Hey everybody, has anyone seen or heard of FCP Groton. They sell chassis/ suspension parts. They are a European parts supplier and they have a 8-piece control arm kit for our 4th gens that come with 2 control arms w/ ball joints, inner-outer tie rods, and sway bar links for $132. I'm looking to buy this kit next week or so. I wanna know if anyone has this on there car or have used it in the past because I wanna know if it's really good quality. I've read some of there reviews online and they are great! Nearly all of the reviews are from German vehicle owners. Let me know!

website: http://www.fcpgroton.com/

4th Gen 8 piece kit: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nissan-Maxim...ht_3177wt_1010

 

Anyone???

 

go to the group deal section.. i've purchased this exact product directly from them and they are great. of course my bushings had pretty much disintegrated so any replacement was good.

they had it to my front door in about 4 days.

 

Ok, cool! Great to hear man! I'm gonna check them out. Did you notice any difference compared to stock?

 

I'm a long time BMW owner, dealer tech, and now independant BMW repair shop owner. FCP Groton has a long history in the BMW world. They are NOT a European parts supplier. They have an office/address in Germany, and have a European sounding name, but the parts are all made in China. Complete crap. Cheap, cheap crap. I've seen bushings last less than 3 months, and I've seen ball joint and tie rod boots tear out during installation.

 

Made in China? Damn, for real?

 

Yeah, do some Googling on the subject. I won't install the parts when people bring them into my shop. We used to, but they were failing so fast, it was hurting our reputation, even though we didn't supply the parts.

 

Well bro, I found some different opinions with people using FCP Groten on there 4th gens. I'm sorry u experienced issues with BMW's, Volvo's, and other German manufacturers using this product but, the proof is in the pudding. Maybe Japanese vehicles have a different outcome

proof: http://forums.maxima.org/group-deals...cp-import.html

 

That seems dirt cheap to me and according to first hand experience via son of lars, they are cheap for a reason. THe quality of the product wont change just bc your putting it onto a different car mpvibes. Id heed his advice and go with OEM control arms and energy suspension bushings or Moog bushings

 

As always, your mileage may vary. Do what you like, and spend your money wherever you like. Personally, I stick to Sankei/555, AST, Energy Suspension, etc, in my Japanese cars. It's worth the extra money to me, because I HATE spending my Sunday's in the shop doing the same job twice.

YMMV.

 

I feel you bro! How much did you pay for the control arm kit for your japanese cars?

 

I installed Movtech LCAs and Moog tie rod ends and ES end links about 6 months ago and the Movtech lcas have held up pretty well and im satisfied with them I paid $55 each for them (through rock auto) and $20 each for the moog rod ends.

 

Let me get this straight, so u want me to get oem control arms moog or energy bushings? Remember, I need a 8 piece kit and if I go all oem that would be the price of a vq35 engine. Bump dat!

 

maybe you havent checked out courtesy nissan's site yet but if you think it will cost as much as an engine to replace your control arms and end links and ball jonits....you need to stop working on your car. Or you could replace it with your cheap chinese parts and eff your allignment up

 

I already went buddy. Courtesy has control arms alone for $186 a piece, sway bar links $35 a piece, tie rods outer $41 a piece, tie rods inner $74 a piece. Hold on let me pull out my calculator so I can add it up for you.......$672 (not including shipping and other fees)! I can get a VQ35 engine for about that price.

 

Show me one place you can get the good 35 engine and get it into your car for that price. Yes replacing suspension parts is expensive, you cant do it for $130 BUDDY

 

Easy! I'm from Miami, FL we get these engines for a damn good price. Sometimes you find some for $500 with no problems. Its all about who you know. Dade County baby !

P.S. I will be doing a VQ35 swap "myself" in the near future. I already did my 5 speed swap (check my thread).

 

ask Tbehr all about that. he lives in FLA too lol. Altima final drives in the tranny's and allllllll chinese parts. a $500 engine then becomes not such a good deal lol. good luck anyways. your better off getting a donor car and shelling out the cash for the genuine parts where it counts. On the suspension just get the OEM control arms. thats the most important part neways

 

Ok, I feel u. Like I said it's all about who you know. One of my boys had a 2005 Max VQ35 engine already out of a wrecked Max, engine was good! $500 was "my" price but, I didn't have the money at the time because I was doing my 5 speed swap.

 

But if you get the VQ35 motor to put into your 4th gen, you still will have bad suspension parts.

You dont have to get everything OEM. Moog has everything for cheaper but they dont make control arms. They aren't as cheap as that vendor you linked.

Are those guys lifetime warranting EVERYTHING?

But that kit does peak my interst, while i dont need all the stuff, i could just replace them.

 

I've used FCP from the group deal in the past and never had a issue with anything except the 5th gen LCA hitting my rotor due to a BBK.there products are fine and there service is outstanding i would not give it a second thought!i am currently restoring a 4th gen and i am ordering everything from them to do brakes and front end i trust there parts just like the many other org members due.so seriously i would not take the opinion of one over the reactions of the many satisified people on here.

 

You need to realize one very important fact in life YGWYP4

 

Alright ya'll, I just got off the phone with Ellison from FCP Groton. I asked him if people had any problems with the $120 kits for the 4th gens and he said like 2-3 people out of the 400+ people who he sold these kits to had problems but, that was due to "INSTALLATION". There is a 1 year warranty on the parts, it comes with "LIFETIME WARRANTY" if installed by an ASE Certified mechanic or you can pay 10% of the cost of the kit. For the $120 kit, the sway bar links don't come with bushings, the bushings will be an additional $4 each, so kit will be $128 shipped! If you wanna call him up his name is Ellison and his contact # is 1-877-634-0063 ext. 213

 

Fill yer boots, dude! I'll be over here, spending a few extra bucks on OEM parts.

BTW, OEM ball joints for my Z31 were $12 each, and $24 for the my 2nd gen Maxima.

 

How many miles do you have with the FCP parts on your max? Did you notice a big difference in ride quality when you switched over to FCP?

 

for most people, you dont need inner rods. If you didn't hit anything most like there isn't too much play in your inners, your outers will be good enough.

Rockauto prices.

MOOG inner tie rod = $29 each
MOOG out tie rods $26
MOOG endlinks with bushings = $18.33 each ( FCP doesn't seem to have the bushing)
MOOG sway bar bushings is $6 ( FCP doesn't have those in the pictures either )

MEVOTECH ARMS $55 each (people here love them)

So looks about $265 for the stuff or under $300 shipped for KNOWN 100% good branded stuff. Aside from Mevotech, MOOG is 100% respected by people who know cars and car parts. Almost no one has an issue or would think twice of going with MOOG items.

I'm not saying FCP is bad, because i dont know first hand. But thats a more fair comparison VS OEM. $300 VS $120. 100% for sure if i was selling my 4th gen, i would install this kit and sell it. Cheapest wins hands down and let the other person deal with it. But my 4th gen is my baby bro's DD.

I might go the kit myself based off the 3/400 ratio, but i dont believe that 100%. Some people might not report failures, know of failures and more importantly if a failure did happen say due to a control arm going bad they might not be alive to tell a story if it was a rare case of BAD.

I'm playing both sides so no one goes into this blindly thinking they are 100% good and safe. Parts might be on par with everything but QC for moog might be better then FCP

 

LCA on the 5th gen lasted 12k before the car was stolen.

 

I dont think they could make a "bad" control arm persay the only thing I would be worried about is fittment and clearance. To say 2 people werent satisfied out of 400? either Im wrong or hes lying but on my car, I pay the extra price to have piece of mind. Its like going with cheap tires, yea they will probably be fine but you life is literally riding on them so why take the chance? brakes, suspension and tires are things I dont cheap out on

 

Just replaced everything this 8-piece kit replaces EXCEPT the Inner Tie-rod Ends. Those will be replaced when I get a Rack & Pinion.

Got all my parts from RockAuto.com All Moog except for the Beck/Arnley LCAs ($90 ea). Paid roughly around $300 or so best I can remember.

If you can get a VQ35DE in GOOD condition for TWICE that lemme know & I'll buy two.

Chances I'd buy FCP over Moog: 0

 

i found a vq35 complete on car-part.com $695 you buy 2 and send me one

 

Unless the maxima was in a horrible front end wreck, you do not need to replace the control arms.

To lessen up down time, goto a pick and pull and get 2x control arms, take them to a shop with....

Used Control Arms (Shouldn't be any more than $20 a side, if it's more then keep shopping)
New Ball Joints (Orielys, lifetime warranty)
New End Links (Same as above)
ES Black Bushings
ES Sway Bar Bushings.

And have the shop assemble them for you (the best they can, of course there will be some loose nuts here and there).

Then wait till the weekend, invite some friends over and swap out the control arms.

Of course you can just get the complete set from FCP, but this way you know you're getting parts that will last as long as the vehicle is running, I did it this way and I couldn't be happier

I don't know anything about FCP or their parts, but I do know that almost all of the front end on my vehicle is under lifetime warranty.

 

Wow! Not bad but, sorry for the lost. Was your car lowered (any suspension mods)?

 

Guys

Im not going to come on here and BS you or tell you false info. I will simply state our case and let it be. For the guys who have used us and know how we are will back us. Our customer service is top notch.

We are located in Old Saybrook CT, not in Germany. We have a 30,000 square foot warehouse were you yourself can check us out and purchase parts if you want. We started out as a Volvo specialist site and have since grown into a eCommerce offering products for Audi/VW Mercedes Benz, BMW, and Volvo for the European cars.

We now have moved into the Asian cars offering up the kits I offer on here at super low prices as a thank you to the community, not because they are junk parts. Ask all the guys who have bought from me on here. They will tell you. Have I had a part fail...yes of course. It happens. No vendor can say they 0 defects. I can tell you right now that a customer is on this very forum with an issue and his name is Nate. I am taking care of him and everything is good.

We are also have updated our catalogs with the better brands out there such as Meyle, Lemforder, Gates, EMPI, Conti and many more. We also can source OEM parts. Check out the sites and you be the judge of it. If you don't like something tell us. If you think we should carry something in particular, let me know. I will gladly help out anyone who is willing to share there thoughts.

Sorry for the rant but I feel everyone should know the truth.

 

Nice to see some name brand parts coming, too. But your house brand parts are made in China, aren't they?

 

To be honest what isn't? Not to sound like a smart *** but even Volvo's parts are being made in China, Lemforder moved to China, and Brembo makes parts where ever is cheapest. Its not something we want to hear but the truth is most parts are coming from there and its a matter of Quality. We do have a in house inspection guy who looks at everything that comes in. If we wouldn't put it on our car we don't sell it.

 

Its nice to see a rep on the forum. Its funny though, even the JDM parts are made, for the most part, in Taiwan. The price just seems so low for a reason. Comparing with genuine nissan parts its way off in the price points. What is your return policy and how do you handle the return shipping cost of weighty items such as these?

 

http://www.fcpeuro.com/page/returns-and-exchanges

 

As I understand it, even if the product doesn't come with a warranty, FCP warranties it for 12mo? The return shipping is paid by the customer....Thats what I don't like. If something is wrong, I shouldn't have to pay to have the problem remedied. With car parts, you find out they are bad or broken AFTER you install them and your terms state you don't accept installed products back. Take a starter for example, it could be bench tested fine but you get it on your car and it doesn't work. What would happen in this case?

 

If a part comes defective out of the box and you call with in two weeks of receiving the product then we will pick it up and send out a new one.

For warranties yes you have to send out the part on your dime, but we cover the freight back out to you.

I supplied you the basics of our return policy. Is there going to be a grey area or something that is just out of the norm... yes and we will work on it with you and not be that guy who says "The Rules are the Rules" We are more then fair in my mind.

 

ok well I am currently doing an overhaul of my stock suspension and will keep FCP in mind next time I order something.