spectra premium heater core issue ? / anyone recommend a good heater core ?

another update . after i returned the aluminum one to autozone , i went and ordered one from advance auto . they showed me a picture of the core before buying and it looked like my original . brass or copper etc. the brand is carquest . so the short story is the one i eventually got ( because they kept getting the wrong one a few times ) was as pictured here and works great so far . hot , HOT heat . no leaks . fit good with very minor persuasion .

advance auto parts : carquest heater core part # 399105 for the one WITHOUT factory air conditioning . ( this is the one pictured below ) i lost receipt but i think $ 39.99 plus tax , as of this post

advance auto parts : carquest heater core part # 399120 for the one WITH factory air conditioning . $ 43.99 + tax , as of this post

both of these come with a limited lifetime warranty


the not so short story is , ordered heater core and paid ( you have to pay in advance , in person , before they order it ) a few days go by , go to pick it up , first they couldn't find it . then turned out right order # , but warehouse put it on the wrong box so wrong HC . so then they called the warehouse . no luck . then they called corporate . no luck . so reorder another hc . few days later , go to pick up number two . nope . they got me the one for WITH air conditioning ( was also brass or copper type though ) . so another order for the right one WITHOUT air . picked up the next day , 4th time to store . part right this time and looks good and @ 5.00 cheaper than the wrong one . funny sometimes how this stuff happens .