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raygreenwood
Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2008
Posts: 23149
Location: Oklahoma City
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 Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 6:09 pm Post subject: Re: What is the future of Chinese parts? |
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| mark tucker wrote: |
about 5 days ago I ordered 6 wix fuel filters for my bug.... there made in usa..... when they got hear..they were made in russia  so...I contacted wix  they have out sorced oh so much. for thier global marketing....glow ball markit ing. but they didnt say they were made in russia, he listed many places but not russia.. must ba a marketing ploy so they arnt in bed with the russions. so i gess my car will go Putin down the road now....  this will be the last of any wix products I will buy. 3x the price and the same result off shore & questionable quality. but they wernt made in china!!!! unless the russions are making a buck off of them too and buying them from china.  witch a a real possiability. |
I have recently run into a similar issue with Wix. I normally use only Mann and Hummel oil and fuel filters in my car. I know they are made in Germany, Czech repub, Mexico, China and the US.....and all are identical so I have no issues.
But they were out of stock of Mann filters.....so I figured next best thing....Wix.
Went to O'Reilys.....pulled a Wix filter out of the box.....quality of end caps and gasket were totally different, noticably poorer than Mann....and instantly Familiar. Walked a few feet over and pulled the same filter from Fram.....off the shelf. The Wix and the Fram were 100% identical and even had the same markings. Hmmmmmmm.
By the way these are the pleated filter type of insert.
Waited two days to change oil and ordered a M&H filter. Yes.....things are changing with Wix.
By the way.....Mann and Hummel is now owned by Purolator. Ray |
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cdennisg
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Joined: November 02, 2004
Posts: 20829
Location: Sandpoint, ID
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 9:08 pm Post subject: Re: What is the future of Chinese parts? |
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Bummer. I have been using Wix oil filters exclusively for many years. My local NAPA has a biannual filter sale at 40% - 50% off. I stock my shelves and make sure my boss's tractor filters are purchased at the same time.
I need to check the filters on my shelf. They were bought in October.
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raygreenwood
Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2008
Posts: 23149
Location: Oklahoma City
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 9:45 pm Post subject: Re: What is the future of Chinese parts? |
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| cdennisg wrote: |
Bummer. I have been using Wix oil filters exclusively for many years. My local NAPA has a biannual filter sale at 40% - 50% off. I stock my shelves and make sure my boss's tractor filters are purchased at the same time.
I need to check the filters on my shelf. They were bought in October. |
Bear in mind....I am not saying ALL Wix products have this issue. From what I see their metal canister filters are still some of the best out there....from the few part #s I have seen. Just that like any other company.....they want to provide a full range of part numbers. And....if there is wokething that is too few of in their line...or not a high seller maybe......I can see them outsourcing it' instead of setting up a whole line somewhere.......though oddly I would have thought that since this filter fits every 2.5L VW/Audi made....and a great many of their 4 cylinder turbos......the usage level is lucrative.
Ray |
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Jon Schmid
Samba Member
Joined: May 29, 2012
Posts: 2126
Location: Southern California
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 10:58 pm Post subject: Re: What is the future of Chinese parts? |
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| I hope there is not an issue with the Wix canister filters because those are what I have been running on my 356 bypass systems the last several years. I don't even know if Fram makes them any more. |
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Bobnotch
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2003
Posts: 23384
Location: Kimball, Mi
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| Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2017 6:23 pm Post subject: Re: What is the future of Chinese parts? |
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| raygreenwood wrote: |
By the way.....Mann and Hummel is now owned by Purolator. Ray |
Isn't Purolator owned by Allied Signal? You know the parent company of Fram.
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Bob 65 Notch S with Sunroof
71 Notch ...aka Krunchy; build pics here;
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=249390 -been busy working
64 T-34 Ghia...aka Wolfie, under construction... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=412120
| Tram wrote: |
| "Friends are God's way of apologizing for relatives." |
| Tram wrote: |
| People keep confusing "restored" and "restroyed". |
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Bobnotch
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Joined: July 06, 2003
Posts: 23384
Location: Kimball, Mi
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| Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2017 6:35 pm Post subject: Re: What is the future of Chinese parts? |
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| KTPhil wrote: |
It would go a long way if we required "country of origin" markings on all packaging. Those who want to "Buy American" can make that choice, and for others the trade-off is made clear.
But as long as our laws allow misleading packaging (like saying MADE IN USA and they mean the box, not the part!), we can't make any informed choices.
Rather than slap a 20% tariff on the parts, just use an executive order to require honest "made in..." markings. And if some of the process is in country A, and other in country B, then state that!
The cost of doing so is less than 20% of the wholesale price, and we all make better decisions. Only the dishonest oppose this. |
Some of this is already coming. I've gotten a few parts that said "assembled in USA with foreign made parts".
But yes, I'd like to see both the manufacturers and the vendors advertise the country of origin, instead of marking the box Made in Germany, and the part inside having a sticker say made in India. The vendor could open the box and see the sticker, and would probably remove it though and charge more. Wouldn't surprize me one bit. I guess we just have to keep an eye on things we buy.
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Bob 65 Notch S with Sunroof
71 Notch ...aka Krunchy; build pics here;
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=249390 -been busy working
64 T-34 Ghia...aka Wolfie, under construction... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=412120
| Tram wrote: |
| "Friends are God's way of apologizing for relatives." |
| Tram wrote: |
| People keep confusing "restored" and "restroyed". |
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Bobnotch
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2003
Posts: 23384
Location: Kimball, Mi
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| Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2017 6:57 pm Post subject: Re: What is the future of Chinese parts? |
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| wcfvw69 wrote: |
I see more "boutique" VW parts manufacturers as the years pass. They can do some runs of needed parts as NLA or used parts dry up. I personally don't see a lack any part stopping our VW's from staying on the road in the decades to come. |
I honestly don't really think parts will be what takes these cars off the road, but rather insurance companies. And what they'll do is jack up rates until you can't afford to keep it on the road. Over the years I've seen my rates just on the VWs rise up something like 300+% for just 1 VW, and I've got 2 here. Granted my other vehicles went up too over the years, but not that much.
You gotta remember that these cars weren't exactly the safest on the road but they were ok for their time. Now we've got air bags, ABS systems, idiots texting, drinking, or putting on nail polish while driving. SUV's and other urban assult vehicles try to run over anything or everything that gets in their way. This means your beloved classic is soon doomed to weekend warrior staus, because it'll be too damn expensive to insure as a daily.
_________________
Bob 65 Notch S with Sunroof
71 Notch ...aka Krunchy; build pics here;
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=249390 -been busy working
64 T-34 Ghia...aka Wolfie, under construction... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=412120
| Tram wrote: |
| "Friends are God's way of apologizing for relatives." |
| Tram wrote: |
| People keep confusing "restored" and "restroyed". |
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raygreenwood
Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2008
Posts: 23149
Location: Oklahoma City
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| Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2017 11:02 am Post subject: Re: What is the future of Chinese parts? |
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| Bobnotch wrote: |
| raygreenwood wrote: |
By the way.....Mann and Hummel is now owned by Purolator. Ray |
Isn't Purolator owned by Allied Signal? You know the parent company of Fram. |
Nope...and I had it backwards...Mann and Hummel and Bosch own Purolator as some kind of combined venture
https://www.mann-hummel.com/en/corp/news/news/newsdetail/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=236
and if you look under brands at that link...they own WIX as well
http://www.wixfilters.com/ Just noticed the M&H logo on the Wix site.
Ray |
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raygreenwood
Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2008
Posts: 23149
Location: Oklahoma City
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| Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2017 11:13 am Post subject: Re: What is the future of Chinese parts? |
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| Bobnotch wrote: |
| wcfvw69 wrote: |
I see more "boutique" VW parts manufacturers as the years pass. They can do some runs of needed parts as NLA or used parts dry up. I personally don't see a lack any part stopping our VW's from staying on the road in the decades to come. |
I honestly don't really think parts will be what takes these cars off the road, but rather insurance companies. And what they'll do is jack up rates until you can't afford to keep it on the road. Over the years I've seen my rates just on the VWs rise up something like 300+% for just 1 VW, and I've got 2 here. Granted my other vehicles went up too over the years, but not that much.
You gotta remember that these cars weren't exactly the safest on the road but they were ok for their time. Now we've got air bags, ABS systems, idiots texting, drinking, or putting on nail polish while driving. SUV's and other urban assult vehicles try to run over anything or everything that gets in their way. This means your beloved classic is soon doomed to weekend warrior staus, because it'll be too damn expensive to insure as a daily. |
wcfvw69....  ...you must be assuming we all drive beetles.
For example...the availability of type 4 car parts has been critical for two decades. We have to fabricate from scratch...many parts. Let me know when you find ANYONE making ball joints for these cars. That will keep you from driving right there.
And...the type 3 is quickly heading that direction but has a lot father to go. People didnt believe my rant from last year....but short of NOS...you will start seeing tie rod ends become scarce...because I factually know that the largest mfgs of old school tie-rod ends..is beginning to phase these out of production. Just not enough cars use them...and the outer tie-rod ends used by by modern vehicles are TOTALLY different in specification.
Example...that issue you hear about of a lot of bus ball joints being far too tight over the past few years...but do not have any pinch points or damage?....thats because they were made to MODERN car specs....with power steering and with steering sensors.
Know anyone making affordable NEW type 1 transaxles...short of something like a Rancho full race box?
You can only keep rebuilding the fleet for so long...especially when every 3rd VW owner is either a know nothing "newbie" who makes catastrophic mistakes....or a care nothing "hippy" who only checks tranny oil when something breaks....or a weekend racer who hammers 2-3 trannys per season dropping the clutch at the track.
Yes....parts availability WILL drive these cars from the road....but Bobnotch may be right as well.....insurance costs may do it faster. Ray |
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wcfvw69
Samba Purist
Joined: June 10, 2004
Posts: 13682
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2017 11:38 am Post subject: Re: What is the future of Chinese parts? |
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| raygreenwood wrote: |
| Bobnotch wrote: |
| wcfvw69 wrote: |
I see more "boutique" VW parts manufacturers as the years pass. They can do some runs of needed parts as NLA or used parts dry up. I personally don't see a lack any part stopping our VW's from staying on the road in the decades to come. |
I honestly don't really think parts will be what takes these cars off the road, but rather insurance companies. And what they'll do is jack up rates until you can't afford to keep it on the road. Over the years I've seen my rates just on the VWs rise up something like 300+% for just 1 VW, and I've got 2 here. Granted my other vehicles went up too over the years, but not that much.
You gotta remember that these cars weren't exactly the safest on the road but they were ok for their time. Now we've got air bags, ABS systems, idiots texting, drinking, or putting on nail polish while driving. SUV's and other urban assult vehicles try to run over anything or everything that gets in their way. This means your beloved classic is soon doomed to weekend warrior staus, because it'll be too damn expensive to insure as a daily. |
wcfvw69.... ...you must be assuming we all drive beetles.
For example...the availability of type 4 car parts has been critical for two decades. We have to fabricate from scratch...many parts. Let me know when you find ANYONE making ball joints for these cars. That will keep you from driving right there.
And...the type 3 is quickly heading that direction but has a lot father to go. People didnt believe my rant from last year....but short of NOS...you will start seeing tie rod ends become scarce...because I factually know that the largest mfgs of old school tie-rod ends..is beginning to phase these out of production. Just not enough cars use them...and the outer tie-rod ends used by by modern vehicles are TOTALLY different in specification.
Example...that issue you hear about of a lot of bus ball joints being far too tight over the past few years...but do not have any pinch points or damage?....thats because they were made to MODERN car specs....with power steering and with steering sensors.
Know anyone making affordable NEW type 1 transaxles...short of something like a Rancho full race box?
You can only keep rebuilding the fleet for so long...especially when every 3rd VW owner is either a know nothing "newbie" who makes catastrophic mistakes....or a care nothing "hippy" who only checks tranny oil when something breaks....or a weekend racer who hammers 2-3 trannys per season dropping the clutch at the track.
Yes....parts availability WILL drive these cars from the road....but Bobnotch may be right as well.....insurance costs may do it faster. Ray |
Where there's a will, there's a way! I'm a glass half full kind of guy. I honestly don't see anything removing these old VW's off the road in the next 20 years. I just don't. The classic/old car industry has an immense lobby's that have already done lots for us. There's companies who custom make ball joints or tie rods for many older cars that are not available anymore. More and more transmission parts are being made as the NOS and good used others are drying up.
Certainly parts for the less popular model VW's are going to be more of a challenge for sure but I don't think there's anything you can't source or have made if you throw the right amount of money at it. Look at all the barn door buses and splits that would have been scrapped a decade ago for lack of repair panels that are now driving down the road. Hell, I just posted a picture of new complete nose skins by Gerson for early bay buses. Finding good, used original noses for early bus's was getting hard. Now, as demand dictated, they were remade.
I'm in my 3rd quarter of life. I just don't see anything keeping these old VW's off the road in my lifetime. We have to remember that these old VW's have gone into collector car status and most are not daily driven anymore. As such, most VW's get less than 2-3k miles a year put on them. That alone will keep the wear and tear on the hard to find parts down.
See, I told you I'm an optimistic guy!
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Last edited by wcfvw69 on Fri Feb 10, 2017 4:05 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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mark tucker
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Joined: April 08, 2009
Posts: 23950
Location: SHALIMAR ,FLORIDA
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| Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 12:48 pm Post subject: Re: What is the future of Chinese parts? |
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| Ive been looking at these filters for over a week now....I sure would like new filters on my bug..... butt for some reason. Im hesitant about these Russia wix. wix did assure me they were what they say they are, but you know the first word in assure....ass. |
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Erik G
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Location: Tejas!
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KTPhil 
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Joined: April 06, 2006
Posts: 35899
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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| Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 2:37 pm Post subject: Re: What is the future of Chinese parts? |
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"Impact"? What impact? The energy and pollution impacts of new vehicle manufacturing, especially with all the plastics in them, is astronomically more than any "impact" of an older, well-maintained car. |
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Erik G
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Joined: October 16, 2002
Posts: 13546
Location: Tejas!
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| Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 3:08 pm Post subject: Re: What is the future of Chinese parts? |
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| KTPhil wrote: |
"Impact"? What impact? The energy and pollution impacts of new vehicle manufacturing, especially with all the plastics in them, is astronomically more than any "impact" of an older, well-maintained car. |
preaching to the choir man, but it's been written as a bill so it must be true. Old cars are killers, just an alternative fact
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Mike Fisher
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volkaholic1
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Joined: October 31, 2004
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| Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 9:05 pm Post subject: Re: What is the future of Chinese parts? |
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i prefer not to buy chinese parts, but sometimes i have no choice, this is my 1st experience with the tarriffs, i had 800 steel parts laser cut, small steel items that i do work on and sell, the tarriff was 78%, now i realize the idea is "buy american" which i would do, but even with the tarrif, the parts are still cheaper than getting the same thing made in USA, so now i have no choice but to pass that cost on to my customers.
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Schepp
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Posts: 490
Location: NorCal
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| Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2025 7:37 am Post subject: Re: What is the future of Chinese parts? |
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I've been using NAPA Golds (Wix) for years because I was supporting American jobs. I got my recent filter, opened the box and the Napa sticker was poorly place over the top of the Mann+Hummel (also good) painted label. Long behold made in China! Not good!
The insides are also completely different.
A orange note was included in the box saying that it was made to the same specs as previously USA made product. Right... |
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 23891
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2025 4:15 am Post subject: Re: What is the future of Chinese parts? |
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The new policy consists of slamming huge taxes on consumers for imports, then quickly rescinding them when the business squeal like stick pigs. Long term, there wonโt be change. In the short term, imports will be off/on as the policies are announced/ rolled back. There is a big one month time constant toget stuff from Asia to Ling Beach so that time constant factors in.
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oprn
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Joined: November 13, 2016
Posts: 14796
Location: Western Canada
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| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2025 6:37 am Post subject: Re: What is the future of Chinese parts? |
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Do you really believe that prices go down when tariffs come off... ? Or will retailers leave them higher to "cover inflation"?
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pondoras box
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Joined: March 22, 2004
Posts: 1619
Location: Eerie PA
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| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2025 12:21 pm Post subject: Re: What is the future of Chinese parts? |
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Prices didnโt go down after supply chain issues because of Covid, in fact inflation ran rampant. So probably not.
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