I'm looking at replacing the brake servo on my 1996 300Tdi 90.
There's an 'apparent' massive range from £45 up to £250 and everything in between. One of the ones up for £250 even says unbranded
Surely there can't be that many manufacturers to warrent a myriad of different prices? Britpart, Bearmach, Allmakes, TRW. So why the big range of prices for brake servos? The range seems different to other parts I've looked up in the past.
The only ones I see with the brand actually named are TRW and Bearmach. Haven't seen anyone declaring Britpart or Allmakes yet.
I'm pretty sure the part number should be LR013488/STC442 Is that right?
If I'm going to settle on a branded one it looks like my options are £190 for a TRW one from Paddocks or about £90 for a Bearmach one. I've lost where I saw that one now cos my eyes are going around in circles.

Can anyone vouch for the Bearmach one? Or, have bought one of the many 'unbranded' ones and it's been fine. If so where from? Even Paddocks and LR Direct are not that helpful when it comes to servos

I'm pretty sure that part number's right, assuming you haven't got ABS. Last time I fitted a new servo it said Lucas TRW on the box - I was trying to avoid anything that might have had anything to do with Britpart. I believe my non-ABS 2006 model has the same servo as yours. I can't comment on the reliability of the Bearmach ones, as I haven't had one. In the case of the servo, it's not quite as mission critical as the master cylinder. If it fails it just means that the brakes are a lot stiffer as you don't have the suction helping you, but the braking system itself is intact. So I'd want a reasonably good one but unlike the master cylinder it doesn't have to be from a famous-name brake manufacturer.

Brown said:

I'm pretty sure that part number's right, assuming you haven't got ABS. Last time I fitted a new servo it said Lucas TRW on the box - I was trying to avoid anything that might have had anything to do with Britpart. I believe my non-ABS 2006 model has the same servo as yours. I can't comment on the reliability of the Bearmach ones, as I haven't had one. In the case of the servo, it's not quite as mission critical as the master cylinder. If it fails it just means that the brakes are a lot stiffer as you don't have the suction helping you, but the braking system itself is intact. So I'd want a reasonably good one but unlike the master cylinder it doesn't have to be from a famous-name brake manufacturer.

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Very sage advice, as usual, Brown. Cheers mate.

Brown said:

I'm pretty sure that part number's right, assuming you haven't got ABS. Last time I fitted a new servo it said Lucas TRW on the box - I was trying to avoid anything that might have had anything to do with Britpart. I believe my non-ABS 2006 model has the same servo as yours. I can't comment on the reliability of the Bearmach ones, as I haven't had one. In the case of the servo, it's not quite as mission critical as the master cylinder. If it fails it just means that the brakes are a lot stiffer as you don't have the suction helping you, but the braking system itself is intact. So I'd want a reasonably good one but unlike the master cylinder it doesn't have to be from a famous-name brake manufacturer.

Click to expand...

I've bought a TRW G suffix one with a 2 Year warranty from LR Direct.