Shit quality parts

[Bren]

I poste a thread a few weeks back regarding replacing the thermostat housing on my sister's fiesta - a straightforward job I have done before - however I just could'nt get it to seal.

 

Eventually it went to a local garage who fitted a ford item - they admitted using pattern parts in the past but began to have trouble getting them to seal, hence they now used genuine items.

 

Only a couple of weeks ago I had to bin an air filter that I had bought off fleabay for my other half's fiesta - despite ordering the correct item it was too big for the airbox, sending it back was not an option - the post cost nearly as much as the item.

 

A was reading a thread on RR the other day about shoddy parts, it appears anything LUCAS is generally not very good quality (there are those that would say that this has always been the case), and that the bearings provided by the likes of GSF and ECP are not what they should be.

 

I have always been of the impression that "buy cheap, buy twice" is fairly accurate, however it appears that as people's finances are tight they will go for the cheaper option - sometimes genuine parts really are too expensive.

 

Discuss.

[saucedoctor]

When I worked in East Antrim Motor Factors, over 20 years ago, we stocked 2 main sub-lines of aftermarket parts: MoProd and Supra. All our other stuff was Motorcraft, and that was always good. MoProd stuff was pretty good too, but the Supra stuff was utter SHIT. We sacked it off. Just as you say, half the stuff didn't fit, for example incorrectly threaded oil filters.
 

A big problem in Northern Ireland at the minute, though is FAKE car parts. "Genuine" VAG branded brake pads made from wood shavings and iron filings, lots and lots of OEM marked wheel bearings, and a fuckload of what look like proper Hyundai service parts.

I was shown a "Hyundai" oil filter about a year ago by a mate in the trade. I looked at it cursorily, and agreed that it looked kosher enough - no spelling mistakes on the box, decent weight etc. Then my mate got a BFO hacksaw and cut it in two. It was stuffed with what looked like cheap bogroll.

 

EDIT: Been going on a while, too

 

http://www.u.tv/News/Fake-car-parts-held-by-glue/d8396f10-60d7-4f65-8e98-98fa427b3641

 

[mercrocker]

Lucky if there IS an option, even an expensive one...Morris Minor  parts are available usually next day delivery.   A lot of it, unfortunately is CRAP.   Anything with Lucas on it is usually made in a shit-farm somewhere in Bongolia and modern points and condenser sets are next door to Mr and Mrs F. Useless.    I can accept that panels are not going to line up on a 50 year old car but THREE bloody starter motors to get  one without an internal short circuit is frankly bloody boring.   Rubber bushes last about a week and poly ones make the car feel like its been set in concrete.   Chrome plating is just shiny chocolate, I  could go on but you get the point.  Whenever  you raise this issue amongst the club and suggest naming and shaming some of the suppliers all you get is ooooh cant upset them.   Its alright for these people who keep their cars in the airing cupboard and want everything for  50 pence but people who want to use them for  what they were built for and dont mind paying for  quality dont have  a bloody choice, it seems.    Still, what  can you expect - living in a  country that burned its motor  industry and all the parts suppliers that went hand in hand with it.

[scruff]

^^Give that man a hobnob, you've nailed it for Minis and older Land Rovers too. Fortunately with Landies (even series ones) there's old MoD stock still out there but it won't last forever.

[dollywobbler]

Yup. Lots of crap stuff out there, for new stuff too. Made the mistake of laughing at a main dealer at the cost of a mirror glass for a VW Crafter, bought a cheap one on Ebay and it doesn't even get close to fitting. Duh! Ebay is chock full of absolute crap and incorrectly labelled 'genuine' stuff.

[Richard]

Price and brand are no guarantee of quality, everybody is capable of sticking their name on knock-off gear from China.

[FiatPhil]

For me it includes any parts with rubber components in them. From supposedly OEM suppliers, the rubber is either too hard or too compliant and then doesn't work as it should or fails in a very short time. I've had problems with various suspension bushes, top mounts, A radius arms, engine and gearbox mounts. The annoying thing is sometimes the parts are no longer available from the vehicles manufacturer, so you have to try the other sources, and its difficult to tell whether they perform anywhere near like the original part until after the time has been taken for disassembly, reassembly and realignment. I now wont replace these parts on my car unless they become a safety or or MOT failure issue.

[dollywobbler]

The rubber thing is a massive concern. I bought some new rubber bushes for the rear radius arms on the Disco. Didn't want Poly because frankly it sounds crap. Bought some 'genuine' OEM ones, which turned up in Britpart bags. I've been assured that they're just rebagged and actually are decent. I hope so as I don't want to be replacing them again in a few months' time. The ones fitted currently are proper knackered though. About as compliant as a road protester.

 

One massive advantage the 2CV has is a near-complete lack of rubber in the suspension. Also generally has good parts support, though the odd duff batch of one component or another crops up from time to time. Coils went through a bad patch about eight years ago. 

[pshome]

Lucky i am... no OEM or aftermarket parts available to worry about for the Tagora's.

[fordperv]

I bought some Delphi arms for my sapphire as my original bushes were deteriorated, put them on, took it for an m.o.t and the tester was scratching his head, he couldn't understand why these obviously new parts had as much play as they had, chewing gum mixed with horse semen would have done a better job than the bushes in there, I ended up polybushing no problems after that

[Grundig]

Exhaust rubber mounts, I seem to replace mine every year at mot time 

[FiatPhil]

Exhaust rubber mounts, I seem to replace mine every year at mot time 

Ah yes I forgot those in the list, mine are currently held together with cable ties!

[Split_Pin]

Ive had lots of problems in my Vauxhalls with shitty aftermarket parts monging up after a few shirt miles. Thermostats, radiator fan switches, rubber gaskets, oil presssure sensors and the biggest gripe are exhausts that have a 1mm too small a diameter to fit over the front pipe. Cheap radiators are also a shite fit.

 

Only got myself to blame though, buy cheap, buy twice.

[sheffcortinacentre]

all thanks to the we don't need industry mentality foested on us in the late 80's/90's,they shipped everything abroad for bigger profits & bollocks to quaility.

so now all the decent stuff is no longer avl we're stuck with the shit, but joe public doesn't care as long as its cheap as they'll be bored with it by the time it shows up and they'll have moved on to the latest must have.

coil springs seem to be the latest round here had another one snapped ,that was still smooth & shiney from being replaced only a few thousand miles ago.

[Des]

All modern exhaust clamps are shit, strip their threads just as they're nipped up tight, at least there's an answer in using two together, actually does a nice job of speading the load and not distorting the pipe as badly, should have been doubling them up all along.

Rubber components are a very big problem, I believe much rubber is now 'cut' with fillers, so any solid bushes are actually a sponge. I've used something for moulding rubber, Devcon or whatever, it's good but expensive and a limited shelf life. Had a carboney graphitey clutch release bearing fail repeatedly, branded ones, so have salvaged a 50 year old one to try next but when that wears out I'm fooked.

We just have to look out for old stock and try to stash what might be needed in future.

Wheel bearings can be a pain, I've seen plenty with no name or part No. on them, might be in a box with a German sounding name but they'll be Chinese shit that's seen less heat treatment than a poached egg.

[catsinthewelder]

I've had a reasonable run of luck with cheap BX service bit's on ebay that turn up in knackered 20 yr old box's but are obviously fine to use.  It's in that golden age where you can get cheap genuine bits as the factors get rid of their old stock but 95% is still available without too much grief.  In 5 or 10 years it's going to be hopeless trying to use it as a daily drive.

The VW can be a sod for shoddy Chinese and Brazilian rubbish but at least with a variety of forums and suppliers out there you can make an informed choice.  I havn't bought much for the Austin yet so I'm going to cross my fingers and hope that Earlpart are good.

[PhilA]

In agreement with the rubber parts. Bought some rubber hose ends to block off the vacuum ports that are unused on the GTA. After about six months they had split, perished and generally felt like the crappy white pencil erasers you'd get at school for field trips.

 

That and fuel pipe. Here, the standard is to have a gasohol blend ("UP TO 10% ETHANOL") but a lot of aftermarket fuel line is no good for it and turns to rubbery, spongy stuff after it's been exposed to it. Fuel line? Really? No, I think I'll take my chances and burn...?

 

I kinda agree with some of the people here, look for MADE IN USA on as much stuff as you can, manufacturing here took a nose-dive but the standards are still relatively high for spare parts.

 

--Phil

[trigger]

When I worked in East Antrim Motor Factors

 

 

I've just worked out who you are! Welcome back!

[jbz2079]

Anything in a First Line box, cheap and shite.

When I ran my Xantia the original ball joints lasted 100.000 miles plus, but any replacements would need changed every second test, if the knocking noise didn't get to you first.

 

I even tried searching Clitroen dealers for new old stock balljoints and Anti-Roll bar links, rocking horse shite they were.

For a while our local factor was selling Federal Mogal stuff and it seemed to last OK but it's disapeared again, replaced by cheap short lasting shite that needs replaced every 12 or 24 months.

[barefoot]

The first carburettor on my t2 lasted for 25 years, it's replacement lasted 18 months.

Luckily I'd kept the original and took it to some old nutter with biro stains on his shirt who rebuilt it for me.

That was seven years ago.

[Station]

Any of these. Top mounts for a mk3 Astra:

 

]http://thumbs3.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/m3kxxo1-xw9SYBMkoOCsvJQ.jpg

 

If they don't end up like this (completely leaving the metal surround):

 

http://i460.photobucket.com/albums/qq321/sconnaire/IMG_0020_zpsec243640.jpg

 

The rubber cracks and perishes. Either way, motor factor ones last a few months (honestly) at 20 quid each, and Vauxhall ones seem to last for many years. But if your car is lowered, it'll do what it does on the top pic.