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Originally Posted by 28
As Keith was mentioning, I too have dealt with a lot of Chinese parts. For the factories that produce OEM parts, those are generally ok to get as they are made well, just with cheaper labor. but there are many different levels of quality with Chinese factories though and you really don’t know where this one is being made.
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A few years ago
Fine Woodworking did a comparison of various pacific rim sourced woodworking tools. Their expose on the state of Chinese manufacturing was most interesting, including the "dog eat dog" entrepreneurial spirit which pervades the place. It is not unusual for a machine tool company to form, a machine be made and a successful market penetration result therefrom - and then the company be bought out by more established competitors - all within the span of about a month.
And - copies exist of successful designs. You might expect this in a country where copyright laws are nil to none. One successful band-saw was emblazoned with adjustment knobs with the logo of an elephant on them. Because they were successful and beating all the others to market - suddenly all the others came out with copies of that saw - all the way down to the elephant logo. So attempts to "self copyright" are in effect meaningless.
I think I have spoken here about VW. Today VW is the most widely driven automobile in China - there are more VWs on the road in China than the rest of the world combined. All made by Chinese factories.
But one of the agreements that is signed by an offshore owner/producer looking to have product made in China is to agree to allow the Chinese manufacturer to market the product under their own name - or no name.
For me tone wheel sensors for the VW (part of the ABS system) are available with the Audi circles from VW for about $60 a copy. Or one can go on Ebay and buy "aftermarket" tone wheel sensors for about $6 - which includes shipping from China - and no Audi circles. Same sensor exactly.
Well - I say that. How is one to truly know?
Almost all US available parts for VW, Audi circles or no are made in China.
One can go to Briggs & Stratton and buy a replacement carburetor for the Briggs 8 horse F-head engine (the standard chipper/shredder, snowblower, leaf-blower engine) and pay nearly $90 for the carb. Comes in a nice box emblazoned with the B&S diamond. Or one can go on Ebay and find a Chinese pacific rim carburetor for $12 delivered which looks the same, parts interchange the same, runs the same - but is not painted red. More than likely the same carburetor in the B&S diamond box but a LOT less money.
But who knows for sure?
You pays your money you takes your chances.
Joe K