many of us would vouch for the OEM Aisin kit. TK-021. Check Amazon or Rockauto. In addition, Rockauto will usually tell you if a certain product is the OEM. ie. Bando, Mitsoboshi, Aisin, Denso etc.

Some folks only purchase from the dealer, which is fine, but I only use the dealer if I can’t find it elsewhere.
Next time, it might be better to share your experience with inferior products by naming the item and manufacture along with why or how it failed.
now I am curious, what brand rotors and how did they fail?

 

I was simply passing along my parts purchasing philosophy and don't have any specific issues with particular parts. I don't have a lot of experience with failed replacement parts because I have mostly been using true OEM for the last three/four decades. Prior to that, I was cheap, not very well off, and would buy the best I could afford, typically not from a dealer. Thus, in my old air-cooled Volkswagon days I had my share of failed replacement parts. I started getting into Toyotas in 1980 and hardly looked back. As much as I love wrenching, I don't ever want to break down on the road or destroy an engine, especially due to a failed part! BTW...I don't drive to my local Lexus dealer parts counter, bend over, and say F me. I shop for the best online dealer price.

OEM means different things to different people/retailers. I've seen a lot of parts dealers claim OEM in the loosest sense of the word and I wouldn't particularly trust the company's representative to know or be truthful about the origin/quality of their parts in general. Their objective is to sell parts, and will likely tell you anything you want to hear. For instance, a glass installer told me his OEM glass, without "Lexus" stamped on it, was from the same factory as the true OEM glass. That windshield only lasted a few years in my wife's ES before it started de-laminating around the edges! Recently, I needed a windshield for my SC and paid extra (above what insurance covered) in order to get the glass with the Lexus logo on it. While this is not a 100% guarantee of quality, it increases the odds against premature failure in my book.

My wife's stock ES350 rotors warped at around 30K miles. I replaced them with EBC (USR7387) sport/slotted units which have gone 30K miles without issues.

This site and forum is a great resource, with a lot of really good specific information and contributions. I hope to be able to contribute both specific and age-old wisdom for years to come!

 

Sorry for hi jack this thread,
I did not know that you can order the OEM windshield with Lexus logo. Years ago, when my ES windshield cracked, took it to Lexus dealer for replacement and only be told that I can only get the aftermarket item.May be that have been changed.

OK back to the timing belt. I can not be happier when I found this forum and found Aisin Timing Belt kits. Saved me. $$$$

 

I paid last week for a Dayco timing belt kit £84 with my trade discount at my local parts guy, exact same product at my Lexus dealer £265 +vat.

​​​​​​Just of the record. Knock sensor online £30 I had to pay £241 at Lexus. VVT sensors for the pair at Lexus £700. I bought a full engine last week for under £800 with only 75k miles on it.

Regarding the VVT sensors. Lexus has called me twice asking if I still need them. 😃🤣🤣🤣

 

There is a definite quality difference between aftermarket and Lexus windshield glass. A friend had his windshield glass replaced in his GX470 with aftermarket glass after an object cracked it on the highway. I noticed when looking at an angle it had “waves” in it. No waves in my original Lexus windshields. He didn’t want to pay the up charge with his insurance company. It’s not noticeable when looking ahead, but when you look through it at a very acute angle, such as making a Uturn, or very sharp turn, it is apparent.

 

My question still remain, can you get Lexus windshield with the logo on demand?

 

Yes, one can get a windshield through Lexus with the logo stamped on it. However, most insurance companies won't pay for it. One must pay the difference between the "OEM like" glass and the "Lexus stamped" glass. After my experience with the failure of my ES OEM-like glass, I've paid the extra cost for two subsequent windshield replacements. BTW...Farmers allows one to pay extra on ones premium to have all replacement parts be true OEM, but the vehicle has to be less than 10 years old. I think it is worth it based on fitment issues I've encountered with aftermarket body parts.

 

I thought of one other time a supposed OEM part didn't work out and I had to replace it with a true OEM part from the dealer. My Tundra tripped a code for an O2 sensor. After extensive internet research and talking to Toyota and aftermarket retailers, I took a chance and bought a Bosch sensor for $175 that was touted as OEM by multiple aftermarket retailers. However, the f-ing thing would not reset the monitor in the ECU even after months of driving. The check-engine light did not return, but I couldn't pass smog in CA. I bought the $500 dealer (Bosch) sensor and the monitor reset after a few short drives! This is likely due to some BS ECU programming, but it is what it is.

 

this^^^^^^^^^^

 

All I can say is all O2 sensors I have ever seen on a Lexus are Denso not Bosch. Certainly no car that is made in Japan would have a Bosch sensor.

 

My bad! I pulled the supposed OEM part from my garage that wouldn't pass smog and it was a Denso #234-4169 (2001 Tundra, front bank). The Toyota dealer-bought unit looked identical, but passed smog.

 

I agree. OES (Original Equipment Supplier) and OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) get thrown around like they are interchangeable.

OEM SHOULD MEAN, the same part you get from the dealer. WIth all the same stamps and Part numbers specific to your model.

OES means it was manufactured by the same company that makes the OEM parts.

I personally trust OES as much as I trust OEM, but you are correct. There is a difference.

As with all things, you need to look out for scammers. I HATE when people advertise a 1/2 truth "LEXUS AIR FILTER" instead of stating the total truth "AIR FILTER FOR A LEXUS." Though the filter is for a Lexus, it is not a Lexus Branded Air Filter. Those people suck because even though they are telling you the truth, they are still trying to deceive you.