Recently people have been saying, with an almost religious fervor, you should (must?) use an OEM part for the front O2 sensor. I have two questions:

 

1) Why?

 

2) What defines an OEM O2 sensor? Who makes them--Bosch, Denso, Subaru themselves?

 

Please discuss.

this has been discussed before and no conclusive answers are forthcoming. it's as much personal preference as anything else, i suggest sifting through and reading the other threads.

 

buying an OEM brand item does not actually mean it's the same part. it might be and it might not. companies can make different grades and vary quality controls for supplying to manufacturers (who have specification sheets) and aftermarket companies (who may not or they may be different).

 

you should take a statistics course, nothing is black and white. if aftermarkets have a %5 problem rate and OEM does not, then 95% of the time they're fine. to some people that %5 rate is annoying and not worth their time. to others they don't mind taking %50 risks to save a penny, and there's both of those mind sets on a board like this.

 

that's why you here all sorts of opinions because a lot of what you're reading here is anecdotal. a few experiences is statistically irrelevant.

 

so study up some industrial engineering, manufacturing engineering, statistics and this stuff all makes much more sense rather than trying to quantify something that can't be.

Bosch makes Subaru OEM O2 sensors.

I didn't want to go with the OEM/Bosch for my 01 OB since it lasted only 42Kmi and the subaru dealer wanted 3-4 times more then the Napa/Bosch sensor ..the Napa version which looked identical has been working perfect for well over 60Kmi now the OB passes our emission testing with ease..Denso makes the rear O2

Edited January 26, 201016 yr by Petersubaru

I got a generic Bosch unit for 2 bucks(tech's price) the other variant that was more expensive had the molded plug specific to a subaru. the generic unit was just a bare wire at the end. No other difference between them.

 

This is often an arguing point or suggestion for advice.

 

please continue this discussion here!

 

OEM gaskets vs Felpro, and others

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=108259