So, I buy a rebuilt starter at my local auto parts store today

[Richard Cranium]

Edit: damn auto correct. Was supposed to say reman starter.

WTF?!?!?!

Double WTF?!?!?!?!

 

[Dennis H]

Flint by way of Wuhan.

 

[WP29440SE]

shoulda boughta Dodge ram mini starter.. at least they don't call them AC Delco lol

 

[Beekeeper]

It’s tough these days finding quality parts for our cars! I get sick of it these days I would just be happy to get Taiwan made parts vs this china crap! I also think the same idiot that bought Moog from federal mogul has bought AC Delco I’ve been through the agony of finding quality lower control arm bushing for the bee and of two of the crappy sets I bought one one being Moog and the other AC Delco both bushings were identical and had the same manufacture part number on them so really WTF!

 

[peabodyracin]

I've noticed more of that lately. The AC Delco sticker is I guess supposed to provide some sense of brand identity, while all it states is it was remanufactured FOR AC Delco.

 

[Jerry Hall]

When I go to shows if they have vendor areas, and any of the vendors have starters or alternators that I can pick up for 10-15 bucks I will get all that look like they will clean up. My neighbor rebuilt starters and alternators all his life and is able to repair/restore 90% of them. Right now I have about 7-8 starters, and 10-11 alternators. I let my neighbor keep the ones that either need to much or won't look really good for parts down the road. The good thing is I know his work and can be assured they work correctly.

 

[69L48Z27]

Same here, I still have an old timer that does auto electric. He’ll usually rebuild and clean up a stater and alternator for $125/pair. Gonna miss that when he retires.

 

[Slap Stick]

You want parts from Taiwan rather than China?
Taiwan IS China.

 

[Pops1967GTX]

Rebuild old starter. Put back in car.​

 

[YY1]

Delco has a pretty extensive aftermarket and rebuilt parts business of parts for nearly all brands.

I tried them for my 4 door Dakota window winders after trying almost everything else and having them fail after a few short years in the FL humidity.

I can't imagine that was rebuilt since there's no core charge, but it's a simple stupid repair if you could get the nylon end blocks that shatter.

 

[Richard Cranium]

When I think of all the hands this used starter changed hands through to get to China, the boat trip halfway around the world where it was to be rebuilt, the boat trip back to the US, the distributors it went through and finally to the auto parts store where I bought it, I'm baffled how this could all be done when the final sale price is only 79 bucks.

 

[toolmanmike]

When I think of all the hands this used starter changed hands through to get to China, the boat trip halfway around the world where it was to be rebuilt, the boat trip back to the US, the distributors it went through and finally to the auto parts store where I bought it, I'm baffled how this could all be done when the final sale price is only 79 bucks.

Rebuilt in China. Better have it tested for Corona Virus. LOL
I fixed your title

 

[matthon]

That's the deal companies made/make with China, they provide the cheap labor, the companies provide the market/consumers, aka us.
Auto parts, dept. stores, big box stores, places like harbor freight. Craftsman tools no longer made here, and the quaility suffers.
We suffer as well, on many levels.

 

[Richard Cranium]

That's the deal companies made/make with China, they provide the cheap labor, the companies provide the market/consumers, aka us.
Auto parts, dept. stores, big box stores, places like harbor freight. Craftsman tools no longer made here, and the quaility suffers.
We suffer as well, on many levels.

Agreed. So how much $$$ could have been made off of this while in China....a couple of bucks....if that?

 

[Slap Stick]

Don't forget...just because its made in China doesn't mean it sucks. Those parts are rebuilt to the vendor's spec. If the vendor says to make crap that's what gets built.

Do you really expect to get a quality item for $79?

 

[YY1]

Calculate the value of a shipping container full of cores minus the core value, minus the cost of twice across the Pacific, rail and truck transport, wholesalers and retailers, and then the retail value of that same volume of rebuilt parts.....

IDK either, but it must add up or everyone wouldn't do it and have dozens of years experience doing it.

 

[YY1]

I'll tell my electronics connector story again-

Bought a micro male and female plug set for an electronics project.

via ebay, drop shipped from China.

Price was $1.63 and free shipping.

Seller had over 35,000 transactions.

Package arrived in a hand addressed, hand taped envelope!

So a company that sells over 35,000 units (probably should assume more) doesn't think a label printer is a good investment because the labor cost is cheaper to hand address.

Suppose that 14 year old Chinese girl gets writers cramp?

 

[Richard Cranium]

Don't forget...just because its made in China doesn't mean it sucks. Those parts are rebuilt to the vendor's spec. If the vendor says to make crap that's what gets built.

Do you really expect to get a quality item for $79?

You have a point, but when I order parts from the auto parts store, I never ask them the price. I ordered it & when it came in, that was the price they charged. I guess we'll see how long this thing lasts.

 

[matthon]

So how much $$$ could have been made off of this while in China

Don't know, my guess is millions. We could ask that Eric guy at harbor freight who sends emails and 'coupons' all the time.
They'll do anything to save a dime.
My recent alternator was crap right out of the box. Makes it difficult when new parts are garbage and the socket you use breaks.

Before Sears went out of business, every tool kit was China made junk, but all the individual pieces were high quality originals, as the demand is low for a single piece, like a socket.
I always think, I should have bought them all.

 

[YY1]

This is also the economy of scale, such as why the roofs of vinyl top cars didn't get painted, and why plastic filler was used on those instead of lead.

A pint of paint times 200,000 cars equals a savings that looks good on a balance sheet.

Using that logic, if they save 10 cents a part by shipping them to china and back, and sell 10,000,000 units, that's 100,000,000 cents or 1 million dollars.

 

[Hey-O]

When I think of all the hands this used starter changed hands through to get to China, the boat trip halfway around the world where it was to be rebuilt, the boat trip back to the US, the distributors it went through and finally to the auto parts store where I bought it, I'm baffled how this could all be done when the final sale price is only 79 bucks.

That why it may only last a week!! LOL. That's why they do it in China and not here, they work for almost nothing!! They use cheaper materials and plastic when possible.