a risky money saving venture. If you have complete confidence in the people who did the work, it might be worth it. Otherwise (such as if you're getting a no-name refurb part), I'd generally stay away.

[ArmyofOne]

Since you refurbish things for a living, I would say that your opinion might be just a bit biased.

And while you are no doubt one of those refurbishers who does everything right and can provide a very high quality part, that doesn't negate the fact that there's a lot of crap out there being passed off as refurbished. That's why I made the comment that you need to have confidence in the people who did the work.

i should have been more clear, i am a manager at Motorola. i oversee the refurbishment of phones. and while i understand that cellular telephones are not car parts, i also can tell you that 99% of our final product is 100% rebuilt with new parts. the only thing that isnt replaced is the main circut board, which is completely erased and updated with the latest software.

i can only expect the same from auto parts manufacturers.

when an engine is refurbished, for example, EVERYTHING except the very core parts (pistons, although sometimes these are replaced too, and block) is replaced with NEW parts, not used. refurbished does not mean rebuilt with used parts. it means rebuilt with NEW parts.

a SMALL portion of our product goes out and comes back, but then we wouldnt have a job if it didnt, and we cant catch everything. but we do catch 99% of it.

sorry for the confusion, and im not tryingt o jump down anyones throat. im just saying new parts are not neccesarily better.

[ArmyofOne]

Thank you to everyone for their input. Job is done.(I went with rebuilt)

Hope Brake job will be the last job for this baby.

Again, Thanks.

←

Lexus have the rebuilt PSP kit for $15. They used to offer this service but after many rechecks and upset clients. They stopped it in 2000, at least Parkplace Lexus did. The success rate on this is 7 to 10. It's very time consuming and many special tools are needed. The hardest part about the rebuilt is to make sure you have the vanes back in it orginal position. Otherwise, it will make a lot of noise. We trust lexus parts and that is the only thing we put on our client's car! Autozone parts are lifetime warranty but you will have to replace 4 or 5 times before getting a right or good part.

JPI

←

you put those aftermarket CV joints on my car no questions asked. i understand you reccomend lexus, and i see why. but i (and some others) do not have the $$$$$ to fork over for lexus parts right now. refurbished will have to do in some cases. there will always be people who cant afford the bestpart, but need their car, so they get one that will "do the job".

[jragosta]

Since you refurbish things for a living, I would say that your opinion might be just a bit biased.

And while you are no doubt one of those refurbishers who does everything right and can provide a very high quality part, that doesn't negate the fact that there's a lot of crap out there being passed off as refurbished. That's why I made the comment that you need to have confidence in the people who did the work.

i should have been more clear, i am a manager at Motorola. i oversee the refurbishment of phones. and while i understand that cellular telephones are not car parts, i also can tell you that 99% of our final product is 100% rebuilt with new parts. the only thing that isnt replaced is the main circut board, which is completely erased and updated with the latest software.

i can only expect the same from auto parts manufacturers.

←

I see. That's the problem.

While you're doing it the right way, there are a lot of shops who don't. You can buy 'refurbished' parts that are simply parts taken from the junkyard and cleaned off.

I agree that if it's done properly, a refurb can be OK. But a huge percentage in the auto business are not done properly. And the ones that are won't be as big a savings as the cheapo ones.

[ArmyofOne]

Since you refurbish things for a living, I would say that your opinion might be just a bit biased.

And while you are no doubt one of those refurbishers who does everything right and can provide a very high quality part, that doesn't negate the fact that there's a lot of crap out there being passed off as refurbished. That's why I made the comment that you need to have confidence in the people who did the work.

i should have been more clear, i am a manager at Motorola. i oversee the refurbishment of phones. and while i understand that cellular telephones are not car parts, i also can tell you that 99% of our final product is 100% rebuilt with new parts. the only thing that isnt replaced is the main circut board, which is completely erased and updated with the latest software.

i can only expect the same from auto parts manufacturers.

←

I see. That's the problem.

While you're doing it the right way, there are a lot of shops who don't. You can buy 'refurbished' parts that are simply parts taken from the junkyard and cleaned off.

I agree that if it's done properly, a refurb can be OK. But a huge percentage in the auto business are not done properly. And the ones that are won't be as big a savings as the cheapo ones.

←

Yeah, i guess maybe my definition of refurbished is a little skewed.

I asked my dad what is done to a rebuilt engine, (i thought i already knew this, and every engine i have ever rebuilt for anyone has had ALL new parts) but heres what he said:

Take apart engine, inspect parts that are removable, replace heavily worn/bad parts with either new or used parts.

:chairshot: DOH that will do it. I was always taught to strive for the best in everything i do, but apparently alot of people dont think like that. Oh what a sheltered life i have lived...LOL.

i understand there can be bad ones, but i didnt knwo they only replaced bad parts. In my defintion, parts should be replaced whether they are bad or not, thats what "refurbished" means, both to me and to Motorola. but then it would have to mean that to Motorola, because only then can they get away with marketing Refurbished Cellular Phones as "New", and actually, we dont do that, the carriers are responsible for the marketing, we only do a small bit of advertising for our company.

[camlex]

Checking some back logs,

just update

After market PSP was changed @ 131,000 Now i have 297,500 with same rebuilt pump. and still no problem..

Thanks,