Anyone actually trust Apex Brand stuff?

[midsizemaverick22]

I've been helping a friend tune up his old Nissan Frontier (VG33E), and he decided to go with an Apex timing set because it was available nearby and seemed solid. We went ahead and installed it, but the chain had some slack straight out of the box. It didn't sit right with us, so we replaced it with a Cloyes set instead.

That was my first experience with Apex, and honestly, it didn't leave me very impressed. It's funny because it wasn't even the cheapest option,it's priced more like a mid-range or premium brand.

Does anyone here actually trust Apex for the long haul? Or is it just fancy budget stuff?

 

[_3dventure]

I've heard similar stories about Apex, and while some folks swear by them for certain components, their timing sets specifically seem to get mixed reviews, and it seems to be like a hit or miss. It's definitely not ideal to have slack on a new chain. I would've personally stuck with tried and true brands like Cloyes, OEM, or even some of the more reputable aftermarket Japanese brands for critical engine components like timing sets, precisely to avoid situations like yours. It's even more frustrating because you said it's not cheap, so it really goes to show that a higher price tag doesn't always guarantee quality!

 

[InitialB]

I've been helping a friend tune up his old Nissan Frontier (VG33E), and he decided to go with an Apex timing set because it was available nearby and seemed solid. We went ahead and installed it, but the chain had some slack straight out of the box. It didn't sit right with us, so we replaced it with a Cloyes set instead.

That was my first experience with Apex, and honestly, it didn't leave me very impressed. It's funny because it wasn't even the cheapest option,it's priced more like a mid-range or premium brand.

Does anyone here actually trust Apex for the long haul? Or is it just fancy budget stuff?

From my experience, most aftermarket "OEM spec" parts are usually low quality. Thats why I tend to avoid sites like RockAuto, they mostly sell these budget brands. A $30 strut might seem like a great deal, but honestly, it's probably junk. Of course, it varies, but if you really care about your car, its best to stick with genuine OEM parts or trusted, highquality alternatives

 

[Bucky]

Are you mainly curious about Apex timing sets specifically, or about their overall parts quality across the board?