GordnadoCRD wrote:
Don't go cheap unless you plan on flipping the vehicle within a year or 2. If it's a secondary vehicle or recreational use only, I might lean towards OEM. (chinese junk only if you're dumping the vehicle immediately, IMO).
If you plan on keeping and using it, the HDS housing makes sense to me. The way I figure, the cost comparison breaks even at the third OEM 'stat, and for me that's about 4ish years. After that it's money saved.
THAT is only figuring cost vs mileage. There are likely other small intangible values, such as mileage gains, and engine longevity from proper operating temperature control, but that wasn't figured in.
That's where I'm a little torn ... I'm not entirely sure how much I'll be using it in coming years. I am not selling it, so cheap part was never a consideration. I plan to keep driving, but how much, I don't know. I ordered a Chevy Cruze that I intend to use as a worry-free commuter, but assuming I can get and keep the Jeep in good order, I plan to keep it in the rotation regularly, especially in winter months or anytime I need cargo space. Sometime this year I also hope to finish my 87 Mercedes which I will drive pretty frequently. So, the Jeep isn't going to be the workhorse it is now as far as miles, but it will get more use than a purely recreational vehicle.
That said the mileage gain, possible improvement of engine life, and avoiding an annoying repair down the road are all appealing to me. I've just had a lot of unexpected costs lately so spending a lot more stings.