[thunderguns71]

Not China, but I did get a reman power steering pump with Mexico stamped on the box. Noticed the backside looked kind of funny under the shiny black paint. Took a screwdriver and starting digging out caked in red dirt that they just painted over. Some rebuild job lol.

[chrisp]

Pretty bad when they can not even make a plastic sun visor bushing correct .

[tigergto]

I'm not sticking up for foreign garbage but a large part of the blame lies with the consumer. I work part time at an auto parts store. Most of our business is with garages. The callers don't ask about quality, they are shopping for the lowest price. All the parts with our brand name are made outside the USA. When I need a part for my personal vehicle I usually try to avoid our brand knowing what crap it is. But again, simply supply and demand.

[1beautifuldaughter]

Originally Posted by tigergto

I'm not sticking up for foreign garbage but a large part of the blame lies with the consumer. I work part time at an auto parts store. Most of our business is with garages. The callers don't ask about quality, they are shopping for the lowest price. All the parts with our brand name are made outside the USA. When I need a part for my personal vehicle I usually try to avoid our brand knowing what crap it is. But again, simply supply and demand.

This is maybe true to a point, But it should always be the responsibility of the manufacturer or distributor to not sell something completely inferior just because its cheaper. I bought a brand new repo power brake booster, started to have a whistle under the dash when brakes where applied , took it apart and found a rubber part that cracked and was leaking, I took that rubber pc out of a 40 year old part I had and it was so much more significant it was unbelievable, I installed the old gm part and good to go for probably another 40 years.
I have to many stories, Like the hood rubbers that can't even survive the install.
The can opener that you bend the handle on long before it will ever puncher the can,
Its a sour subject for me because I believe half these items sold are sold knowing full well that they suck and they are passed on with the "Give it to Mickey and see if he eats it" mentality.
I have had issues, and reported issues about inferior parts, and returned items. rightfully complained about the way they where represented and guess what. They are still out there unchanged, represented the same way, wasting peoples valuable time, and making money for the USPO.
OH see now you got me started

[Cliff R]

"And oh yeah, HF wood screws: broke off in doug fir using a hand screwdriver not even seated."

+2 on wood screws, and drywall screws. The offshore screws in the longer lengths will break off just about every time if you are driving them full depth. Difficult to find American made fasteners these days for that sort of work.

I can look right at them and tell if they are imported, as they will have a "rough" finish to them, like they were bead blasted with coarse sand during the manufacturing process.

Same deal with their drill bits, WAY too brittle and snap off easily, at least the smaller sizes......Cliff

[tigergto]

Originally Posted by 1beautifuldaughter

This is maybe true to a point, But it should always be the responsibility of the manufacturer or distributor to not sell something completely inferior just because its cheaper. I bought a brand new repo power brake booster, started to have a whistle under the dash when brakes where applied , took it apart and found a rubber part that cracked and was leaking, I took that rubber pc out of a 40 year old part I had and it was so much more significant it was unbelievable, I installed the old gm part and good to go for probably another 40 years.
I have to many stories, Like the hood rubbers that can't even survive the install.
The can opener that you bend the handle on long before it will ever puncher the can,
Its a sour subject for me because I believe half these items sold are sold knowing full well that they suck and they are passed on with the "Give it to Mickey and see if he eats it" mentality.
I have had issues, and reported issues about inferior parts, and returned items. rightfully complained about the way they where represented and guess what. They are still out there unchanged, represented the same way, wasting peoples valuable time, and making money for the USPO.
OH see now you got me started

1 beuatifuldaughter I agree with you 100% and I apologize for getting your day off to a bad start. My point is basically the consumer is in control. If we buy by price instead of quality than we will continued to be bombarded with junk. I think we all know when it comes to the almighty dollar you have to be your own watchdog,

[1beautifuldaughter]

Well put, I understand your point of view. Specially about the " All Mighty Dollar", root of all evil.

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by tigergto

1 beuatifuldaughter I agree with you 100% and I apologize for getting your day off to a bad start. My point is basically the consumer is in control. If we buy by price instead of quality than we will continued to be bombarded with junk. I think we all know when it comes to the almighty dollar you have to be your own watchdog,

Agree with the point.

IMO the tide has turned - as illustrated here - due to "the watering down of quality" of all items and parts imported from China etc.

Specifically, I've noted the cheapening of new China imported items...several year old items mfg in China actually of a better quality and lasting longer than new junk.

...to the point that most here will/are like myself simply declining to buy the new POS parts, fasteners, items, etc. and will rebuild and repair older parts and items for all of the reasons below and due to the cheap metal used to mfg items.

On topic:

• Recently purchased a spare "engine storage dolly" from Yellow & Black box co. With the mail out $ discount card attached IIRC it was less than $30. Problem is, it's still in the box, the metal is so lightweight that not sure it will ever be used as intended to hold a 400+lb engine...weight of item is less than 1/2 of same type purchased from a Pontiac vendor in the '90s for $99.

• While I was @ a Batteries+ customer was seeking a battery to replace a HF LED Work light...which not available...throw that away...cheaper to do. Some lights last only a few uses before intermittent operation.

• Tools & Fasteners are a simple no thank you for me...why even bother - when they will fail/snap in ½ as discussed?

• Lawn furniture that has lasted outdoors 24/7 for over 10 years still in service and excellent condition vs. items purchased wi past 3yrs that hollowed out metal that has disintegrated and crumbled into powder.

• AC/Delco, etc. new & reman. parts mfg in MEXICO I pass on…such as Starters, Wtr Pumps, A/C Compressors and repair items. Ex: GM A/C Compressor replaced x2 due to improper “air-gap” on “Clutch Shoes” which burned up wi a few minutes rendering compressor INOP. I purchased and installed new “Clutch Shoes” set proper gap…and good to go.

Personal Lesson: Just pass on items that will be a waste of time and money – that will cost you twice as much in the long run.
Is it really: A great deal or will it be another buyer’s remorse?

[arbys]

On another forum one of the posters was assigned to China by GM. While there he saw that, according to him, they could could produce to exacting standard IF the customer was willing to pay for it. It appears that the suppliers that shop for price only are prevalent over there. Maybe, with enough returned parts, they will get the picture.

[PMD1969]

I have a few wheel studs that I have to replace on my 69 and I bought them at NAPA. I figure I have one chance in three that they will work and hold the torque required. NAPA "used to be" the auto store to go to where all others were getting on the China crap wagon but no anymore. NAPA is as bad as they are selling out their name.

As for tools, if I am not in a hurry I go to Ebay and buy old school Craftsman "Forged In USA" hand tools. I still have the old tools my father gave me back 35 years ago still going strong. Sometimes I'll even buy a tool or two that I don't even need at the moment just to finish out a set or "just in case" I might need it in the future.

[arbys]

Do you know what NAPA stands for?






No
American
Parts
Anymore

[Icefan71]

And its not just the average consumer buying the cheap foreign junk. At work a multi-million $$ repair was made twice because the higher-ups decided to go with cheaper than manufacturer's spec'd materials. We were told they reimbursed us for the parts, but we still had to pay labor costs and also eat the loss from being offline while the repairs were made AGAIN. It wasn't hours or days. It was a few weeks. The sad part is it wouldn't surprise me if they tried to go the cheap route again.

[einstein]

Originally Posted by 1beautifuldaughter

Well put, I understand your point of view. Specially about the " All Mighty Dollar", root of all evil.

There is nothing inherently evil in money. It is merely a tool in the hands of men acting with good or ill intentions.

[GTOnly70]

...and this is why true NOS parts command such a premium and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

[68 Firebird]

Several times I tried to save a few bucks here and there. Almost every time
it ended up costing me more in the long run. This was a lessoned well learned
and now do it right the first time and save myself the heartache of doing it over.

Yes NOS items cost more because it's the right freakin part and it works correctly.

Heck I just spent 9 bucks on a NIB NOS PCV because it was an original AC Delco part
on ebay that was NIB(MADE IN USA). no more annoying PCV rattle and idle is
smoother. Threw the two dollar fram replacement as far as I could in the woods.
Lesson learned!!!!!! More often then not the older parts work right.

Gerry

[arbys]

Originally Posted by 68 Firebird

f
Heck I just spent 9 bucks on a NIB NOS PCV because it was an original AC Delco part
on ebay that was NIB(MADE IN USA). no more annoying PCV rattle and idle is
smoother. Threw the two dollar fram replacement as far as I could in the woods.
Lesson learned!!!!!! More often then not the older parts work right.

Gerry

Chinese junk litterer!

[gary bennett]

I got lucky yesterday. bought a new coil from autozone for my 89 mercury G/M .the box says made in the USA

[Don57]

Same junk up here on the north side of North America! And, just like you guys, it is not just the automotive stuff. Had to paint some wooden windows on the outside of my garage. Went to a local "dollar" store and bought three small paint brushes with the intent of throwing them away. Well, the first brush coughed up about ten strands within the first ten minutes. After picking them off the windows ............all three met the throwing away event early! All these "dollar" stores and flea market tools (hammers, screwdrivers, wire brushes, etc.) are PURE junk. I think they are made as toys!

[tom s]

I have a friend that imports fishing tackle from China,when he specs out a reel they quote almost every component,he has the option to use stainless ball bearing or non stainless etc.Depending on the price point he if looking for he can upgrade or down grade.THEY do make and offer very good stuff but usually the buyers spec down.Tom

[GT182]

Imagine if there was another World War how scrod we'd be here in the US. We couldn't make an 1/8th of the war material we made for WWII. It's sad when you really stop and think about it. And we did it to ourselves.