anyone else finding "nos" gm made in "china"

[yote1234]

im doing a body off restoration and im finding out that there is nothing made in usa any more. now im not knocking the parts that are made in china but i want all american parts on my build. after all it is an american truck! it's taken me over 2-months now to find all front/rear suspension parts that were nos.. "new old stock". it's been a battle! even the "gm" dealer over the counter parts are made in china! anyone else see this?

[MVHandy]

Since they own the rest of the country not a big surprise. Truth is they can copy and stamp out parts rro next to nothing but in many cases the fit and material quality is a real problem as the Chinese have not mastered the art of quality control. Bought some goodmark parts and were Made in China but when I complained they exchanged for US made parts. It is scary but we are losing our ability to produce the goods we want for ourselves.

[chevy_mike]

Sorry but NOS means "New Old Stock" which means it was sitting in a warehouse on a shelf. Anything made in China (unless GM was having the original part made there) is an OEM part, "Original Equpment Manufacture".

Good luck finding any real NOS parts at reasonable prices.

[yote1234]

Originally Posted by chevy_mike

Sorry but NOS means "New Old Stock" which means it was sitting in a warehouse on a shelf. Anything made in China (unless GM was having the original part made there) is an OEM part, "Original Equpment Manufacture".

Good luck finding any real NOS parts at reasonable prices.

yes! oem...thats what im finding is mostly made in china. the nos is made in usa and impossable to find at ?? any price. it has taken me over 2 months for all the suspension parts...

[turp mcspray]

I got some parts about a month ago for my moms 09 Buick. They came from the GM dealer, in factory sealed gm packaging. Made in China. WTF!!

[GMT900]

The problem with the Chinese is they build to U.S. companie's spec and many times with the raw material provided by that company. Once the prototypes are approved by the U.S. guys and the contracts signed the chinese will start to cut corners intentionally to save money. Its not uncommon for them to sell the U.S. guy's raw material out the back door to another manufacturer / black market then substitute it with a cheaper material. We start to complain and they clean up their act and get the parts back to spec. Once the coast is clear again with the U.S guys they go right back to thier old ways. If you don't have a rep in the factory checking their quality they will rip you off.

[yote1234]

too bad we here in the usa didnt make our own stuff..with our own materials!

[68lwb292]

It would be nice to have American made parts but thanks to our government and the unions you could never afford them. They would probably be 6 times the cost of any other part. Not defending the chinese at all I hate buying their crap, but its getting to the point now where we don't have much of a choice.

[JEM]

Originally Posted by GMT900

The problem with the Chinese is they build to U.S. companie's spec and many times with the raw material provided by that company. Once the prototypes are approved by the U.S. guys and the contracts signed the chinese will start to cut corners intentionally to save money.

Often referred to as 'quality fade', afflicts everything from dogfood to aircraft bolts.

As for 'why' - China just overtook the US as the world's largest auto market. GM is big in the Chinese market.

The transmission in the 2011 Mustang GT comes from China, because it's cheaper to set up one plant to make a lot of 'em than to build batches here and there for various markets, and it's just easier to set up for large-scale manufacturing there.

[mbgmike]

Actually its not all gone. Being in the parts business we subscribe to many
automotive and business trade associations and news letters that are paid subscriptions only. Like Auto Beat http://www.autobeatdaily.com/

and others. They update daily and /or weekly on what happens in the automotive business world. most times before its on the news or papers We like to keep current on all automotive.

Many people don't realize that the OEM's really are just vehicle assemblers.
Many of the parts have been made overseas by American Companies. Tier 1
Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers. Their still are many parts made here or Canada.
Unfortnately for our trucks their are just a handful of USA made parts

America exported somewhere around 3.4 billion USD auto parts to Asia in 2008 to build Foreign cars. One example is ,The largest chrome plater of auto plastics ( grilles)is in Tennessee. They supply most every car maker in the world.

We just priced ourselves out of the market and know have been catching up.
American cars and truck are some of the best made now. Its just hard to convince the public of that now.

[1968SWBBigBlock]

Part of the deal is that the Chinese government owns the manufacturing companies we are discussing, they are willing to take business at a loss to get a strangle hold on the market. That makes it impossible for a business that is not government subsidized to compete. That is the global economy we live in.
My biggest fear is that we will lose the ability to manufacture anything in the U.S. - if we have another WWII how do we dig ourselves out of that hole?

[chevy_mike]

Originally Posted by 1968SWBBigBlock

My biggest fear is that we will lose the ability to manufacture anything in the U.S. - if we have another WWII how do we dig ourselves out of that hole?

x 1,000,000,000

One of the reasons I try to build, install and fix as many things as I can. I'll actually know how to manufacture something when others are looking to buy it at the store and it isn't there anymore. We have become a nation of consumers, not a nation of builders.

[PHAT TONY]

For what it's worth; taiwan made parts seem superior to china made crap, and good luck finding north american parts that are 100% north american.

[WillW23]

There are still some small American companies, doing specialized work. As far as suspension, I believe Moog products are still made in America. I just wish you could find sheet metal replacement parts made here.

Willie

[coloradosean2009]

Originally Posted by 68lwb292

It would be nice to have American made parts but thanks to our government and the unions you could never afford them. They would probably be 6 times the cost of any other part. Not defending the chinese at all I hate buying their crap, but its getting to the point now where we don't have much of a choice.

I don't blame the unions, they only want to preserve the middle class. The real problem comes from buyers who are price sensitive. How many times have you been faced with two options to purchase what appears to be the identical product - one being made in USA - the other in China? The American part will cost more and be made of better quality. Which one will you buy? How about when the price is 2x as much? 3x?

The other problem is the lack of education at the high school level. How many high schools still have an industrial arts program? they got rid of it at the school I went to the year after I graduated. Kids today don't have a clue what it takes to design and manufacture a product - nor do they have a desire to work in a factory (assuming any existed).

What we are left with is a society selling each other the cheapest products possible. Our youth are working at fast food joints selling cheap food making less than the poverty line. All because of the consumer demand for cheap goods.

I have made a personal commitment to buy only well made (preferably Made in USA) products that are designed to last. This means that I often have to wait to buy a product until I can afford to buy the good one. And I never shop at Harbor Freight 100% of the crap they import is just that... crap.

[mrein3]

If you are a part manufacturer, what are you going to do?
If you want to build something here, the union contract negotiators will demand $20/hour plus full benefits for their workers. OR you can manufacture your part overseas for less than half the cost.

Funny thing when gas was over $4/gallon here and oil over $200/barrel, those tables turned. It only makes sense to manufacture stuff overseas if you can move it across the ocean cheap. It was too expensive to move stuff so some companies that still could started making stuff here again.

I'm not bashing China or unions or anybody. Crap if it wasn't for my dad having a GREAT paying union job for 42 years at the Ford assembly plant in Highland Park (St. Paul, MN) I wouldn't have gotten a college degree and a good paying job. Like 1968SWBBigBlock said, it is just the global economy we live in.

What is American made mean any more? I saw a Toyota ad on TV the other day claiming that it was American made? Huh?!? Whatever. For now I'm sticking with my Fords and Chevys.

And for what its worth, I try really hard to purchase parts made here if given an alternative.

[msgross]

Originally Posted by 68lwb292

It would be nice to have American made parts but thanks to our government and the unions you could never afford them. They would probably be 6 times the cost of any other part. Not defending the chinese at all I hate buying their crap, but its getting to the point now where we don't have much of a choice.

Please don't let this get political, the thread will be locked IAW board rules.

[Thealien]

I always get a kick out of the whole union against china discussion. It is always easier to pick on a segment of society than look at the real issues. How come we don't have non union employees competeing?

Even the lowest paid american can not compete with china/India. It costs us more to live here so all other costs are more. We have EPA, OSHA, workers comp, unemployment insurance, numerous taxes and regulations that the overseas manufacturers do not. If we were willing to work for $1.00 an hour we couldn't compete with overseas manufacturing, it is not a level playing field?

Not getting political, just stating facts. If you feel this post is in violation please remove it!

[mike16]

what drives me crazy is when you buy a NOS part and find that inside some one has replaced it with a repro. Back in the 80's and early 90's they were actually printing out the boxes as well.

as for the price of chinese vs american. a reasonable profit is expected but the greed. i dont understand how they can wait till they loose the market completely to the chines befor they drop thier prices 30 50 %. by then its too late. I would buy americal and pay more knowing that it employes americans and pays thier health care beny's and taxes but to screw the customer and destroy our manufacturing base. thats not just criminal level greed, its treason.

treason during war time is a capital offence.

[grs]

I am tired of buying cheap Chinese junk. I bought a pair of work boots for $54.00. They were made in USA. Then the same brand of boots were made in China, and the price at the store was still $54.00. They then went back to making them in the USA, and the price was still $54.00. WE are saving any money buying junk from China. We need factories back in this country hiring people. Well that is how it is in the United States of China.

[fastom]

??

[rob32472]

If american companies would charge a fair price for the goods they produce and not be greedy it would all be good. The bottom stops at the stock holders whom want bigger returns on investment! what we need to do is make an investment in america and think long term instead of short term profits and that includes everyone. Look at our toys, Lead paint now toxic cadmium when are we gonna learn! Maybe 20 years down the road we will figure out why cancer is on the rise! If its in toys its in tvs, cloths, and anything else from china...... just my thoughts if I am in viloation then please remove the post.....

[big_al_71]

If you look at most of everything that we own is made some where else

Unfortunetly almost nothing is "Made in USA" anymore

[cdowns]

if you want NOS go to hershey pa in october

[shade67]

Look into what the Japaneese do- they tax the heck out of the inports- Just like the US did in the 50's and 60's - just to level the playing field.
For years all of the military equipment was only made in America just for the reason that we need to be self sustaining in the event of war. IE: you never know who your true friends or Allies are in the case of war!
As far as unions go they are a good news bad news type of thing. they raise wages all around them and give workers protections from unacceptable dangers. They also can cripple a companies ability to be competitive if left unchecked. In order to protect workers, some worthless pukes are protected and kept employed. I was a union steward and had to defend some people for doing some pretty stupid stuff.