Cheap online-sourced parts are a roll of the dice...you lose

[Ace-Garageguy]

Another instance of old-school diagnostic skills finding the root problem, after the car owner had "fixed" it with a counterfeit part bought online

 

 

Edited January 21, 2023 by Ace-Garageguy

[1930fordpickup]

When I worked at a parts store back in 1988  there were a bunch of fake parts back then also. They were in the Brand name parts packaging . 

[Smoke Wagon]

Hey Bill, what are your thoughts about Rockauto? I’ve heard at this point, countless advertisements about them.

[Ace-Garageguy]

3 minutes ago, Smoke Wagon said:

Hey Bill, what are your thoughts about Rockauto? I’ve heard at this point, countless advertisements about them.

I can't honestly say.

After having some really unpleasant experiences using customer-supplied (interwebs or cheap-line parts-store aftermarket stuff), I only buy OEM if I can get it, or top-line parts store bits. Even then, most everything is "offshore" sourced today, and QC isn't always what it should be. 

Buying anything today is a crapshoot, so I always buy what I think is the best quality I can find, from "name" manufacturers or old-stock OEM. My time is simply too valuable to waste it making parts fit that don't, or replacing garbage that doesn't work. And if I DO end up with a bad part, if I bought it locally, I can get a replacement or reimbursement TODAY, not some time in the future, if ever, from an interdwerb seller.

Bottom line: these days you rarely get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get. Quality costs. 

[Smoke Wagon]

Thanks for passing some sage advice to a young buck. I can especially get behind that last phrase. What you save financially on cheapo parts, you usually pay for in headaches and lost time, and then in getting a replacement part very quickly down the road.

[keyser]

OEM manufacturers like Brembo, Sachs, etc can be better deals with a good jobber. 
Benz wanted 1100/f rotor and 800/r rotor. Umm, no. Found Brembo 2-pc floating rotors F, stock rears for ~700 for the 4. Pads and sensors cheap, again with Brembos. Stock sensors. It was 1077/all. 

[Dave Van]

I have about 5 online sources I trust. Pay the money and get good stuff.  My F-150 goes to the dealer for about everything. AND at times it's cheaper!!! I did pay $300 for a failed starter but when it fried I got a free one.  

[Ace-Garageguy]

57 minutes ago, keyser said:

OEM manufacturers like Brembo, Sachs, etc can be better deals with a good jobber...

 

35 minutes ago, Dave Van said:

I have about 5 online sources I trust. Pay the money and get good stuff...

For guys who know what they're doing, there are indeed deals to be had for the "good stuff".

But for the typical online "price shopper", you might as well burn your money as buy some of the total junk that's out there.

One Delphi fuel pump I bought recently retails for around $300, over $500 from a source that "specializes" in the car it goes in. I found the same part # online, NOS, in the box with all the right identification and casting marks that prove it's legit for $125, shipped.

Chinee knockoffs "just as good" for $25. Really? Not in something I have to stand behind...or rely on.  

 

Edited January 21, 2023 by Ace-Garageguy

[Tabbysdaddy]

I get most of my parts from AutoZone. Mostly because it's easy to do warranty exchanges. My vehicles are warrantied by AutoZone. I don't have to buy parts too often anymore, I've replaced most of them already. I also have a lot of spare used parts. I blew the head gaskets on my truck and cracked a head two weeks ago, ruined the flywheel starting the engine with water in the cylinders. I didn't have to buy a head or flywheel. My other truck the radiator failed internally and put water in the transmission, that is warrantied from Advance and it won't be here until Monday. 

[Rodent]

Bought some windshield wipers for the Mazda3 on fleabay 3 years ago. They were 1/4 the price of the OEM ones from the dealership and were in Mazda packages. No idea if they are legit or counterfeit, but they are still on the car and work better than the factory ones or the ones I bent over for at the dealership. Sometimes you win.....

And yes, I prefer to use OEM wipers on our cars (2016 and 2018) because they seem to work better and you don't introduce wind noise with sketchy adaptors and stuff. The S10 gets parts store wipers 'cause it don't matter.

 

[iamsuperdan]

I buy a lot of parts from Rock Auto. And depending on the part, those inexpensive import knockoffs are just fine. 

Front side marker lights for a 99 Tahoe? Gee, do I spend $4 each for the knockoff? Or $20 each for the GM part? Replaced all four lights for the price of one OEM part.

Inner door handle for 99 Tahoe? At 1/5 the cost, I'll go import.

 

Brake parts? Engine parts? Will stick with brand name or OEM. Still used Rock Auto though. When I had my Camaro, I was able to replace all four brake discs, plus and the brake pads for half the cost of sourcing locally. And that was including US to CDN conversion and shipping/duties.

[Raoul Ross]

I buy from RockAuto quite a bit. They have a good reputation for a reason, they aren't gonna steer you wrong. If you want an OEM part they list it as such and if you're only looking for off-brand they state it right up front. Plus they (usually) give you a nice pic of what the part is and exactly what it fits.