Be Wary of Some Imported Auto Parts

Believe it or not, the United States of America remains the world’s largest manufacturer. It would not seem that way in the automotive world. Absolutely everything seems to be made in China. Coils needed on cars without spark plug wires—China. Bolts—China. Light bulbs—China. New alternators—China. Rotors— China. Everything is made in China.

At my shop I really try my best to buy American, or if the car is German or Japanese, German and Japanese for those select components. However, sometimes even the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) makes something in China so it is hard to avoid. For about $10 more a coil you can buy American ones from Wells Ignition, Echlin, or the like. For pennies more a screw or bulb you can get American ones. For about 50 cents more you can get an American oil filter from Wix, which is the best brand in the market today.

Sometimes, we marvel at how badly people cut corners. We had a lady who had fouled spark plugs and a bad coil. The bad coil was bone dry, but the last technician used coils made in China. In one year, they went bad. Because she paid for a tune up in consecutive years, the previous shop loses a customer because they saved $30 on coils that were badly made.

Sometimes, a customer demands that we cut corners. We get a 2003 Honda Civic and the customer is “on a budget.” So, we looked for the cheapest remanufactured alternator we can find. Thankfully for the customer, we warranty our work. The parts store sends us a brand-spanking new alternator made in China and extends a warranty to us against breakdown of the part. Because the customer demanded his car “now, now, NOW” we put it in.

The new alternator not only makes a strange static sound, it makes the serpentine belt run against the timing belt cover. The reason why? The pulleys did not line up. It was not a matter of switching the new pulley with the old one either. The parts store sent us two additional foreign ones. Only one matched up with the OEM one. Not even the ones made in China matched each other.

Lastly, we have been seeing a lot of TVI oil filters. Distributed by TVI Filtration Corporation in Ohio, these filters, made in China, are as cheapas dirt because they are just about as good as dirt. How much money can a shop possibly be saving by sticking a TVI in the car?

One of my customers works for a parts store that is notorious for selling inferior products from China. He told me that the store had more employees in the return department than in actual parts distribution. Knowing this, I am very skeptical concerning how “cost effective” it is to outsource American jobs. It sounds like a bunch of overpaid executives justifying their supposed administrative prowess, if you ask me.

Politics aside, it is far from necessary to use such cheap and inferior products that result in comebacks. Because, there is one thing these products made in China will never outsource: your valuable time when you end up having the same job done twice.

Craig Truglia is an owner of Car Clinic in Mahopac and can be reached at 845-628-6668 or at Car- ClinicNY. com.