Friends don't let friends buy REPRO PARTS.

[robota]

I know we all have to do it, buy repro' parts that is. But I just need to VENT about the lack of quality of these parts, the lack of correctness of these parts, and frustration in being the purchaser who needs to return about 50% of what I get.

It has gotten so that I will restore if at all possible even well worn original parts rather than get inferior made junk that I have to pay thru the nose for.

I won't mention any companies, but the lack of care in shipping, ie: wrong parts, damaged parts or backordered without telling you when you paid for them parts, is amazing. I can't tell you how many times I have opened the box and said; "This is not what I ordered".

Then the hassle of getting in touch with them, SENDING THIS JUNK BACK, and waiting for the new part (weeks go by), well it's maddening.:mad: And then on top of that at times you get attitude!

Had to vent. Now I feel better.... oh wait a box is at my door.:bang

[Tic's60]

I feel your pain man!! Some think I'm cheap cause I'll dig for hours in some junkyard looking for decent parts I can restore and use BUT this is the real reason mentioned here.
Even some of the standard stuff like head studs on ebay are crap! I bought a set of ProComp that were totaly wrong, right box though, and was blown off like it was nothing. I'll never buy ProComp bolts again. ARP spendy but well worth it.

P.S I always open my will call UPS packages at the store and check the items that way I don't have to drive back :-)

[PAINTJOHN1]

I Totally agree with everything you guys have said.I'm just finishing up my 64 Impala Convertible which I've owned since Sept 1964.Yep,I'm original owner.I 've been almost four years on this restoration.Only real things that gave me grief were those darn aftermarket parts!!! Especially the aluminum trim.Nothing,and I do mean nothing fits correctly.I spent 2 days just trying to get the one side of side molding on correctly.The clips are garbage,because they do not fit the original holes correctly.I ended up using almost all of my original clips because they are so much better.
The worst trim part was the rear cove molding.I bought it from one of the better Impala Suppliers at Carlisle last spring.I did not check the units till August when I started installing the trim.The trim was terrible.The bends are really bad,especially on the center section at the ends.The unit came sealed in the box,it light dents or dings in it.I know there was no miss handling on the part of the supplier,just was the terrible workman ship from these 3rd world countries.At fall Carlisle I returned the cove moldings to the supplier,I asked for a replacement set.He was kind enough to let me go through all 3 sets he had,all were bent and dinged the same exact way.Not only did I visit his sales area ,I also went to 2 other Impala Suppliers and looked at their cove moldings,all were the same.HOW CAN THEY SELL SUCH JUNK!!!! I ended up located NOS GM pieces,paid through the nose but I'm happy with the parts.What I can't understand is that the original parts were made over 40 years ago,with absolute perfect workmanship.With all the new technologies and machines,why can't a better quality part be made ?
I really don't mind spending the money for parts,but please sell me quality parts not over priced junk.THis crap may look good in China,Korea,Turkey,India,or Indonesia,but in the USA I think we all expect a better quality.
What do you guys think ????

[robota]

I am sooo glad I anot alone in this. Yes the trim stuff is awful. Detail stuff for the motor is no better. I bought a repro battery tray, hood catch, steering wheel... returned them all, dogpoop.

I restored my original wheel and it looks awesome. Restoring most everything else too.
I had to eat these rotten sprinigs and hinges that I paid serious dolars for because I installed them. They dont' work , but I gotta eat em.

Some of the stuff is okay. But alot of the time it ain't , then theres the times when they send stuff that has been chipped in handling or shipping.

The time, the money, the aggravation. i'm in the middle of it now. Ouch.

[Phil Reed]

What I can't understand is that the original parts were made over 40 years ago,with absolute perfect workmanship.With all the new technologies and machines,why can't a better quality part be made ?



Being an owner of a parts supply business, I see all this. Now...I am self employed....I called a staff meeting last Friday and nobody came!!!! That tells you how much pull I have!!

The big companies have to keep selling anything that will keep the money coming in. They have a lot more money than I do. But I refuse to sell parts that "I know" are junk. That doesn't make me any better than them but I don't want the hassles that you mention here. 1963-64 hood hinges are a prime example. If I have a customer who wants them....he is going to buy it fom someone else. There are some parts that we have a choice of Tiawan or American made and I tell customers that. Then it's THEIR choice. But with some of the reproduction parts...it's either repo or none at all. You have to use repo to finish your car. We have alot of customers that want NOS. But the inventory of ALL NOS parts is getting so small, that even with the price being driven up by a limited supply, even if you have the money to spend.....you might not even be able to find the part you neeed. When PaintJohn posted here a couple of months ago, looking for his Impala cove molding, I looked in my NOS 64 stuff because I thought I had what you needed. But I had the same side...the common one...that you did. There is a case where Chevrolet discontinued half of the part and then kept making the other side for another 20 years!! That I never understood. So here you have a common side that is fairly easy to get NOS and it's mate is impossible to find...at any price.

But this whole issue boils down to money. How many customers will pay $92 for a hood or trunk emblem, Made in the good ole US of A in Ohio......or spend $49 for one made in the Far East?????? Same part but different quality AND DIFFERENT WAGE SCALE FOR THE WORKER!!! It can't go both ways!!! Probably 75% go for the cheaper part.

I better stop...my soap box wobbling and I might fall off and hurt myself!!!

To robota........call me if you want an honest description of what you are looking for. You don't have to buy it from me but I will give you any info about that part that I know.

[Impalaguru]

I bought some patch panels for my 63 and I had to spend quite a bit of time "massaging", making relief cuts, moving bends and sharpening body lines just to make them acceptable. That was before I even put the first tack weld down. A lot I had to make my self. That little part at the end of the rocker, that has the two plastic plugs in it, that also form the front corner of the wheel opening I had to fabricate. Also the panel that covers the box brace behind the rear wheels. ALSO, a decent sized section of the outer part of the inner wheel house, behind the rear wheel.

I agree about the trim. I've been buying the NOS stuff when I find it but I can only put off eating for so long!!:D

Ross

[bobs409]

There is a case where Chevrolet discontinued half of the part and then kept making the other side for another 20 years!! That I never understood. So here you have a common side that is fairly easy to get NOS and it's mate is impossible to find...at any price.


I have 2 examples of that. The passenger side quarter panel for 66/67 Chevelles for one! Since the 80's, maybe even earlier, you couldn't get that one but easily find the driver side.

The other example is completely opposite. For 70-72, the driver side was impossible to find.

I'm talking about the original NOS, not the new repro full quarters. I have heard nothing on those for fit/finish.

I still have the LH NOS quarter tucked safely away for my 66. :brow I paid something like $260 for it way, way back. :deal

[bobs409]

By the way guys, when you have experience with bad parts (or good parts for that matter), you should submit them to our review section to warn others or even give praise. (link at top) :)


Bob

[dq409]

This subject is not just related to car parts but also motorcycle parts !!:mad:

The crap they sell that is made over seas whether in Asia or India/Pakistan is CRAP !!!
I would be embarrassed to put my name on products like these !!

You would think that the companies that make and sell this crap would demand that the factories turn out better products.
I believe they can, but the companies are getting away with selling these inferior parts or they would go under.
Where is their pride gone???:dunno

I would be will to bet that those of us that want quality products would pay a bit more for parts that are made better and look just as good as the original parts if they would demand their factories have better quality control.

Send back a few containers full of crappy parts and refuse to pay for them and I think the factories would get the message.
On the other hand I don`t believe these companies give a crap about anything but cost to produce.
A sad statement about American business practices,,,:cry

You should see some of the parts I refuse to pay for and return to the bike shops,,,

It has taken me some time to figure out what bike parts suppliers have the better parts.

Mad as hell,,,dq

[skipxt4]

American companies put themselves into this. :doh They decided they were sick and tired of paying union scale to their workers. They chose the lure of hugh profits, over their own workers. Since this has become, the only game in town, they could care less, about the quality.:dunno Eventually, when we stop buying this crap, this will come back to bite them on their greedy a**'s. Skip:mad:

[PAINTJOHN1]

I totally agree with you Skip.The problem is that if we stop buying the chrome and trim that is avialiable as after market, then we are right back in the same problem as it was 10-12 years ago.The cars will not be restored to the way we like them,because parts will not be avialiable because of being to expensive to reproduce or not aviailable because of the small demand for the product. Yep,we are between a rock and a hard place.I know I'd hate to have to buy all NOS Chrome and trim all over again,prices would absolutely go through the roof then.Guess we need to watch and pick carefully what we buy,only buy the parts that are recommended by others who have already installed them. John