Yes of course they can do quality work but that’s not the issue. What I have heard is they tend to not properly harden items because it wears their machine tools faster. There have been lots of issues with improperly hardened fasteners like are used on bridges. I had a Briggs engine that had to be replaced because they had failed to harden a particular part of the governor and Briggs isn’t exactly a fly by night operator. So if they pass off fasteners and engines that don’t meet specs their reputation is tainted and you need to stay alert.
Was it a design flaw or a mix-up in manufacturing? Mixes happen, even at we’ll run shops. Design flaws are something else, and not a good something.
Any decent manufacturing operation does extensive first article and lot inspections of anything critical. If a bridge construction company is blindly using critical hardware without properly inspecting it, they are as bad as the supplier that made the bad parts and shouldn’t be given the business to begin with. We also do unannounced site inspections to critical suppliers to personally inspect their entire operation. Our customers do the same to us…
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I never heard of DuraGo until you mentioned it. Looking on Amazon, the ACDelco part is only $8 more…
No design flaw, a batch of engines just weren’t properly heat treated for hardness. You’ll get the same kind of results if you look at Chinese made replacement body panels. Cheap materials and don’t fit. Sure if you check on everything they do but in general you have to check on everything they do and lock up any company secrets or they’ll steal them.
I got a tailgate latch from Amazon Warehouse. It was sold as a “customer return, untested, no returns”. Someone else had ordered new, and returned their old, dead latch to Amazon who sent it to me.
Then I got one for half the price from the LKQ U-pullit lot that actually worked.
I’ve never seen an Amazon warehouse listing that specified no returns, maybe it was some third party listing that has a separate return policy. The used/open box stuff that Amazon warehouse deals sells is very hit or miss because they don’t certify anything despite the sticker they slap on the box, but returns were always accepted with no issues aside from lost time.
Perhaps you are right. I was annoyed and did not wish to go through another exchange cycle. This part is way overpriced from GM, overpriced from Amazon, somewhat reasonable from Amazon Warehouse (but a gamble). It’s hard to find on eBay, but reasonably priced on Ali Express. I ordered one from Ali Express as a spare, and got one for $6 from LKQ.
The experience has soured me on Amazon Warehouse.
I’ve had no issues buying things like NGK plugs, or brand name filters over the internet. As long as it’s a brand name part from a good company, then why not. Most auto parts stores now sell over the internet.
Brake parts are one thing I don’t bargain shop.
Uhh, I was talking about a tailgate lock for an SUV.
I actually have price-shopped disk brake pads, especially for an obscure model where there is only one grade available.
Larry
October 21
Larry_M:
This part is way overpriced from GM, overpriced from Amazon, somewhat reasonable from Amazon Warehouse (but a gamble). It’s hard to find on eBay, but reasonably priced on Ali Express. I ordered one from Ali Express as a spare, and got one for $6 from LKQ.
Brake parts are one thing I don’t bargain shop.
Sorry, I was thinking this was the OP talking about the brake discs. For tailgate lock, bargain away.