I wish these vendors like Pelican Parts and Auto Haus AZ wouldn't sell Chinese junk in the first place (and I am putting vendors like Meyle and Febi in that bucket, though they are not as bad as the likes of UROparts).

By doing so they are taking advantage of unsuspecting owners and knowingly selling substandard parts, and putting the almighty dollar ahead of the trust and safety of their customers. In my view, this is everything that is wrong with America today. The dollar rules over concern for one's fellow man, and doing the right thing by others.

Agreed. I'm striking Febi off my parts list too. It's a bummer because they had really good parts until recently.

At this point I pretty much just use the dealer/factory parts. Other stuff can't be trusted. I picked up an oil filter recently for my 420 from the dealer, and it was of noticeably higher quality than the "Mann" filter I had in there previously. If even filters are better, then with suspension parts etc, its likely even more important.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

It's important to realize with FEBI, that they are NOT a manufacturer of products. They are a "reboxer" of products. This means that they take other companies' products and put them in a FEBI box and re-sell them.

So, FEBI stuff is a crap-shoot. Sometimes you get a part that is OK, and other times you get utter Chinese junk. You never know .. yet it comes in the same red FEBI box.

The other thing I don't like about Febi is their naming conventions. Meaning they put "FEBI Germany" on the box/logo to fool people into thinking their products are from Germany. At one time, this may have been true. But in recent years, FEBI has been using more and more Chinese junk in their boxes and less and less good stuff.

The other thing they do is deliberately confuse people with the Bilstein shock/strut maker, which is a long-standing top-quality business that has been making suspension damping components for decades. "Bilstein" suspension components company is German and good. FEBI ("FErdinand BIlistein") is a reboxer and NOT a manufacturer as earlier stated. Yet they deliberately play on this name to confuse people to think they are one and the same with the suspension damping components manufacturer. So this is deceptive and in my opinion, underhanded.

For these reasons, I will not use FEBI components in my cars, and this is a rule I made more than three years ago. The last FEBI component I used was a new camshaft for my 1989 560SEC, which was actually a re-boxed TRW cam (which is a decent quality product). The first FEBI cam I had, which the TRW replaced, failed within 3,000 miles after a top-end engine rebuild. The TRW cam has now held up for 29,000 miles. But I swore off FEBI after installing the TRW cam, because you just can't predict what's going to be in that red FEBI box when you get it.

Cheers,
Gerry

For reference...

Same thing I discovered 18+ months ago... posted on my website back in Feb-2012:

http://www.w124performance.com/images/W124_suspension/strut_mount_124-320-14-44/strut_mount_Febi_China.jpg

__________________
Dave
Boise, ID
Check out my website photos, documents, and movies!

^Im just pointing out that my made in China part has "Germany" stamped on it with box photos for proof.

I have used Skyland Mercedes in Asheville, NC (their OEMparts site) for w210 Ball joint very impressed by their prices + free shipping - prompt too.

About a month back I paid $42+ for a Brake light switch locally here at MB of Plano they charged me over the list price. All my future parts are coming from Asheville.

__________________
06 MB E320 CDI 123k miles
14 Sienna (wife's DD) 36k miles
11 GL350 Bluetec 136k (Sold)
96 E300; 292k+ miles (Donated)
11 Sprinter 22K+ miles (Sold)

Not listening to my own advice, I replaced a clunking, split-boot GRM with a Febi one I had on hand. I also had a Lemforder GRM, which was visually identical and similarly stamped 'made in Italy'.

So I remove the spring (absolute WORST job on a W123), drop the LCA, replace the Guide rod bushing & mount, finish the job, get a wheel alignment and be on my way, clunk-free.

A few months later, the same GRM clunk as before happens when braking at low speeds. I've checked for loose calipers, engine mounts, steering & suspension components and am sure the issue is just a poor quality GRM.

What a pain in the arse...

...time to start learning how to do your own alignments.

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

I wish I read this a week ago. I just ordered a new center tie rod for the steering damper. It was a FEBI. I know Ive ordered a number of parts from them, I would have to go back into my records to see which parts they were...

Just wanted to add another recent failure...

My LCA's have been giving me trouble since replacing. I replaced the drivers side once, and it needs to be done again. The passenger side lasted a little longer, but it too has failed.

Lots of popping, squealing when turning the wheel, play in both ball joints, etc.

Luckily I bought from Pelican and they have amazing customer service!

Yurro ... Or Feeble?


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Febi, since this thread is about Febi suspension parts.

They are being replaced with Genuine Mercedes LCA's. Double the price, but if these last as long as the originals did then I will be happy.

W124 Febi front control arms? How many miles before the failure? Was it just the ball joints that were a problem?