NAPA lost me as a customer.

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Originally Posted By: hatt
Napa isn't blameless. I'm sure they're a big enough customer to have some say in where and how their product is made. I pass on made in China filters too.

NAPA Gold products are simply repackaged Wix products. Would, or should, they really be able to get Wix (and now M+H by extension) to reshuffle their logistics to satisfy them?

I understand the concern, but so many filter manufacturers that normally have production in North America or Europe do have some that are produced in some different places, or even by different companies on their behalf. If one wishes to get rid of made in China products, there are a lot bigger windmills to tilt at than air filters.
 
FWIW I've found that most Motorcraft parts for my 2000 Mustang were made in the USA. All the filters were, the IAC valve too. I would say that most import branded cars will have a greater chance of having foreign sourced filters and parts than something like a Ford.
 
Quote:
.....Many WIX filters are made in China now.....

As are many Fram AFs too and a large majority of their standard cartridge filter applications too.

I have no idea where Affinia fits it here as Wix was sold to Mann and Hummel a couple years ago so Affinia should be out of picture now.

As noted, doubtful imo the beef should be with Napa. But if it provides satisfaction to boycott the chain because of selling a product sourced in China, have at it. If coo the ultimate priority, checking before purchase should be SOP. Just like inspecting all filters for defects before purchase is best practice.
 
As I mentioned before, some NAPA stuff filtering through is still labelled Affinia. Stock up here can move slowly, to say the least.
wink.gif
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: donnyj08
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL
Just got a NAPA Gold air filter.... made in China by Affina, I thought Wix made them, even the element color is changed, much lighter and the seal is black instead of orange like my previous Wix "NAPA Gold"


Just totally underwhelmed.


How is this NAPA's fault?

Oh how I don't miss working for the public.


Many people have a victim mentality and always think someone is out to get them.


So it's a good thing that this is made in a China, to save the buyer a few cents?

I applaud the OP for being unwilling to buy third world goods. But like others have said, it may mean good luck finding something else. IME, NAPA is one of the better parts stores in that regard. I'd boycott the part, not sure I'd boycott the store.



Things aren’t made overseas with the buyer’s best interests in mind.

I’m just confused as to how this is NAPA’s fault.
 
GM, for example, would strongarm their suppliers to make a part to a price point. That sometimes couldn't be done with union labor in the USA, and other times it could but the supplier just wanted to make more money. An example I have first-hand experience with is Valeo in Rochester, NY. They were profitable at the time they moved to Mexico, but just wanted to make more money because they could. The consumer sees little if any savings from that. China and other countries are eating our lunch, but that's a whole other story. I admire the OP for wanting to buy American, though.
 
Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: hatt
Napa isn't blameless. I'm sure they're a big enough customer to have some say in where and how their product is made. I pass on made in China filters too.

NAPA Gold products are simply repackaged Wix products. Would, or should, they really be able to get Wix (and now M+H by extension) to reshuffle their logistics to satisfy them?

I understand the concern, but so many filter manufacturers that normally have production in North America or Europe do have some that are produced in some different places, or even by different companies on their behalf. If one wishes to get rid of made in China products, there are a lot bigger windmills to tilt at than air filters.
If I'm putting my name on a product I have a say in how that product is produced. If it's not to my standards I'd go to another supplier that does. On the bigger windmill stuff. Every little bit helps. You eat an elephant one bite at a time.
 
Originally Posted By: hatt
If I'm putting my name on a product I have a say in how that product is produced. If it's not to my standards I'd go to another supplier that does. On the bigger windmill stuff. Every little bit helps. You eat an elephant one bite at a time.

Absolutely, but I'd say we'd be very hard pressed to find one filter manufacturer that produces every part number in North America. Does that even apply to Baldwin/Hastings now?

M+H has production facilities all over the world, including the U.S., Mexico, Poland, Germany, and I couldn't even began to name where else. They do have some facilities in China. I have no idea what's all produced there. If NAPA wanted M+H to close foreign filtration manufacturing facilities or to supply them with only North American sourced products, M+H would either laugh at them or have to cut their parts offering to them significantly. M+H provides EU manufactured filter for just about every European car on the road, and they're not going to change that for NAPA. If NAPA can find someone other than Wix to provide them with a full catalog of filtration products with them all being made solely in the States, all the power to them.
 
Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: hatt
If I'm putting my name on a product I have a say in how that product is produced. If it's not to my standards I'd go to another supplier that does. On the bigger windmill stuff. Every little bit helps. You eat an elephant one bite at a time.

Absolutely, but I'd say we'd be very hard pressed to find one filter manufacturer that produces every part number in North America. Does that even apply to Baldwin/Hastings now?

M+H has production facilities all over the world, including the U.S., Mexico, Poland, Germany, and I couldn't even began to name where else. They do have some facilities in China. I have no idea what's all produced there. If NAPA wanted M+H to close foreign filtration manufacturing facilities or to supply them with only North American sourced products, M+H would either laugh at them or have to cut their parts offering to them significantly. M+H provides EU manufactured filter for just about every European car on the road, and they're not going to change that for NAPA. If NAPA can find someone other than Wix to provide them with a full catalog of filtration products with them all being made solely in the States, all the power to them.
I'm not caught up on North America. I happily buy stuff made all over. China is not one of them. I go somewhere else if reasonably possible.
 
Originally Posted By: hatt
Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: hatt
Napa isn't blameless. I'm sure they're a big enough customer to have some say in where and how their product is made. I pass on made in China filters too.

NAPA Gold products are simply repackaged Wix products. Would, or should, they really be able to get Wix (and now M+H by extension) to reshuffle their logistics to satisfy them?

I understand the concern, but so many filter manufacturers that normally have production in North America or Europe do have some that are produced in some different places, or even by different companies on their behalf. If one wishes to get rid of made in China products, there are a lot bigger windmills to tilt at than air filters.
If I'm putting my name on a product I have a say in how that product is produced. If it's not to my standards I'd go to another supplier that does. On the bigger windmill stuff. Every little bit helps. You eat an elephant one bite at a time.


These companies have contracts, they just cant cancel the contract because the supplier decided to provide a product with a different COO.
Sometimes there is no option, buy a front engine mount for a GM W body, its Chinese no mater what even from the dealer and GM branded. It is not as good as the USA made original but it is better than aftermarket Chinese.

I would bet that within the next 20 years you wont find US made parts for domestic cars, it will be all China or Mexico produced.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: hatt
Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: hatt
Napa isn't blameless. I'm sure they're a big enough customer to have some say in where and how their product is made. I pass on made in China filters too.

NAPA Gold products are simply repackaged Wix products. Would, or should, they really be able to get Wix (and now M+H by extension) to reshuffle their logistics to satisfy them?

I understand the concern, but so many filter manufacturers that normally have production in North America or Europe do have some that are produced in some different places, or even by different companies on their behalf. If one wishes to get rid of made in China products, there are a lot bigger windmills to tilt at than air filters.
If I'm putting my name on a product I have a say in how that product is produced. If it's not to my standards I'd go to another supplier that does. On the bigger windmill stuff. Every little bit helps. You eat an elephant one bite at a time.


These companies have contracts, they just cant cancel the contract because the supplier decided to provide a product with a different COO.
Sometimes there is no option, buy a front engine mount for a GM W body, its Chinese no mater what even from the dealer and GM branded. It is not as good as the USA made original but it is better than aftermarket Chinese.

I would bet that within the next 20 years you wont find US made parts for domestic cars, it will be all China or Mexico produced.
Contracts can have any term under the Sun written into them if all the parties agree to them. We certainly can't blame "contracts" for low end China parts.

I'm sure most everything will be pot metal 3rd world parts before long. There are a lot of people making excuses on why they support the practice.
 
So go ahead and boycott companies that sell products you don't like the COO of.
lol.gif
There are not many options even when compared to say 10 years ago.
This has got to be one of silliest threads in a long time and me even sillier for participating in it. Napa sold me a Chinese made air filter so I wont go there anymore, how friggin dumb can it get.
 
I never said I'd be boycotting Napa, not that I go there often. It's an inconvenient location with high prices. I also won't be buying China products if I can buy 1st world products for similar prices. That's just common sense for me.
 
Respectfully, why is the OP getting a lot of flack for his disappointment with NAPA products?

I worked for NAPA in 90-92; their parts were often thought to be better, to much better, than domestic OEM parts. Sadly, it is not that way any longer...



Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL
Just got a NAPA Gold air filter.... made in China by Affina, I thought Wix made them, even the element color is changed, much lighter and the seal is black instead of orange like my previous Wix "NAPA Gold"


Just totally underwhelmed.


I live in Gaston County, NC, where WIX has (had) a strong presence. Last time I had to replace filters, I went out of my way, and paid a premium price, to buy WIX - with the thinking that I was supporting the local economy. Not so.

It really irritated me that I paid top dollar for an average product. From that point on, I went with OEM. While it may not be made domestically, there's some assurance that the part will have a reasonable lifespan, and perform as intended.
 
Originally Posted By: hatt
I'm not caught up on North America. I happily buy stuff made all over. China is not one of them. I go somewhere else if reasonably possible.

I don't blame you, but trying for 100% success is going to be difficult.
 
Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: hatt
I'm not caught up on North America. I happily buy stuff made all over. China is not one of them. I go somewhere else if reasonably possible.

I don't blame you, but trying for 100% success is going to be difficult.
Not going for 100%. I bought a China(Champion) small inverter gen last year. Food is the only area where I have a 100% no China policy.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Food we have a real choice, no Chinese food for me or the animals.

Good luck with that. If you have processed food, there's a high likelihood that there are some sort of ingredients that were made in China. It's kind of unavoidable because there are certain food ingredients where China dominates the worldwide market. I know China's overall record is spotty on food safety, but the key would be the importer keeping tight tabs on the quality and purity.

I'm rather curious what the whole issue is. I get that some don't like the trade imbalance, but the quality is getting much better if it's goods specifically made for a western audience and designed in the United States. I look at my electronic devices, and nearly all are assembled in China these days. I can't imagine they would be of any better quality if made in the United States. Most of the stuff we're talking about these days are assembled by machines. There are various reasons (which can be very complex) for going overseas for manufacturing, but a machine in China can do it about as well as a machine in the United States.
 
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