[Cliff R]

I'm sure everyone has a story with currently produced/available off-shore auto parts. I've noticed in the past decade or so that just about every auto part that you buy has a country of origin other than the USA. Specifically drivetrain and chassis stuff.

My junk story starts a few days ago, needed a transfer case mount for my Z-71 Tahoe. The only store even showing a listing was NAPA, so I ordered it in. What a bargain, dirt cheap at $15.

Looked fine at a glance, so I get the Tahoe on the lift, trans jack lifting up the case to change the mount, should be a ten minute job if things go well. Fit is fine, installed the trans bolts finger tight, then the nuts on the studs of the new mount, finger tight as well, let the weight down on it, all good.

Tightened up the trans bolts, then one of the stud nuts, then the other. It starts to turn a little hard right before it's pulled up tight, no big deal....then.......SNAP! Took about 25ft lbs to break the darned thing off. Nice black spot like a chunk of carbon got in the mix when they forged it. It's close to 7/16" diameter, so should have taken 60-70ft lbs torque even after it was snugged down.

Now my ten minute job turns into a total disaster, as it's 2-3 days to ship in another mount. Found one at a NAPA store about 30 minutes away, got less than one hour to get there, so there is a good ending to the story, the second mount went in fine, but I made sure to chase the threads on the studs first and only torqued them to about 25 ft lbs, and very gently at that.

Does anyone really care about quality components these days? Do you get tired of a simple $15 repair part turning into a complete disaster where you find yourself stuck on the lift and having to drive to town like a maniac to get another junk-ars part? I could tell at least 50 more stories very similar to this one, dealing with this CRAP we get from SE Asia, South of the border, and from the Middle East, etc.

Do you think we're in trouble in this Country from letting cheap non-USA sources for auto parts take over this industry?

What's your latest story?........Cliff

[2002Z4CSS]

I try to always buy parts that are made in the USA. I will even pay more for USA made parts when available to help keep Americans working. Chinese tools like screwdrivers, sockets, drill bits and taps are not worth a darn. Soft as butter steel and no hardness. I have not seen anything made in China that is worth a darn. They can keep their junk.

[Alvin]

Indeed.

Simple repair items such as tie-wraps are becoming of such low quality that they are unusable junk...

[Deadhead]

There is not enough room on the internet for all the stories on this topic. I try to avoid them on auto parts, buying only old stock or used for my cars. But, doing electrical work, it has made life a lot more expensive for both me and my customers. There is no practical way to count the times we have been betrayed by junky fixtures and components. The problem is that you can not always tell the country of origin for sure BEFORE you have the item in your hand. So much of the time you get the item at the time you need to put it to use, making it difficult to make the choice. I always assume that whatever I get to produce light is going to at least in part come from China.

[shawn e.]

Motor mounts separating.
Shawn

[JimsSixtySix]

A resounding YES !!
Went to a large box store to get some electrical goodies for the house during a remodel. Looked at what they had,several bins of differing priced stuff. I was looking for US made products, found a bin that had an electrical switch tacked to outside that had "madein US" stamped on part ,excellent! , grabbed a half dozen. Got to the house ,ripped the little baggy open ready to install GGGRRR made in china..Well I won't go back there, just because they don't sell what they advertise...AND TIRED OF CHINA JUNK !!!!

As a side note .. Stopped by your restaurant and wine shop on our way to Dayton this year, Great meal ,great wine, and a great time. Was a pleasure to meet you and lovely wife. Thank you.

[Icefan71]

I've had several bad experiences over the years with cheap foreign made auto parts. These days its hard to tell where something is made. You can't go by the name anymore. Something may "sound" American. Then you open the box and find out its made in China. Lately I've found myself looking for parts online and when I think I find something I'm interested in, I google the company name to get more info on them. If a company is based in the US, you have to dig even further and find out if their parts are made here or shipped in from overseas. I also search for reviews of companies to see if they are any complaints about inferior parts.
But I admit, I still buy the Chinese stuff. Sometimes, I just can't find a made in the USA part. Or there is such a huge difference in price, I'm drawn to the dark side. Just being honest here. Maybe one day they will strike my final nerve and I'll swear them off for good.
This reminds me of one of my favorite comedies. Here's a youtube clip from it. The quote at 1:33 pretty much sums up my opinion on cheap Chinese auto parts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEB7WbTTlu4

[GtoBrian]

Bought a "NEW" master cylinder for my 70 GTO from Auto zone, figured the New one would be of better quality than a remanufactured one, after 2 weeks noticed fluid leaking down my new plated booster, removed the master and fluid was leaking right past the piston. Took it back and exchanged it for a remanuf. unit, and it actually had the bleeder valves on it, not sure if this one is gonna crap out either but they are all made in China crap.

[thunderguns71]

Just the other day I went to Advance and ordered all new bearings and seals for the front end of my 1980 F-250 4x4. Asked for the best they had which was "National" brand made by Federal Mogul. All were made in China. Cost around $80. Went home and thought about how I really didn't want Chinese bearings/seals in my front end so ended up finding USA made Timken bearings and seals online for $57. The guy at Advance sure wasn't happy when I brought them back, but oh well. He's not the one who will be changing that Chinese junk back out when they go bad.

[zeebo]

yup..i just bought motor mounts for my lemans..got the napa ones..even tho they seemed good price wise, i figured they were made in usa..nope..korea..almost everything is made overseas..and i mean everything! i would pay more for a quality american made part, since what cliff ran into is worth extra $ not to have happen to you. its crazy that they have sold this country down the river and flooded it with foreign junk! i dont think it would be as bad if the stuff was actually quality made---it would still piss people off not to employ american workers, but at least your $ wouldnt be going to buy junk out of the box.

the only thing that i can say is the motor mounts did fit ok..we shall see how they hold up.

[arbys]

Food for thought.

What if there was a supplier that ONLY sold USA parts. Seems like there would be a market for that and the success or failure would really tell a story.

[Region Warrior]

House lighting, small appliances, kids toys.
junk!

[ho428]

Originally Posted by arbys

Food for thought.

What if there was a supplier that ONLY sold USA parts. Seems like there would be a market for that and the success or failure would really tell a story.

Wal-mart got their start touting American products, then they went chasing the almighty offshore dollar.
I noticed that since their sales have fallen way off they're once again touting American made products.
Bunch of hypocrits now trying to "cash in" on made in America.

[arbys]

I should have made my point a little clearer. I was thinking of an online auto related supplier.

[george kujanski]

Harbor Freight stories...... have a store local here, I've bought furniture dollies, stuff like that. Hand tools are generally junk, I prefer Kobalt at Lowes, they may even be made offshore, but at least more quality is there.

Surprisingly, HF electrical tools are pretty good, for infrequent use; I'd certainly prefer domestic stuff, but for infrequent use these are low cost. I love Milwaukee tools...you need something reliable Milwaukee is the way to go, obviously more $.

Back to HF......one of my trips they had their nut splitter "on sale" for $2 or such...tried it sometime later, the splitter shattered, first try, seems it was a cast piece.

Another one "on sale" oil seal remover...screwdriver handle thing with a steel hook plate at the end. I was replacing an axle on the GTO a few weeks ago... and had the removal tool for several months...snapped the handle off first try. It was made of some white metal, zinc, aluminum whatever. Finally made an attachment with the steel piece for a slide hammer, worked well.

Yep, sad state of affairs, a lot of replacement parts are offshore made, we don't have a good choice anymore, rotors etc. are all offshore, only good thing is they are $ cheap such that few places will turn drums and rotors anymore, buy new offshore and scrap the old......... I'll still take mine to a local PEP boys, they still turn them last time I was there.

Pipe fittings are terrible....usually overtapped or overcut such that the fitting bottoms before the threads lock up, then they leak. Had some copper unions that had a burr ridge on the male half....wouldn't seal up...had to file the ridge off to get it to work. PITA after it's all soldered up. Never had these issues years ago, now I just expect them.

George

[Deadhead]

Originally Posted by arbys

Food for thought.

What if there was a supplier that ONLY sold USA parts. Seems like there would be a market for that and the success or failure would really tell a story.

There have been books written on the topic. We have had niche stores here that have tried it. The problem is that not enough is still made here to stock the shelves. The vast majority of customers are price based, so there is not enough business to keep you going.

It will all change back in our lifetime. Cheap, plentiful energy and pressure on labor costs to the upside in Asia and downside in US will bring Manuf. back here. It takes a long time for market forces to work with so much push-back though.

[Sirrotica]

Originally Posted by Icefan71

I've had several bad experiences over the years with cheap foreign made auto parts. These days its hard to tell where something is made. You can't go by the name anymore. Something may "sound" American. Then you open the box and find out its made in China. Lately I've found myself looking for parts online and when I think I find something I'm interested in, I google the company name to get more info on them. If a company is based in the US, you have to dig even further and find out if their parts are made here or shipped in from overseas. I also search for reviews of companies to see if they are any complaints about inferior parts.
But I admit, I still buy the Chinese stuff. Sometimes, I just can't find a made in the USA part. Or there is such a huge difference in price, I'm drawn to the dark side. Just being honest here. Maybe one day they will strike my final nerve and I'll swear them off for good.
This reminds me of one of my favorite comedies. Here's a youtube clip from it. The quote at 1:33 pretty much sums up my opinion on cheap Chinese auto parts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEB7WbTTlu4

Here's a great opportunity for someone with money to open a parts plant in Sandusky OH and brand their parts "Callahan".................

[geeteeohguy]

Cliff, as always, it's a pleasure to read your posts. Informative as always. Yes, this country is in a world of hurt, and it's getting worse. I've gotten to the point of scrounging original or good used parts, and it's not easy. I've got a '15 Ford as well as my old GTO's, and it's the same story. Even original used 95 year old parts outlast brand new China junk. Ok: Harbor Freight hand winch: pawl was made out of pot metal, broke on first use. Repop rubber items (shift boots, tie rod ends, ball joint boots) these split and fall apart after 6 months, with vehicle not even being driven. Cure was to re-install cleaned up 30-40 year old Moog parts. Repop throttle cable: so rough it was like a cable saw. Re-used 45 year old one. Repop convertible top switch: wired backwards, so that up is down and down is up. New rear wheel cylinder for the '65: no flare in the brake line inlet. Line wouldn't seal. New rear wheel cylinder for the '67: bleeder hole not drilled out or seated....no way to bleed. And on and on and on. And we'll keep on getting these parts as long as we keep buying them. The only cure is to boycott this CRAP until it improves. And oh yeah, HF wood screws: broke off in doug fir using a hand screwdriver not even seated. I now get my fasteners at garage sales in coffee cans. I get my taps, dies, etc. used, too. 1950's USA made stuff beats new China stuff every day. As long as our country is saddled with regulations and restrictions that keep our hands tied and keep us out of playing the manufacturing game, we are, indeed doomed as a nation of powerless consumers. JMHO.

[PONTIAC LARRY]

How about when you just need a common new dipstick and all they have is the cheapo Mr.Gasket or Spectre type chrome ones. You figure .."Heah its a small block Chevy, it will be easy and work" WRONG.. the damn thing was probably in spec as bare steel when it was made to the prints but then it was chrome plated (not stock) and it now has too big a O.D. to fit in the damn hole... Crap like this is VERY frustrating

[David Jones]

I've also been bitten by the repop throttle cable. A fly trap should be so sticky. Ended up spending big bucks getting a new old one.
Replacement power window switches? Crapped out in a few months. Found a used one at the Pull-a-Part.