OEM doesn't mean what you think it should.

I love buying German parts that have the part number laser off…. That’s the real oem/dealer parts.


I’ve been buying lightly used lately. I don’t really trust aftermarket and i can’t justify the dealer pricing on some things.

I generally avoid the Chinese Amazon crap. I prefer to buy OEM equivalent (Mann, Lemforder, Mahle) or an upgraded aftermarket part. I’ll do FLAPS for common domestic stuff and consumables like batteries. I’ve only had one issue, ABS sensors on a W204 Mercedes that made the car really angry. Replaced with OEM and all was well.

A few years ago I replaced the fuel filter on a Mark 3 Golf VR6.

- I bought the part from a local VW dealer AND it was made in China. :rolleyes:

Meanwhile, did you know that the current 911's gearbox is made in Japan?

+1 car-part.com Frequently finds your needed part at a local salvage yard.

LKQ lists there and will have the mileage posted. It's not perfect but it's not bad at all.

I seem to like all of mine being counterfeit.... Moog bearings, NGK plugs etc.

FWIW, some of the big name brands that were very good back in the day are now making mid-market crap in China.

That's probably a great transmission in that case. It's a global economy now and country of origin doesn't determine the quality of a part, the level of greed in the corporate board room does. You can go to China and get them to make any quality level of part you want, you just need to pay for it. Companies don't want to do that. They are not stupid or incapable of producing quality.

Most people don't know this.
I've had clam dies made in China and they are honest about the quality compared to the cost.

Both accurate statements. The auto parts business is one of the most global/international/mobile industries on earth...everything winds up on a container ship going somewhere. The logistics industry would be the one to be in these days. :)

To scratch the surface of auto parts quality, each provider or factory also makes different versions or quality levels of the same parts. A great example is brake pads, one of the easiest parts to make and a billion dollar seller industry-wide. The pads they make for the Mercedes-Benz factory are different from the ones they make for the parts counter at the authorized MB dealers. The ones that come on the car new are better and last longer than the replacement pads from the dealer. For BMWs, they need to last past the free maintenance period of the new car warranty, after that, they DGAS.

Parts are not parts, to coin a phrase.

What about Timken? They still on the better side?

Don’t know, I don’t normally buy that brand. They have plants all over the world, including in India and China. First thing I look at at the bearing supply house is where the box tells me it’s made.

Most of the bearings I use are made in Japan, by the same companies that made them for the last 50 years.

On my last Ford truck, I was having problems with front brake rotors and bought a new set from the dealer. Yup, made in China.

Stuff that's made in Japan is likely to be very well made. Definitely don't compare it to China, India, Mexico, etc....

I had 'new-rebuilt' rotors from NAPA rust out within a year. A decade or so ago.
WTH
Froze up and dragging. The whole thing crusty.
Maybe caused other small damage. More in wasted gas and my time. They had fresh fluid bled and sliders lubed. I've done more than a few.

That was the dependable OEM-Quality source at once upon a time.

Bearings? You need to be pretty hooked up with a good industrial parts place that has a rep to protect to not get fake skf or ntn bearings.

Timken are still excellent quality, one of my higher end shop customers, it's all they use. I did install an SKF 911 rear wheel bearing a few weeks ago and it was bad. Using the Sir Tools kit, it was definitely a bad bearing, next one in and other side was fine.

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I have no issue with using non-OEM/factory parts, but the stuff on Amazon is complete crap. I am surprised they have not gotten some very large lawsuits against then for selling demonstrably unsafe (and/or incorrect) auto and truck parts.

I live in an area with Auto Zone, Advance Auto Parts, and NAPA nearby and have purchased from both of them as well as from on-line retailers (e.g. Rock Auto, 1A Auto, Summit Racing, JEGS) and been quite satisfied with the quality of the parts.

Sometimes, however, one just has to go to the dealer to get the correct part.

Of course it goes without saying that any Porsche parts should be purchased from our sponsor, as well as parts for any of the other brands for which they provide components.

I think Amazon and eBay are loaded with fake brand-name parts. Have you ever noticed when you look up something on Amazon or eBay, they have dozens of the same picture, but with different names.
M
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