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Parts rant!!!


Maverik

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Grrrr, I've managed to hold this in but now I'm going to have to have a grump about this.

I buy spare parts from all over the place, and a good quantity from ebay "shops" its easy and convenient. but just lately I've had a glut of parts that I have ordered from the nice shiney picture also check the small print to make sure no exchanges can be made etc.

I've now found after returning said items in perfect condition, I'm getting sellers blocking me on fleebay from buying more parts from them.

I don't expect genuine premium parts for everything I buy, but I do expect to receive an item that I think I'm buying, just finding this is happening more and more from suppliers I've used whom have been spot on up to now are now substituting items for utter carp usually in a blue box...

I just ordered a "OEM & Other" cylinder head gasket and upper gasket kit, I unfortunately fell for this one as I bought it as the main advert said OEM gaskets, yeah the head gasket was OEM but the other set of gaskets was Britpart, I'd interestingly got a Elring kit too to hand to I compared the contents, put it this way the Britpart kit will either being going on the shelf or in the bin.

It just really grinds my gears that suppliers try and trick you into buying something that is utter rubbish or not what the advert says or slyly put in a sentence saying can be substitute for other parts etc etc... grrrr

grump over.

Mav

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I'm having a somewhat annoying morning...

I ordered:  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Land-Rover-Defender-Discovery-1-Brake-Caliper-Bleed-Screw-Metric-x5-RTC1526/371065899001?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

And have received a set of dull black nipples which appear to be just standard black steel, i.e. will rust as soon as you breath on them...

 

I ordered: QUITE specifically as I already have an identical hitch and I want a matching pair...   http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dixon-Bate-3-5-Ton-Towing-Jaw-Pin-Hitch-KNB100640/322314848732?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

I received a Bradley branded hitch which has a subtle but quite different cast body, I purposefully avoided buying a Bradly hitch as it was not what I wanted... hmmf 

 

Big sigh and count to 10. 

 

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Just use the eBay case resolution system, saying you didn't get what you ordered. It gives the sellers a kick up the bum as they need to respond properly or risk eBay lowering their seller status. It also gives you the chance to leave non-positive feedback too.

And if these carp sellers are blocking you, well that just stops you making the same mistake twice. -_-

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1 hour ago, Maverik said:

I'm having a somewhat annoying morning...

I ordered:  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Land-Rover-Defender-Discovery-1-Brake-Caliper-Bleed-Screw-Metric-x5-RTC1526/371065899001?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

And have received a set of dull black nipples which appear to be just standard black steel, i.e. will rust as soon as you breath on them...

 

I ordered: QUITE specifically as I already have an identical hitch and I want a matching pair...   http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dixon-Bate-3-5-Ton-Towing-Jaw-Pin-Hitch-KNB100640/322314848732?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

I received a Bradley branded hitch which has a subtle but quite different cast body, I purposefully avoided buying a Bradly hitch as it was not what I wanted... hmmf 

 

Big sigh and count to 10. 

 

Scott from RST got back to me sharpish and they didn't know they where selling Bradley hitches, as the items are all pre boxed, which is forgivable, but it will be going back, I'm looking for a Dixon bate square casting type.

And Steve from JGS has been in touch and they say they hadn't realised there supplier had changed the product, again nipples being sent back.

At least the after sales has been good with these two... but it just does my head in when I can't have parts when I've planned to have them because of stupid reasons.

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1 hour ago, Maverik said:

I've now found after returning said items in perfect condition, I'm getting sellers blocking me on fleebay from buying more parts from them.

That sounds a useful feature to me. Like you, I buy loads of parts via ebay, and it's sometimes hard to recall which of the sellers were the rip-off merchants. I don't want to hassle of dealing with them again, and I really don't want to give them any more of my money.

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Interesting. I for one continue to expand my buying of ebay items for convenience, so I suspect these problems may get worse in the future.  Maybe there could be a forum space for showing items that didn't meet their description. It might be a useful way of warning other members about particular sellers/items. But sometimes I suspect the ebay resellers are just clueless (or reckless) about 'OEM'. All a bit of a minefield though in terms of guaranteeing accuracy of the report for the forum?

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Get this... trying to find the hitch I want, see the wording of this add... its ridiculous... but at least its clear...

"

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

DIXON BATE JAW/TOW HITCH

COMPATIBILITY

LAND ROVER DEFENDER

PART NO

KNB100640

PICTURES AND PART NUMBERS ARE FOR REFERENCE ONLY AND DO NOT IMPLY THE MANUFACTURER. ALL SPECIFICATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

Parts colour may very due to manufacture production.

PICTURES AND PART NUMBERS ARE FOR REFERENCE ONLY AND DO NOT IMPLY THE MANUFACTURER. ALL SPECIFICATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

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So in other words: "Any reference to any part is for reference only and should not be taken to be an actual reference to any actual part." 

I think that should clear it up for you! :D

By the way, I feel your pain . . . we all feel it these days . . . 

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I have given up on ebay for parts completely. You only need one screwed up big item and you have lost the savings you made on the last ten vs just paying a little more and getting them from a reputable online company like LRDirect or Britcar.

I bought a wheel hub for the D2 - advertised as a genuine part, it turned up and looked good. I put it on the shelf, fitted it 3 months or something later. It failed within a mile. Seller didn't want to know and I was too late to leave feedback, Paypal were useless, ebay said it was outside of the time limit for them to do anything about it. I lost £130, ok, maybe my fault for leaving it so long between buying and fitting, but poor show all round. They can all go take a running jump now and I try not to use any of them where possible.

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Had that with a steering box when I rebuilt my 110 listed as new other it came and looked brand new even the Adwest plate was mint not a mark on it , brought it because it was a good price for when I needed it on the rebuild. When I actually fitted it it was knackered wouldn't work at all had to swap it for a recon one , lesson learned . But has not the quality of some OEM parts dropped I brought a set of Lucas steering column switches , all came in a Lucas boxes  and they're all #### the head light switch takes 3 attempts to get it to stay on , indicators right works left won't work then after 3 attempts it starts to work , I had to change the fog light one because it failed the MOT . I've recently gone through 2 Dayco steering belts they kept stretching put a Bearmach one on from China and its been perfect , I'm starting to think that some companies just making any old rubbish as they know the defender market is huge , and Land Rover isn't helping I recently was looking for some bits for my 200tdi fuel tank sender £100 ,fuel lift pump stc1190 which is the superseded part to ETC7869 £200 is taking the mick. Rant over , I think,

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All this is just like the legal definition of Rebuilt, Reconditioned, and Remanufactured all over again

OEM merely means that the manufacturer is an "Original Equipment manufacturer"..................But that could mean they make original vacuum cleaner bags, and make head gaskets on the side. It does NOT mean that the advertised item is the same as that supplied by the desired manufacturer (Land Rover, in this case) it only IMPLIES it

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I like to think I've got a reasonable eye for parts, i.e. show me a picture and I'll know that's what I want, this is where things are going awry, shops are putting pictures of genuine/original high quality parts but then send you carp.

I'm not going to stop using fleebay as the postage costs are much better than the likes of britcar etc. but what I will do is insist on more info/pictures of what I'm buying in future if its a bigger/more costly item.

 

FYI - I used the resolution centre on a couple of items a few months ago, got my money back and send the pants parts back but after that the two sellers have since blocked me from buying any more items from them, mad really, if they carry on like that, they'll end up with no business.

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I just order everything from Brit-car these days.  They have a range of brands, most things have a picture, prices are good.  Had a problem with a brake servo for my series (one way valve was a different size, could well have been an oddity with my vehicle), they ordered in another brand that had a one way valve included and swapped it with no fuss.

 

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12 hours ago, Maverik said:

 

 

FYI - I used the resolution centre on a couple of items a few months ago, got my money back and send the pants parts back but after that the two sellers have since blocked me from buying any more items from them, mad really, if they carry on like that, they'll end up with no business.

Yep. I have this myself, but not to do with Land Rover, but parts for me Renault van.

Part supplied had not a chance of fitting as dimensions were WAY out, but somehow its my fault ??? Genuine part bought afterwards just fell on though.

Another part supplied this week was the wrong hand to that listed. Seller will still not accept it and wants chassis number and photos......................................

FFS

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I use brit-car a lot now haven't found anything they haven't got and if they haven't got what you're after,  like new fuel lines for my 110 200tdi when I rebuilt here , they contacted me and then sorced them for me from another supplier. Have never had to send anything back and when you order a part from said company that's what you get , they may be a little more expensive than others sometimes but think its worth it.

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The other trap is the selling on of brands and trade marks.  When I needed a new CV joint the original GKN item was a very well machined and well finished item.  I ordered the correct part number, GKN, from Paddockspares, but when it was delivered the finish was nothing like the old item.  Relatively coarse machining marks were evident, and the overall finish was coarse.  However, it has continued to perform for about 10,000km.  I subsequently found out, through this forum, that the trade name/mark GKN had been sold to a Chinese manufacturer!!!  Beware, all, CCC - cheap Chinese carp. (sorry, I'm dylsexic).

Mike

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I can't see anything about GKN Driveline being sold to the Chinese yet, but they certainly have quite the manufacturing base there now: https://www.gkn.com/en/about-gkn/locations/china/

The thing that gets me is that if companies want to make things there, and if the Chinese are so desperate to make everything for everybody, could they just please do a good job of it instead of the mess we're stuck with now? 

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9 hours ago, Daan said:

Must say, Bearmach seems to have the price/quality ratio about right in my opinion. Otherwise Genuine. 

Daan

I normally agree with you but the 200 tdi vacuum pump i bought didn't draw at all at tick over the ebay seller sent me a new one. That didn't work either, I robbed one off a different engine to check I wasn't going mad (that on e is still on there). However hats off to R Boxall in Chichester (via ebay)I sent them both back he refunded me including postage.

Mike

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