Armrest replicas - quality? - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

alex87f · 03-15-2023, 11:44 AM

Hey everyone,

The hinge on my original toyota folding armrest is cracking where the inner lid meets the hinge here (picture is from before the damage but you get the point

) :

I don't really want to spend 200 bucks just to replace a place of black plastic, and was looking at getting an Alibaba one instead. Anyone actually bought one and can assess how good they are?

Based on the pictures they look nigh identical to the real deal. So much so that I could probably just use the inner lid from the Aliexpress one and mash it up with the good parts of my Toyota armrest.

Dake · 03-15-2023, 02:51 PM

You paid $200 for it? I bought one of the $35 ones of Ebay years ago and it's still doing fine. They're still available.

alex87f · 03-15-2023, 06:18 PM

I *assume* mine is the real deal (it was on the car when I bought it), though when opening it up I saw no Subaru or Toyota logos anywhere.
The genuine ones that go by PN PZ435-10340-00 are all listed around $200.

I'll pull the trigger on the Aliexpress one and will report back when it shows up.

wolffbite · 03-20-2023, 01:53 PM

My OEM one had a crack in the same place after a year or two. I think it happened after accidentally pushing on it while it was completely open, which overstressed the plastic near the hinge.

I ended up opening it up, and applying from plastic JB weld from the backside. Still working fine 5+ years on, but definitely less than impressed that it started to fail so early for an expensive OEM part.

DarkPira7e · 03-20-2023, 02:08 PM

Mine is a sub $30 replica. Been in the car for a couple years now I think? It's great

norcalpb · 03-20-2023, 02:40 PM

I bought a replica when they were $90. I then wrapped it with a redlinegoods alcantara cover.

3/8” padding:

https://www.redlinegoods.com/BRZshif...SABEgKHxfD_BwE

pope · 03-21-2023, 10:38 PM

I think I paid $20 for my replica armrest and overall it’s fine, but I had to use some small washers to adjust its fit for even gaps when closed.

alex87f · 04-01-2023, 06:22 PM

So I received the Aliexpress replica. It's a 99.9% copy of the real deal. The armrest material actually felt like higher quality, but with poorer adjustment at the seams and poorer shutlines.

The frame also has its holes positioned in a very slightly different way, so if your console is already drilled for a genuine armrest, swapping a replica on would be annoyingly complicated.

My plan of using the inner lid of the replica armrest and keeping the other original parts worked in the end. It required a some adaptation to mount the lid to the padded part of the armrest, but nothing a little elbow grease couldn't fix.

03-15-2023, 11:44 AM	#1
alex87f Meow Join Date: Aug 2017 Drives: GT86, Volvo 996 Location: France Posts: 532 Thanks: 314 Thanked 444 Times in 236 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Armrest replicas - quality? Hey everyone, The hinge on my original toyota folding armrest is cracking where the inner lid meets the hinge here (picture is from before the damage but you get the point ) : I don't really want to spend 200 bucks just to replace a place of black plastic, and was looking at getting an Alibaba one instead. Anyone actually bought one and can assess how good they are? Based on the pictures they look nigh identical to the real deal. So much so that I could probably just use the inner lid from the Aliexpress one and mash it up with the good parts of my Toyota armrest.

03-20-2023, 02:08 PM	#5
DarkPira7e Rust bucket enthusiast Join Date: Feb 2017 Drives: 2013 Turbo Firestorm FRS Location: Vermont Posts: 3,932 Thanks: 3,199 Thanked 4,095 Times in 2,045 Posts Mentioned: 31 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Mine is a sub $30 replica. Been in the car for a couple years now I think? It's great __________________ Turbo FR-S Build - Build Thread JDL EL Recirc manifold, Boostlab BL58x Turbo w/ T51R, 17x9 ARC-8, IAG block

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03-15-2023, 02:51 PM	#2
Dake Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Drives: FR-S Location: Houston Posts: 1,056 Thanks: 464 Thanked 819 Times in 414 Posts Mentioned: 5 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	You paid $200 for it? I bought one of the $35 ones of Ebay years ago and it's still doing fine. They're still available.

03-15-2023, 06:18 PM	#3
alex87f Meow Join Date: Aug 2017 Drives: GT86, Volvo 996 Location: France Posts: 532 Thanks: 314 Thanked 444 Times in 236 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I assume mine is the real deal (it was on the car when I bought it), though when opening it up I saw no Subaru or Toyota logos anywhere. The genuine ones that go by PN PZ435-10340-00 are all listed around $200. I'll pull the trigger on the Aliexpress one and will report back when it shows up.

03-20-2023, 01:53 PM	#4
wolffbite Just the tip Join Date: Mar 2017 Drives: 2017 DGM BRZ Location: BC, CANADA Posts: 630 Thanks: 912 Thanked 875 Times in 376 Posts Mentioned: 3 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	My OEM one had a crack in the same place after a year or two. I think it happened after accidentally pushing on it while it was completely open, which overstressed the plastic near the hinge. I ended up opening it up, and applying from plastic JB weld from the backside. Still working fine 5+ years on, but definitely less than impressed that it started to fail so early for an expensive OEM part.

03-20-2023, 02:40 PM	#6
norcalpb Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Drives: 2013 BRZ, 2023 Model 3 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 2,296 Thanks: 1,212 Thanked 861 Times in 570 Posts Mentioned: 15 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I bought a replica when they were $90. I then wrapped it with a redlinegoods alcantara cover. 3/8” padding: https://www.redlinegoods.com/BRZshif...SABEgKHxfD_BwE

03-21-2023, 10:38 PM	#7
pope has a funny hat Join Date: Feb 2020 Drives: 2014 BRZ Limited Location: MI Posts: 480 Thanks: 1,022 Thanked 613 Times in 271 Posts Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I think I paid $20 for my replica armrest and overall it’s fine, but I had to use some small washers to adjust its fit for even gaps when closed.

04-01-2023, 06:22 PM	#8
alex87f Meow Join Date: Aug 2017 Drives: GT86, Volvo 996 Location: France Posts: 532 Thanks: 314 Thanked 444 Times in 236 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	So I received the Aliexpress replica. It's a 99.9% copy of the real deal. The armrest material actually felt like higher quality, but with poorer adjustment at the seams and poorer shutlines. The frame also has its holes positioned in a very slightly different way, so if your console is already drilled for a genuine armrest, swapping a replica on would be annoyingly complicated. My plan of using the inner lid of the replica armrest and keeping the other original parts worked in the end. It required a some adaptation to mount the lid to the padded part of the armrest, but nothing a little elbow grease couldn't fix.

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