# A word to the wise about aftermarket parts



## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

Ok everybody at 46 years old and under hoods for the better part of my life, I may not know it all (according to my wife anyway) but one thing I DO know is auto parts. 
When you go through your insurance company for repairs, BE CAREFUL OF WHAT PARTS THEY USE, I have had a lot of people ask me whats the best parts to use oem or aftermarket, well, if you want the best quality, most times its oem for body parts. for engine parts there are many aftermarket companies that make above oem quality goods, but be wary, there are some who make just plain outright junk.

Yes I'm ranting about this ( again) 
why am I ranting? 
I just replaced the front bumper, grill, radiator and hood of a 2008 Chevrolet Impala for a 20 year old girl who had a set of $10 front brakes installed. she felt really good until the glue melted and the pads fell off the backings.


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

She must drive a lot to need a set of brakes of just 2 year old car. 

BG


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Nah.... she drives like my daughter and uses both feet at the same time. Never judges distance and only backs off of the gas at the last second and jams on the brakes. Never uses mirrors until the forementioned has occured when a smooth lane change could have been done. I rode with her to Wisconsin last October and it was a "white knuckle" experience for me... :laugh: 

Most often cheap parts do not pay off in the long run and I even avoid some of the larger autoparts stores. MT knows where I go for parts... but I still shy away from some of the cheaper parts they offer. You get what you pay for and low price does mean less service life or lower quality control.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

> You get what you pay for and low price does mean less service life or lower quality control.


Not always I've seen plenty of those low quality junk parts being sold at top of the line prices, especially to end users.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

wrench97 said:


> Not always I've seen plenty of those low quality junk parts being sold at top of the line prices, especially to end users.


Good point... I have seen this happen many times. A person should also consider the reputation of the seller and most retailers hire knowledgable buyers for their goods. A good buyer will attempt to uphold the reputation of the company and stay away from inferior parts. The most notable of inferior part sellers with inflated price compared to quality is the department/grocery stores who have no business in the selling of auto parts. In fact the selection will not be very good at these stores but they do try to sell some of the more common items and often get the cheapest part they can find just to make a sale. I stay away from any store that sells more than automotive supplies unless I happen to be there and only need a lamp or fluids for my vehicle... maybe wiper blades if the are name brand. 

The same goes for power tools and equipment over the last few years...what was once top of the line names has become pure junk but the price remains high only by former reputation. Commerial duty brands I once knew are now home-owner rated and quality is almost nil. The product you once knew and trusted for reliance and quality without question is long gone. I have spent many dollars in my career to purchase nothing but the best I could afford. I am retired but can return to my trade at any time.. I have a few years left and only retired due to economy and loss of jobs in my area of expertise... I passed all leads and offers to my children for their survival. 

I have sorta drifted off-track...:grin: Bottom line is to not rely on price or former reputation.... I find that junk still looks like junk. With some components a visual may not be enough in determining quality and the buyer has to take his chances. In this case a person has to trust the source and if that source will stand behind the product they are selling.


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

wrench97 said:


> Not always I've seen plenty of those low quality junk parts being sold at top of the line prices, especially to end users.


That was going to be in my next rant thread about car parts


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

Basementgeek said:


> She must drive a lot to need a set of brakes of just 2 year old car.
> 
> BG


Nope she doesn't drive any more or less than anybody else, she just drives LIKE everybody else around here, its a race when the light turns green and you wait till the last second to press the brakes to stop at a red light. Which also explains why the front and rear ends of a car around here has a life expectancy or 2 years.
hence why my S-10 Blazer has a 15 ton pintle hook on a class 5 hitch. ( go ahead, hit it  )


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## rb26dett (Mar 19, 2010)

I disagree, with anything you need to be careful what you are buying, but nowadays aftermarket parts are extremely high quality for hte most part, especially the ones from Chinese factories that actually go into production cars in China... Yes I have seen some crap before (leaky oilpan from bad casting from factory in Turkey) but overall the quality is decent and you save a lot of money over OEM...


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

I gotta disagree with the China part, I stay clear of anything made in China, you get what you pay for with car parts just like everything else, Anybody keeping up with the toxic drywall? or the kids toys with high lead concentrations? yea makes me want to run out and buy Jeep parts made in China. So far their tires ain't doing too good either


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## ebackhus (Apr 21, 2005)

If something as simple and innocent as a child's toy can't be made right then how can you trust a part for the car? I prefer to pay a slight premium to get more quality.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

I've seen it go both ways seems junk parts are made allover the world these days.


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## 97'sonoma (Feb 15, 2010)

for give rb26dett he loves cheap ricer cars and asian quality parts. any par that is asian is built to minimum spec at cheap labor cost and then sold to companies to export it as theirs ,its top of the line grade "A" JUNK. they dont have to abaid by production laws and they dont care to either they make trash.
its built buy the lowest bidder and sold to the highest bidder.
As far as the brakes in 2 years you should replace them at least once ever year or 30,000 miles whichever first.


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## 97'sonoma (Feb 15, 2010)

rb26dett said:


> I disagree, with anything you need to be careful what you are buying, but nowadays aftermarket parts are extremely high quality for hte most part, especially the ones from Chinese factories that actually go into production cars in China... Yes I have seen some crap before (leaky oilpan from bad casting from factory in Turkey) but overall the quality is decent and you save a lot of money over OEM...


ummm Korea got their cars to aprovefor sell in America before china did that should say something.


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## 0077 (Feb 22, 2010)

wolfen1086 said:


> Ok everybody at 46 years old and under hoods for the better part of my life, I may not know it all (according to my wife anyway) but one thing I DO know is auto parts.
> When you go through your insurance company for repairs, BE CAREFUL OF WHAT PARTS THEY USE, I have had a lot of people ask me whats the best parts to use oem or aftermarket, well, if you want the best quality, most times its oem for body parts. for engine parts there are many aftermarket companies that make above oem quality goods, but be wary, there are some who make just plain outright junk.
> 
> Yes I'm ranting about this ( again)
> ...


good post, keep them coming :smile:


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

97'sonoma said:


> ummm Korea got their cars to aprovefor sell in America before china did that should say something.



That's easy, cars from S Korea have been here since the 80's, in the beginning they were junk. anybody remember the Haundi Excel? I do I pull many of them to Oceana Salvage, and sold them for scrap metal, some because they broke where the uni body bolts held the body together, and others simply because they were out of gas and oil both at the same time.
China on the other hand was still trying to get their stuff main stream sell-able in the non Communist countries. personally I believe all those cars, trucks and everything else they make will be junk, just like the Children's toys and drywall. And I really don;t care about Haundi's 10 year 100,000 warranty either, read the fine print on that before you go anywhere.

As with ANY warranty here's what the ALL cover both foreign cars and the ones made here. they cover any part that won't break down in normal driving, they do NOT cover things that wear out, or any damage from overheat, under heat, not changing the oil, lack of oil, or any work not done at their dealership. Therefore personally I'll take my chances with stuff off of American assembly lines, so far all 3 of my vehicles are made in America, subsequently all 3 of them are older, I can deal with that if it means quality!


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## 97'sonoma (Feb 15, 2010)

ever pulled a done a timing belt on a Hyundai?


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

Nope, usually when they bring em to me the motor is done because of the timing belt, break a belt, the top end stops, the bottom end makes another revolution, have a valve in the down position and you might be bale to see it in the cylinder when its all over.


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## 97'sonoma (Feb 15, 2010)

they have a brass dolt in the cam gear designed to break at 35,000 miles. some make it 100,000 some dont make it 10,000,which is why we haven't done one lol but normally it makes the cam hear wobble and shreds the belt. also i remember one having a plastic cam gear.....


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## 97'sonoma (Feb 15, 2010)

ohh yeah dont think i havent droped valves befor its not pretty. ive also puled a ford oil pan and it weighed 14.3 pounds without the oil.


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

97'sonoma said:


> ohh yeah dont think i havent droped valves befor its not pretty. ive also puled a ford oil pan and it weighed 14.3 pounds without the oil.


Kinda like my Jeep engine after a fram oil filter LOL I was at the junk yard Sat and they were crushing Haundi's and anything from japan, turns out they only keep anything not made in the U.S. about 30 days


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## 97'sonoma (Feb 15, 2010)

hahahahaha that makes me feel good, not much puts a smile on my fast faster than watching a Honda get crushed smashed or crashed and blown.


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

Ya think those are fun just wait until our new socialist party in DC starts importing cars made in China 
I just hope for people who buy them's sake the quality is better than their tires, drywall and kids toys.


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## Nucleartractor (Jul 31, 2008)

X2 /|\

I believe in only using OEM parts or the very highest quality aftermarkets, when an ACDelco part breaks on my Blazer, the first thing I think is - ACDelco got me this far. However, if it's something I intend to stress / misuse in the future I'll go for a well known and excellent aftermarket (ex: Moog Ball Joints, Bosch Alternators, Mallory / Accel Ignition). 

Regards,

Thomas


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

Nucleartractor said:


> X2 /|\
> 
> I believe in only using OEM parts or the very highest quality aftermarkets, when an ACDelco part breaks on my Blazer, the first thing I think is - ACDelco got me this far. However, if it's something I intend to stress / misuse in the future I'll go for a well known and excellent aftermarket (ex: Moog Ball Joints, Bosch Alternators, Mallory / Accel Ignition).
> 
> ...


Uh,,,,,,,,Moog? Accel? Add Crane and Thrush to that list too, they are good aftermarket parts, for brakes I always use Raybestos.


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## bruiser (Jul 30, 2005)

You can take Crane off the list, as they went under.


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## 97'sonoma (Feb 15, 2010)

bruiser said:


> You can take Crane off the list, as they went under.


Ok Crower and Thrush or Comp, speedway motors makes goos parts to and they dont cost as much as most as they make thier own parts in the USA. Givem a look at http://www.speedwaymotors.com/ but they dont have much stock parts of their own,but they also supply comp and crower and just about what ever you can think of. oh and kieth black pistons a nd stuff.


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

bruiser said:


> You can take Crane off the list, as they went under.



They went under?  When did that happen? cause I have a SB350 I'm about to rebuild all the way from scratch and I need a quality cam, so I was gonna look them up again, its been a lotta years since I dealt with them


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Shh!! somebody forgot to tell Crane they are gone> http://cranecams.com/


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## bruiser (Jul 30, 2005)

Crane is gone. Someone else has bought the name. Click on the breaking news on the site.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Harvey Crane has been out of the business since the late 80's, it was owned by a Employee stock plan which sold out to S&S Cycle last year, they still sell the same cams, and have the same tech support and engineers.


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

Yea they may be owned by another company now, but at least its American!, I'll gladly wait till they produce cams for cars and trucks again


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## Nucleartractor (Jul 31, 2008)

Love the new sig wolfen.

Can someone tell me exactly what you are supposed to do now with these computer controlled cars that flip out if you put a different cam in? Am I being lied to about the computer not liking it or am I truly SOL?

Regards,

Thomas


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## bruiser (Jul 30, 2005)

There are tuning programs for some of the performance oriented cars. A dyno tune is probably the best way to go, especially if the car becomes heavily modified.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

You have to change the chip on OBDI(to 1995) systems or reprogram on OBDII(1996 and newer) systems. But in some states it's not legal to mess with the PCM/EMS so I've heard.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

My son does have the programmer for his '95 Z28. Against dad's advice he installed a 411:1 gear (6 speed tranny... go figure) and had to program the speedometer when it was way off. Tweaked a few other settings while he was at it...:grin:


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## Nucleartractor (Jul 31, 2008)

wrench97 said:


> You have to change the chip on OBDI(to 1995) systems or reprogram on OBDII(1996 and newer) systems. But in some states it's not legal to mess with the PCM/EMS so I've heard.


Like that's ever stopped anyone. :laugh: I am divided on PCM tunes, on one hand, the stock PCM reacts so slowly to changing conditions, but on the other hand... GM does little without a reason. I've heard mainly success stories, but I would only ever order a second PCM to play with -- I would not make changes to my stock one.

Regards,

Thomas


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

grab one from a salvage yard to play with, if you have the ability to flash it through a laptop connection and software anything close with the same connections will work, D/L the program off the stock one to flash as a staring point, it's been about 5 years since I played with one but the OBDII setup is a lot easier to manipulate then the older OBDI setup.


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