Is everything "repop" total garbage?

[Beatcoaster]

So I just got done spending $1500 on parts to redo my entire enterior from the carpet to the visors to the pedal pads and window cranks. I get home yesterday(truly excited) to 3 boxes from Brothers and LMC and upon opening them, I am blown away by the lack of quality. To start it off is the heater controls. My current one is totally corroded and has the rivets busted off the back so for $120 I figure I am going to get a decent piece - not the case at all. I got a rechromed p.o.s. that had the face spray painted flat black with scratched up levers and i little rust bubble on the face already...unbelievable -thanks Brothers!! This piece is worth $30 tops. I then proceed to my $60 kick panel carpets which are nothing more than carpet glued onto a cardboard backer - I could have made this for $10. Their "preformed" carpet kit is rolled into a ball, shoved in a box, and I personally hope it will lay flat, cause it sure doesn't look like it now. The foam seat rebuild kit is nothing more than a piece of 1" foam, some all weather carpet, unusable hog ring pliers, and some metal rods with no instructions...I could go on and on...the only pieces I am really happy with are the dash pad, my 3 pt. seatbelts and the wood steering wheel...Hopefully when my backordered tach conversion kit and seat cover get here, my dissapointment will subside a little...but I doubt it - ugh.

As painful as it is to say(or for the many die hard american auto fans to hear), I come from 10 years of racing, tuning, and showing Subaru's (1999 RS and a 2005 Sti) and the parts I imported from Japan were flawless and made with a true quality I had hoped to recieve here. Instead my American truck is now clearly implanted with Thailand made crap that is not worth a dime of what these vendors are charging. I can only hope that once I start work on the rest of the truck, the parts I need to buy aren't such a waste of my hard earned money.....such a bummer, but I just had to vent.

[leddzepp]

You will find hit and miss with a lot of the aftermarket parts. Some are total junk, others are marginal, and some are identical to original. I always try to see what others have experienced here before I buy a part. I am lucky enough to live down the street from Brothers. Some of their stuff is great, and some of it is crap.

I have heard the tach conversion kit is top notch, so hopefully that will make things a little better.

[Skirkpat]

USA Made , does not mean quality and definately not affordability anymore, why do you think we import everyting, and have ran a trade deficit forever. I know people here are going to get mad at me pointing out the obvious facts, and it bothers me too, but that is the problem , not the solution. Pretending an issue does not exist does not help to fix it....when we can compete on a global scale again is when the products and jobs will return. Until then I will buy quality parts no matter where they originate from, with an obvious bias towards American made whenever possible. And another reason I would rather fix OEM or buy NOS even if it is alot more work or $$$

[big_al_71]

I read your post and I have to agree that some of the parts are really crappy and others are very good. when I re-did my truck my experience was very similar. We are lucky that there are companies that at least try to re-produce the parts for this buckets. working on a newer vehicle regardless what brand is always ALOT easier to find original parts, dont let this bring you down because anyone can go buy a new car but the pride you will have when you finish your old prject is a hell of alot more rewarding..

[70cst]

Bummer...sorry to hear of your experience. I have been blessed with great service and products from Classic Heartbeat, Christians Classics, and GMCPauls. The only issues I had was with the shippers and you can't blame the vendors for shipping issues. I hope your other parts turn out better.

[tim21391]

i started sanding my passenger side front fender and found out it was repop.. i had never known it was repop til now and have no problems with it..

[MrC1]

I've yet to find poor quality on American made repops. Every time I've had an issue it was made in China, Thailand, or Korea.

[garryk]

I am lucky enough to live close to both LMC and Classic Parts of America (formerly Chevy Duty). It's nice to be able to see the parts before you pay for them.

I hope your parts buying experience gets better. Try some of the vendors that support the board, they sell the good stuff.

[vectorit]

I have had all kinds of good, bad, and ugly purchasing results from all vendors. Unfortunately it's a costly lesson learned, when you realize you bought a junk part. For me as a burb builder, I am constantly let down by all vendors. So many times I get some know it all on the phone, stating that burb's are this and that. So my scrounging abilities have become very keen, since I refuse to put some of the garbage that is being peddled on my burb.
Don't get me started on chrome stuff... Door handles? Forget it, search for NOS. Drive train rubber? Don't bother, buy an assembly manual (Since dealers usually no longer have the old books, but the stuff is stocked at the main parts wharehouse) and get the part numbers. I bought all mine from the Chevy dealer parts counter, instead of putting India made junk in there.

Your carpet will find it's shape again, at least it did when mine came all balled up. Just put it out in the sun light for a while.

Keep an eye out on this board for stuff like the heater controls or other similar parts, a lot of guys on here are parting out good stuff or are scroungers who like to try and make a buck while helpin a brother out.

Good luck!

[jbristo67]

The only thing I have bought repoped is my rockers and lower door skins and I have have really good luck with both of them

[70Custom10Nut]

The sucky economy pinches everybody. Dealers are going to try to keep prices down, but at times, quality will suffer. I've had good parts come from both places and then again I've had ill-fitting parts come from the same dealer. Someone mentioned that he buys all his parts from shows, and I kinda adopted that same technique. This way you can look at the quality before purchase, and save on shipping too. Cnut

[dfwright]

Originally Posted by Beatcoaster

...the only pieces I am really happy with are the dash pad, my 3 pt. seatbelts and the wood steering wheel...

I also am sorry to hear that the parts you received were of poor quality. It would be nice to know who you bought each of the pieces from that you were unhappy or happy with, so others of us can avoid those parts from the specific vendors. I noticed you got the bad heater control from Brothers.

Where were the dash pad, seatbelts and steering wheel from?

[PanelDeland]

Here's some info on vendors that are and are not members of the forums.This may shed some light on your choices in vendors for parts.

[67ChevyRedneck]

After buying so many "hit or miss" parts from catalogs, I try to buy everything I can from vendors at large swap meets. That way I can put my hands on what I'm buying before I buy it. Some of y'all have no idea how lucky you are to be close to a big vendor, but as far as I can tell, I'm not near any.

[PHAT TONY]

I think you would be surprised at how little is made on this rock. Having said that, there are levels of quality in repop parts; if you ask the dude if this is a nice piece and he hesitates or just doesn't know-don't buy it! It's a lesson that soon you'll be able to say is hard learned.

[DZL1]

Man that blows. Send the heater controls back. Brothers is supposed to have good customer service.

DZL1.

[Beatcoaster]

Well, I already opened the bag of the heater controls to check them out initially, but they are too crappy and the delco headlight switch isn't correct either - so I will be calling to see if they will take these parts back...I will post my customer experience...

I installed the dash pad tonight and it isn't a great as I thought, it has a pinch bump on the passenger side after i tightened it down, but the drivers side is perfect. The repop cigarette lighter needed to have the trim ring modded to fit but now looks good - it's almost comical at this point. The LMC window scrapers and felt fit perfect and look great!!

[oldiron]

Since we are almost neighbors I should tell you that there are two of the best vendors right here in our back yard. Classic Heartbeat and Pickmup. Also there is Eastside Truck in Arlington and Dreamers in Everett.
Sorry that you are having such bad luck.
Hope to see you at Monroe swapmeet in May. See link:http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=322900

[Richard8971]

Something to keep in mind about repop stuff...

Yes, I agree that sometimes it is hit-or-miss because quite frankly, they are not the ones that made the equipment in the first place.

That being said, it isn't like you can go down to your local Chevrolet parts dealer and get parts for our trucks... sucks I know, but that is what it is.

I have found that the parts for the older models get the poorer and poorer of quality that is found even in OEM parts.

The alternative is, go to a junk yard and try to find good used stuff. You take a chances either way. I would venture that most of the repop items you can find will fit as good as or better than OEM stuff. Chevrolet didn't design these things to be the Lexus kind of quality. They made them, shimed them 'till they fit (kind of) and sold them.

Welcome to the world of 40+ year old trucks.

Don

[FRENCHBLUE72]

If your unhappy with it send it back afterall you did pay for it! I deal only with board vendors and if I ever have quality issues they take care of me.... I see your in washington wes and frank are close to you im sure you could order your parts and see them before you pay for them i.d.k... Give wes at classic heartbeat a call or frank at pickem up parts.

[Beatcoaster]

Believe me I will, I am just the new guy making the wrong decisions due to a lack of knowledge regarding quality vendors. I have watched so many people do this in the past 10 years on the Subaru forums and now I am that person here...I have learned my lesson.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

We have all been there before and I know it sucks...

[Jim Osborne]

Sorry about your parts, but these trucks or 40+ years old and they dont make nothing as good as they used to.That being said I've had my best luck with Golden State Pickup Parts every thing I've purchased form them has been top notch.but it depends on what part your looking for.Some parts seem better at one place"like rubber gaskets or interior parts" and different parts "like chrome or sheet metal" or better at another store.It real hard to find the perfect one stop shop, but i've found if you stick with guys in this forum .There expertise will guide you through almost anything. hope this helps