Junk new parts and multiple part failures

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Talk of cheap parts that don't work reminds me of a story.

Guy goes to a junkyard and says, "I need a door for a 67 Chevy. How much are they?" Junkyard owner says, "They're $25 but I don't have one right now"

Guy goes down the road to another yard and asks the same question. This junkyard guy says, "They're $125 and I have two." The potential buyer says, "Hey, guy down the road only charges $25 but he doesn't have one right now". The junkyard guy says, "Yeah, when I don't have them they are only $20."
 
This is why I use genuine VW and Toyota parts on my cars and trucks, unless I'm putting a high quality performance part on. I figure the OEM part made it a long ways, so there is no reason to put anything else on.

robert
 
I'm going back to a Delco O2 sensor on my Buick since the Denso that is in there currently took a dive on me. I know it's just a name on a box. Still, I'd like to believe the Delco-boxed part will be an OEM-spec sensor that will last longer than 20k miles.
 
Ran into the same problem as Chris with a Hayden fan clutch for my Jeep Cherokee. The OEM clutch was weak after 22 years of use, so I replaced it during a radiator replacement job. The new Napa (Hayden made in CA in a Napa box) unit sure was nice and quiet. Too bad it never locked up, even at 230+. So much for the job being super easy without the radiator in there. Still not terrible, just more of a hassle. Returned it for a replacement, and the new one was identical - it never locked up at 230+. Brought it back and demanded a refund.

Then went to look for a different brand. Most places all carried Hayden. Ended up with a made in China Torqueflow from Autozone. This one definitely locks up and sounds like a Mack truck! Engages a bit sooner than I'd like, but I'll take more fan flow than too little any day of the week...
 
Sometimes, OEM parts aren't what they used to be either...

When my truck was in the body shop this past winter, the body shop pulled a brand new GM OEM tail light out of the box... and the fit was quite lacking. They fit the old tail light into the opening (which had a chunk broken out of the lens), and it fit perfectly.

They started examining the "OEM" tail light, and noticed that the "Guide" logo (Guide is the OEM manufacturer of GM tail lights) was missing off of the back. The tail light was stamped as being made in Taiwan.

Seems that the OEM's are now substituting cheaper parts as well. The manager of the body shop told me that they're running into this more and more as time goes on. They've just had to think smarter, rather than work harder.

From past experience, the body shop called LKQ, and got a factory installed tail light (verified as having the Guide logo) off of a same year wrecked truck, and had it shipped to them.

They cleaned it up, slipped it in, and it fit perfectly.

Plus, I don't have any confidence that the new OEM tail gate that they installed is nearly the quality of the old one. It sure feels a lot lighter than the original one that was destroyed in the wreck. I should take it off and weigh it, and weigh the tail gate on Dad's Sierra as a comparison.

However, I don't think I wanted a 6 year old used tail gate, due to potential rust issues.
 
Yes I hope that we have bottomed out on the off shoring and the quality drop that goes along with it. But probably not.......

Sad thing is made in the USA is sometimes not the ticket either.
 
I installed an VDO/Siemens blower motor on a Ford Taurus that was made in China. Loud little sucker - the bearings were cheap.
 
Dealer supplied "factory" replacement parts are very often not the same high quality as the original factory parts. I once went to a dealer to get a replacement thermostat, pulled it out of the "factory" box and it said stant on it. They wanted $25, so I went to the local parts house and bought a stant superstat for about $6.

BTW, I have never had an issue with Hayden fan clutches.
 
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Even if it was the wrong clutch it would react. I'd rather suspect that some medical marijuana production person and QA person were day dreaming and a whole shift went out that shouldn't have.
 
Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
Even if it was the wrong clutch it would react. I'd rather suspect that some medical marijuana production person and QA person were day dreaming and a whole shift went out that shouldn't have.


So that's why the USA quality control is going downhill?
33.gif
 
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Sometimes, OEM parts aren't what they used to be either...

When my truck was in the body shop this past winter, the body shop pulled a brand new GM OEM tail light out of the box... and the fit was quite lacking. They fit the old tail light into the opening (which had a chunk broken out of the lens), and it fit perfectly.

They started examining the "OEM" tail light, and noticed that the "Guide" logo (Guide is the OEM manufacturer of GM tail lights) was missing off of the back. The tail light was stamped as being made in Taiwan.

. .


Not too fast....perhaps the body shop was trying to cut corners and still charge the higher OEM price...

If the supposed OEM replacement part didn't say "Guide" on it it was NOT an OEM part and GM wouldn't supply that part...always be wary when using shops today....I'd say at least half the time you are dealing with dishonest or even crooked people. I'm not saying for certain that this in the case in your situation but what you posted sounds fishy to me.
 
I run a shop for a living and it p$sses me off every time I open a Napa box it is made in China. Napa by far has more Chinese made junk that even Carquest. I am the type that complains to corporate HQs. Say what you will, it's all about fat profits by using Chinese slave labor. They are still a communist country. The mentality of many Americans is "well, that's just how it is" is a cop-out. Get off your lazy [censored] and complain every time yo buy a piece of Chinese junk. I do. Our country is being sold down the river because nobody gives a hoot. Now, I feel better. Wonder if I will get banned again...
 
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Originally Posted By: MNgopher


Returned it for a replacement, and the new one was identical - it never locked up at 230+. Brought it back and demanded a refund.

Then went to look for a different brand. Most places all carried Hayden. Ended up with a made in China Torqueflow from Autozone. This one definitely locks up and sounds like a Mack truck! Engages a bit sooner than I'd like, but I'll take more fan flow than too little any day of the week...


I did some forum searching when I had to replace the one in my Chevy truck recently. Apparently many people have had trouble with Hayden, so I too got an Autozone unit. And yes, it did roar for the first four months. All is fine now, though.
 
Originally Posted By: Mokanic
...Get off your lazy rectum and complain every time yo buy a piece of Chinese junk. I do. Our country is being sold down the river because nobody gives a hoot. ...


So what should you do when one of the few parts you've bought recently that is made is the USA is junk out of the box (twice) while the made in China unit works like it should?

I'm no fan of imported parts either, but to state everything from there is junk isn't true either - starting to see junk from our side too...
 
Originally Posted By: MNgopher
Originally Posted By: Mokanic
...Get off your lazy rectum and complain every time yo buy a piece of Chinese junk. I do. Our country is being sold down the river because nobody gives a hoot. ...


So what should you do when one of the few parts you've bought recently that is made is the USA is junk out of the box (twice) while the made in China unit works like it should?

I'm no fan of imported parts either, but to state everything from there is junk isn't true either - starting to see junk from our side too...


You still need to complain to HQ of the company you purchased from. Tell them you want to buy USA made parts but you expect the quality to be there. Part of the reason we see so many China-made parts is because many of he US suppliers got lazy in QC. There are however some really good suppliers here now that do it rIght.
 
I just heard from a friend who visited China recently.
They generally use high quality stuff over there - personal products, parts, etc..
Other country's appetites for cheap stuff is great for their economy!
Highways are wide and always clean with flowers and shrubbery.
People are nice and polite.
He noted that prices for anything are surprisingly high.
 
Originally Posted By: Vizzy
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Sometimes, OEM parts aren't what they used to be either...

When my truck was in the body shop this past winter, the body shop pulled a brand new GM OEM tail light out of the box... and the fit was quite lacking. They fit the old tail light into the opening (which had a chunk broken out of the lens), and it fit perfectly.

They started examining the "OEM" tail light, and noticed that the "Guide" logo (Guide is the OEM manufacturer of GM tail lights) was missing off of the back. The tail light was stamped as being made in Taiwan.

. .


Not too fast....perhaps the body shop was trying to cut corners and still charge the higher OEM price...

If the supposed OEM replacement part didn't say "Guide" on it it was NOT an OEM part and GM wouldn't supply that part...always be wary when using shops today....I'd say at least half the time you are dealing with dishonest or even crooked people. I'm not saying for certain that this in the case in your situation but what you posted sounds fishy to me.



I know someone who works at a GM dealership and once in a while, a new sealed headlight will come in and it will be a depo brand. It may be supply and demand, if they need to fullfil orders, they may get an additional vendors.. who knows.

Also someone I know had a very tiny fenderbender, I don't know why they replaced the headlight, but was also a depo rather than a guide. OEM parts were used.
 
Originally Posted By: Michael_P
I replaced a starter solenoid with a NAPA Echlin starter solenoid. Two days after the install, I shut off the truck and within five minutes the starter engaged. By the time I had disconnected the battery, the starter was smoking and the starter wire insulation had caught on fire. A small fire I was able to put out with a water bottle, but things could have been much worse had this happened if I was a mile away from the truck and it was in a parking garage. I was reluctant to install the part because where the metal to plastic seal was you could an incomplete seal. When I went in for an exchange, the replacement was the same, but worse. The metal plate was warped enough you could see light through it. And they call that a seal. If that were a marine part, I could have started a fire. Needless to say, Echlin has started to make stater solenoids as well as other electrical parts in China. I went to the Ford dealer and bought me a Mexican Motorcraft solenoid. Much better quality. It's a shame too because Echlin was always a name I trusted.


Similar issue here. Solenoid stuck closed at start, burned up starter, electrical fire, burns on fingers. Napa said [censored] off. Standard Motor Products, the parent company, seems to be willing to settle on the vehicle damage at least. We'll see. Seems to be common and a bit more dangerous than GM's ignition switch issue. Prime product liability issue.
 
Edit: Holy resurrected old post, Batman!
It's actually everybody's fault for buying parts based on price.
The new Hayden fan clutch that I put on my Jeep a couple of weekends ago works great, but I have noticed some bad replacement parts lately. I recently had an O2 sensor that failed within 5K miles and an oil pressure switch that failed with less than 2K miles on it.
I try to buy factory thermostats, O2 sensors and a few other items just because the aftermarket sells them on a price point, but the OEM parts were made good enough to make a customer happy.
 
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