Dodgy Parts

dmcsweeney

dmcsweeney

Active Member
Hi all,
been having an issue with parts for one of my modern cars and wondered if anyone has any thoughts on a solution. The story begins at the end of February when I had to order 2 new wishbones for my X-Type. I had bought and fitted bushes and ball joints to my existing wishbones but the bushes pushed out after about 20 miles! An Irish supplier had one of the wishbones in stock, which I bought, and I ordered the other from a UK supplier via an online auction site (delivered after 14 days!). Both parts were from the same manufacturer and have sequential part numbers. The main bush on the UK part had not been pressed in properly, and was about 15mm too proud. It was manufactured by a very well known, multi national manufacturer who I won't name. So here is what has happened to date;
1. Contacted the vendor and emailed a photo.
2. Vendor mailed back with a mail from a 'trainee' technician in the manufacturer's UK base saying they had 'talked' about it and it was ok.
3. Mailed vendor back with both wishbones side by side to show the difference.
4. UK manufacturer's 'trainee' admits he had no reference and that the part was clearly wrong.
5. Vendor says he will get another one from the manufacturer's head quarters in Europe. 10 day wait.
6. Meanwhile I mailed the manufacturer's headquarters and after a number of day receive a mail stating that they have checked their stock and they have a serious problem.
7. New part arrives with the UK supplier this week and it is worse than the last one! Supplier tells me to press in the bush further or take a refund and go elsewhere and get a different brand (which would leave me with mismatched components). Or alternatively wait another 10 days for one to reach the UK and 4 days from there to Ireland.
8. I phoned the manufacturer's UK base who informed me that they have no quality issues and stock is not frozen.
9. Email to HQ claims all stock is frozen and they can't meet my demand to have one air freighted directly to Ireland. They suggested I try and repair the badly made part and use it or go down the main dealers and buy another! Or they'll see what they can do Monday.
10. I've now informed them that I will make a formal complaint using emails and photos as evidence to the authority who mark is on the parts (similar to a BS approval).
11. I carried out a temporary repair on the car but now have to ground it as it is wearing the insides of the new tyres just fitted.
12. I'm preparing to take the matter up with the marketing department of said manufacturer and I'm currently trying to get hold of the managing director.

Any thoughts?
Regards,
Dave
 
I had a similar problem with wishbones for my old Saab a few years ago. It that case post matching operations were so poorly carried out that critical surfaces were missing entirely. In my case I just put them back in the box and returning them. I googled the mfg's name and sure enough some people in the BMW world had far more dangerous failures of ball joints with the brand.

My advice, return them and either use much more expensive OEM parts or research other brands on forums before buying. There's some downright dangerous tat on the market these days.
 
sdibbers said:
My advice, return them and either use much more expensive OEM parts or research other brands on forums before buying. There's some downright dangerous tat on the market these days.
Click to expand...

Funny thing is, these were recommended by other users on a forum, they certainly weren't cheap and they come from a manufacturer with a long history of producing good quality components, many of them OEM.
 
Sounds like the right hand and left hand of the company aren't talking to each other Dave. Was there a country of origin on the parts or packaging? I found out that MOOG (A well respected name for suspension parts here in the states) has two parallel lines of products. One, more expensive, made in the US and one, cheaper, made in India. No prizes for guessing which to avoid.
 
Just a quick question. I was always under the impression that suspension components, such as wishbones, should be replaced in axle sets. I also assume that the components should be from the same manufacturer? I've been told today by the manufacturer's 'expert' that this is not the case.
Regards,
Dave
 
In a ideal world yes.
At my my main dealer where i work warranty dept would only change 1 faulty spring or shocker, even down to using old engine oil if replacing oil pump on a factory update!
clive.
 
I wouldn't fit that kind of thing in pairs or matched manufacturers just for the sake of it. Dampers I would fit in pairs though.
 
Thanks Lads. I've already arranged return of both of the old wishbones and order two from another manufacturer.
Regards,
Dave
 
clive P62 said:
In a ideal world yes.
At my my main dealer where i work warranty dept would only change 1 faulty spring or shocker, even down to using old engine oil if replacing oil pump on a factory update!
clive.
Click to expand...
I used to be with a Mercedes Benz franchise as an Apprentice and we used to replace bushings and mountings as required, ditto suspension bits like links/arms etc. Obviously, being a Dealer, they had access to conforming OEM parts.
They did have the policy that any fluids drained out for whatever reason were dot replaced, though.
 
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