Sick of sub-par auto parts!

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Clelan

Inferno Red Duster
FABO Gold Member
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Location
Martensville Sask. Can.
I am so sick of crap auto parts that only last a few months. What are your go to brands or suppliers for parts?
I had a power steering pump in my 03 Ram 1500 that I replaced, properly installed and flushed prior to use. I used the correct fluid and it still failed in less than 3 months.
Same truck, and front axle lasted 6 weeks before failing.
I cannot afford the time or money to jerp going like this! Any help would be much appreciated!

Cley
 
I am so sick of crap auto parts that only last a few months. What are your go to brands or suppliers for parts?
I had a power steering pump in my 03 Ram 1500 that I replaced, properly installed and flushed prior to use. I used the correct fluid and it still failed in less than 3 months.
Same truck, and front axle lasted 6 weeks before failing.
I cannot afford the time or money to jerp going like this! Any help would be much appreciated!

Cley
Good Luck Cley.... The days of quality Parts and Quality help are long long gone. I was in the Auto Parts Business, first as an employee in the mid 70's, then as an Owner for almost 30 years. In those days, Parts were Quality and non-offshore. We had quality American Made Parts and knowledgeable countermen in those days. Guys that worked as countermen for me in the 80's and 90's made 45-50K a year. Truth of the story is, in the early to mid 90's the manufacturers wanted to sell more parts, so they dictated to the warehouse distributors to sell directly to the installers. Garages, Fleets, Govt. agency's, therefore cutting the Professional Knowledgeable Jobber Store out of the Loop, if you will. As independents we had to Cut,Cut,Cut price to compete and make ends meet. Meanwhile, Offshore ( You Know from Where ) Parts began to appear, making the problem worse. I finally saw the handwriting on the wall, and sold out to Carquest/Advance in 2000. Walk into a Parts store today and try to get questions answered or good service....Smartest thing I did back then , was to Buy the commercial buildings I operated out of...Still own them Today..... :thumbsup:
 
There are shops that won't install non OEM parts because they are tired of customers coming back for warranty. I usually take my chances on non OEM but stick to name brands if I can. If the part replacement involves a lot of labor to r&r I would use OEM, if available.
 
In some cases, especially sensors on today's vehicles, the aftermarket parts will not sync properly with the computer modules. Learned that with my 05 Magnum R/T when I had to replace the oil pressure sensor. OEM part was actually a tiny bit cheaper than the aftermarket one, shocked the hell out of me!
I've had to replace the coil pack on my wife's car two or three times in the past 4 years, OEM one lasted over 20 years.
 
Yup. Welcome to the future, where big box stores sell craptastic chinkesium junk and none of the employees know a damn thing. I just went in the other day to the local OReilly and asked for a rotor for my 49 model Ford 8N tractor. The guy spent like 5 solid minutes looking through the computer. Then he went and got the manager and the MANAGER spent ANOTHER 5 minutes looking and then looked at me and said "Sorry, I don't have a listing for a brake rotor for that application" AND WE LIVE IN A RURAL COUNTY! Just ridiculousness.
 
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Some of my Stores were in the ( Hood ) . You guys couldn't begin to imagine the conversations at the Parts Counter. Even 35 year ago. Yo, I needs a stermostat, or a huganator, or a muffin for my exhaust. Maybe its a fuse pump, My Cadillac converter is bad, You got some dicks brakes for my car ?, In later years, It was the Confusor has issues, needs me a new one, can't talk right no mo. I have heard it all...But No Mo...Done wit dat..... :thumbsup:
 

Some of my Stores were in the ( Hood ) . You guys couldn't begin to imagine the conversations at the Parts Counter. Even 35 year ago. Yo, I needs a stermostat, or a huganator, or a muffin for my exhaust. Maybe its a fuse pump, My Cadillac converter is bad, You got some dicks brakes for my car ?, In later years, It was the Confusor has issues, needs me a new one, can't talk right no mo. I have heard it all...But No Mo...Done wit dat..... :thumbsup:
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
 
raff-out-roud.jpg
 
99% of the parts I've bought for my cars were absolute garbage, and I ended having to do every repair job two or three times to get it somewhat right. From the Moog front wheel bearings that lasted 5 weeks, to the KYB struts that lasted a month and did $2,000 damage to my car. ITS ALL JUNK. And I can go on and on with stories, I'm sure lots of you can too.
 
I am so sick of crap auto parts that only last a few months. What are your go to brands or suppliers for parts?
There are no “go to” brands these days. You see all the time one guy says I just bought something and it was made in USA and then next guy says I just bought same part from same supplier and it was made in China.
The companies making these parts are all owned by conglomerates that have multiple lines in different countries so they put the same brand name on different “grade” parts and sell them all at premium prices.

When you can find good used original assembly line parts do that. Even replacement parts from OEMs are garbage.

Lastly, stay off eBay and Amazon. There are so many counterfeit parts that look like the real thing, boxes and all, but they are junk.
 
There are no “go to” brands these days. You see all the time one guy says I just bought something and it was made in USA and then next guy says I just bought same part from same supplier and it was made in China.
The companies making these parts are all owned by conglomerates that have multiple lines in different countries so they put the same brand name on different “grade” parts and sell them all at premium prices.

When you can find good used original assembly line parts do that. Even replacement parts from OEMs are garbage.

Lastly, stay off eBay and Amazon. There are so many counterfeit parts that look like the real thing, boxes and all, but they are junk.
Don't forget that also the part descriptions are very very vague, and the photo is not of the actual part you are buying.
 
Yeah, especially when these guys are putting hot V8`s in them :realcrazy:
Wha….wha….What?????

Seriously? The engine is a structural member of the tractor, so how the hell…..

Ok, Googling this now, as I just can’t make sense of this.

Edit: Ok, turns out this a “thing”. Not a particularly smart thing, IMO, but to each his own, and what the hell do I know, anyway!
 
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Actually A1 Cardone was a Great product, way back in the 60's,70's,80's and Part of the 90's. Jus Sayin........
Was. Past tense. I don't know who's doing their rebuilding/remanufacturing now, but the quality is ****.
Sent back 3 power brake boosters from them before I was able to find someone who would rebuild the original unit. Can't tell you how many reman fuel pumps I had to send back.
It got to the point that if I saw Cardone on a parts box, I refused it.
It's not a bargain if we have to do the same job over 3 and 4 times.
As for Autozone, the only thing I'll buy from there is oil, car wash soap, and air fresheners, and I'm suspicious of the oil.
Had a customer bring a set of Autozone brake pads into the shop, wanting us to install them. The ones on the car squeaked like a MF'er.
Autozone covered them on warranty and was willing to reimburse the labor. Once.
We did the job with the understanding that when they squeak again, customer pays labor. Of course the were squeaking within a week, and the customer was pissed we wouldn't redo the job even after we told him and put it in writing.
You already know Autozone tossed us under the bus on that one. Whenever their wholesale rep comes in the shop I run them off.
 
Wha….wha….What?????

Seriously? The engine is a structural member of the tractor, so how the hell…..

Ok, Googling this now, as I just can’t make sense of this.

Edit: Ok, turns out this a “thing”. Not a particularly smart thing, IMO, but to each his own, and what the hell do I know, anyway!
LOL, thought I was bullshitten huh? :lol:
 
Yeah, especially when these guys are putting hot V8`s in them :realcrazy:
....and jet turbine engines.

 
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