conterfeit parts

Post by **jebiga41** » 17 Oct 2008, 00:50

just saw this on vw vanagon syncros forum

Re: [Syncro] Re: Counterfeit parts

With parts prices constantly going up it will get worse
I always have to ask for specific brand or will get "aftermarket" brand
sometimes for same
price as well known brands.
Sometimes it's part designed in Germany, made in Mexico in box made in USA
Global economy!
Leon
----- Original Message -----
From: Paul Guard
To: Syncro@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, October 11, 2008 7:06 AM
Subject: [Syncro] Re: Counterfeit parts

Our company is beginning to see counterfeit Asian-made parts in boxes
that still have the "Made in Germany" label ... from a company that
also supplies these same parts to Porsche.

Post by **jebiga41** » 17 Oct 2008, 00:56

and another

[Syncro] GKN CV boots‏
From: syncro@yahoogroups.com on behalf of Leon Korkin (korkwood@linkline.com)
Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2008 4:30:23 PM
To: Syncro@yahoogroups.com

I removed CV boots installed in Jan. of this year. Found paperwork, they were purchased as complete GKN CV joint kit
that included GKN joints, boots, grease and bolts. Boots are cracked all over, one is torn on small end.
They were NOT overfilled. Dan mentioned GKN boots have smooth flanges without raised area between bolt holes
Boots i removed have no markings as to their origin except part numbers barely visible next to flanges.
I would expect GKN to mark their boots. Anibody have GKN boots that show markings identifying it as such?
Here is link to PartsGeek company selling GKN CV boot kit clearly showing flange with raised parts
http://www.partsgeek.com/ntparts/1980/v ... hoppingCom
Mine look exactly the same.
it seems CV boots now days have to be changed with every oil change and confusion is selling tool for many parts
Leon

Website · Post by **syncrosimon** » 17 Oct 2008, 07:22

If Jk dont have their parts made in China then I might consider buying (some) of them! It's just a profit thing isnt it, difference between cost to UK as they say on Dragons Den, and then the retail cost. If you see a way of making money, you take it.

Post by **Syncro G** » 17 Oct 2008, 14:13

A mate of mine owns a bay. Needed some tubes to conect the heat exchanger or something (don't quite know as I haven't worked on it) so the exhaust doesn't come in the cab. Bought one off JK. He knew it was a cheep patern, probubly from China but it should do the job.

Part of it though is actully made out of an old tin can! You can tell this as it still has the original paint with random Chineese lettering and pictures on what was the outside (cunningly hidden as it was recycled into the poorly crafted new part)! Wonder how long that'll take to rust? Better that than try and make wheelbarings out of it though, like GSF seem to.

Post by **syncropete** » 17 Oct 2008, 19:53

This is a very big industry. I had an oil filter O ring blow out on a fake mitsubishi oil filter. It is now an ashtray in my office! Engine dumped its oil within a few seconds. This was also verycommon to see in azerbaijan, when I wa working there in 2000. Very suspect printing on filter boxes sold in small shops and markets. Counterfeiting technology has probably advanced since then. Beware .

Post by **Simon Baxter** » 17 Oct 2008, 20:34

There is plenty of good stuff on the aftermarket, there is also a lot of toss.
The knack is finding out whats good and what isn't.
I've just done another van today with a GSF temperature sender in it that is wildly innacurate, bloke brought it in as he thought it was over heating and the fan wasn't coming on, his "Mechanic" has hard wired a switch on the dash to make the fan work.
It was blatantly obvious after watching the engine warm up really quickly something was amiss and it was the temp sender that was lying.
As soon as that was swapped (and the water housing that the "mechainc" had broken) I tried again, only to find the fan not running but the gauge giving sensible readings that I swapped the fan switch (also fitted by the "mechanic") for a good one, hey presto, job jobbed.
So, bloke had paid a mechanic and an auto electrician god knows how much to make a mullock of his van only for it to be remedied in under an hour with some quality parts.
S'not rocket science is it!

If you don't have confidence in JK then give me a try, I have a "I don't sell "pooh"" policy.. I am a one man band, often working alone, I cannot afford for things to go wrong financially or time wise, there is nothing worse than doing a job twice, even more frustrating if the new part you have fitted has failled.
I have a very low returns rate, mostly customers ordering the wrong parts, but if I do get problems then I stop selling it, s'failry simple.
Some of my suppliers think I'm daft as I want the most expensive things they sell, not the cheapest! and then, they think I'm daft as I am "doing myself out of money" because the parts I'm selling don't go wrong so I don't geet the repeat custom.
For anyone that knows me would know my responce to that!

Another think to bare in mind is that a lot of parts companies, Topran, Vemo, Meyle and Febi for instance all all "reboxers" meaning they buy parts in and rebox it in their own packaging often grinding off the manufacturers part number from the part. Take radius rod bushes for instance, now, how many companies are going to go to the effort of tooling up to make said part? really? not many..
If you check them against each other, different brands lined up you will see that most of them are exactly the same just in different packaging.
So, yeah, be a brand nerd if you want but even Febi are sourcing in the far east but it's just a matter of quality control, far eastern stuff is okay so long as the quality control is there.
Brands I trust.
Febi, Meyle, Topran.

Website · Post by **syncrosimon** » 18 Oct 2008, 07:49

Well said Mr Baxter, I think we would be doing the T3 scene a favour by getting parts from you, by ensuring that the parts are quality controlled before shipping, which means that only the quality suppliers get the trade, and are more likley to keep stock and maybe branch out. Everyone benefits (except gsf and Jk)

Post by **..lee..** » 18 Oct 2008, 19:45

fitted a flexi brake hoze once from a local factor who has a reputation for cheap parts (no one else could supply at short notice and customer was desperate to have car back). it actually blew apart when the mechanic presure tested the system on the ramp.

imagine if that had happened when the customer was driving it.

doesn`t bare thinking about.

now i only guarantee first choise parts if people want "pooh" fitted to their cars why should i have to do the job twice for one fee.

lee.