Scott Drake "quality"

10secgoal

Active Member
Dec 1, 2003
2,801
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47
San Diego
I have thousands of dollars worth of parts I am no longer willing to sell. Either from having to replace it on a customer cars for free, or listen to people complain to me about it. I called and spoke to their sales manager who told I couldn't return the stuff because "they aren't a Walmart." I waited a bit because I got busy and then asked that Scott call me himself. Spoke to him this morning and he asked what I needed, he had the whole team their listening. Explained to him I wanted to return my inventory because of the lack of quality. I constantly lose money from selling/installing their parts. Told nope. He then actually told me he's never heard anyone that's had problems with his products. I told him he needed to ask around. I know even locally, I'm not the only one that complains about their parts. The straw that broke the back for me was ANOTHER sending unit that went bad. It was a whopping 6 months old when it went out. I replaced that for free. Now I know they have to know this. This quote here below is no more than 2 days old from another board member here PM'ing me.
As for Drake, you should see the p.m.'s I got from their rep after I said "all currently available fuel senders are crap" (except the ones G/N had specially made). Apparently the SD ones that weren't any better than Pep Boys last winter have been improved. I must have missed the announcement. Or there wasn't one, since it would have implied their previous product was no good.

This was the gas gap on the exact same car. This is what it should look like.
gascap.jpg


This is what it looked like after 1 year. Shouldn't it be black ? Yep, that's now an orange ring. this is not the only one I have seen like this unfortunately.
scottdrakegascap003.jpg


This is where the wire should be to hold it to the car. Broke after 4 months.
scottdrakegascap004.jpg


This is the last straw. There are MANY MANY stories like this.
My own car got a new regulator. Worked all of 10 ten times.

AC units with leaking hoses. This we found out after we were able to actually get it filled. Bad valve wouldn't let the charge in. 40 bucks, plus the R+R WE had to pay. We are left paying the bill. They washed their hands of it. Car was charged 3 times. It leaked again 4 months later and the customer gave up. Another bad crimp. Lost over double what was made off the kit. And lost a customer even though he didn't have to pay anything.

Idler arm that lasted 1500 miles before it's bad.

Chrome lasts about a year.

Replacement ball joints about 4 months if you actually drive the car.]

When they used to ship stuff on there own truck, with their own employees, we got 4 cracked R valances. We were told "this is the last one." Like we had something to do with it getting cracked BEFORE it got here. They FINALLY looked in the box before shipping, and we got a good one.

I have a rear qrtr here mis-boxed. It's a 67 when we ordered a 68. Guess what, they told me it was my responsibility to ship it back. It's not a small box.

Make sure when you order KYB shocks, you don't want their off shore brand. They'll call and ask after you put the order in online. Tops are made too short and will slip right past the tower cap and into your hood.

The conversion boosters for the 4 spd. Those don't come with aluminum bowls anymore. They come chromed. The chrome flakes in the bottom of the bowl are free. Same setup MP sells. I returned SD's stuff and talked to MP about it, told them the story and theirs were "different." Got their "different" one. Same part, along with chrome chips. No one does QC anymore I guess. A shame considering that master cyl's hold other peoples lives in the balance.

They used to have good speedo cables years ago. New stuff bounces more the the 40 year one that came out.

Ever try to stick a repop inner grill molding on a 65-66 ? If you get it in without destroying the thin metal, you will see the passenger side lip sticks forward a good 3/16-1/4 out too far. But "it fits our jigs" they say. the driver side fits fine. Showed the customer once he got back from deployment and he obviously didn't like it. Uh, too late. It's been longer than 30 days. Can't send it back. I ate that and the labor,too.

I can go on and on and on and on....literally, all day. But I'm sick and tired parts and being blamed for someone elses inferior over seas parts. The absolute kicker is to play so coy as to act like you've never heard someone say your quality is lacking ? Give me a break. I can give 5 numbers off the top of my head of people who won't touch it.

So hopefully you guys will have better luck, and have it break within 30 days so you can send it back with less hassle. Otherwise you'll be told to sell the parts to someone else for a loss.
 
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I don't find Scott Drake parts to be any better or worse than most of the other reproduction parts. The problem is with reproduction parts in general. Sometimes the stuff is better or improved and sometimes its worse than original.
 
IDK, some parts are nice for sure. But the percentage of nicer over what I can use is not worth the squeeze. Do cars in volume, and have your paycheck depend on it and you may feel differently. I'm not comparing their parts to others. I'm comparing them to what they SHOULD be.
 
I have had one guy tell me he's never had a problem with their stuff. But I guarantee he had brown eyes from being full of..... Believe me, it's not that strange. It's more strange that someone feels differently. Every local vendor I have spoke to feels the same way. But as I would expect, current SD dealers will have to act like that to protect their bottom line.

How did SD respond you telling them their sending units were no better than pepboys ? Are the pepboys at least somewhat accurate ?
 
I went through a number of sending units before I found one that was either NOS or just of very high quality, don't recall, it's been a few years. It cost about 3 times as much as the re-pop ones that showed 1/2 full when the tank was to the top.

I've said it numerous times here that re-pop stuff is brutal, especially sheet metal, whether it's Scott Drake or anyone else. GT recently mentioned the Ford tooling parts are good but I've had limted access to that, but I'll be looking hard for it if and when I need the next bit. The amount of time I spend having to refabricate everything is nuts.
 
What needs to happen is for every one to stop buying parts for about six months. Tell the vendors that if you don't get the manufacture to step up the quality you can go out of buisness. After a couple of days with no orders lots of the vendors and manufactures would realy start to think about the junk they are selling. As long as they keep selling it there wont be any changes. Scott
 
I'd rather have a so-so repop than try to buy everything NOS.

When I did my 68 I got some info from my body guy about what repop stuff fit and what did not. The stuff that did not (like grille trim) I bought NOS off ebay. The rest I got repop. I was able to make all the repop stuff work and I used a LOT of it as I replaced EVERY SINGLE PIECE on this car. I mean every one.
 
Not everything sucks. But I'll be damned if I loose anymore money figuring it out. Hope you didn't by repop hood hinges. Those things are disgusting. Have a customer who goes to shows a lot. Opens the hood all the time. His lasted 8 months
 
Not everything sucks. But I'll be damned if I loose anymore money figuring it out. Hope you didn't by repop hood hinges. Those things are disgusting. Have a customer who goes to shows a lot. Opens the hood all the time. His lasted 8 months

I bought the hinges at the same time I bought my fiberglass hood, even without springs they seem to become distorted after opening and closing the hood a few dozen times. They're very thin and seem to have a lot of play in them.
 
NPD, and the rest have the same issues

Not to bash China, or American businesses that buy from mainland China, this just is what it is. Mainland China is like dealing with a third world country. Quality is not a cornerstone of business, unlike in Malaysia or Taiwan.
I've had the opportunity to work this first hand, and it still brings a smile of amazement to me. It's like the wild west of bartering.

Again, I mean no offense, or slight to anyone in any way. It just is what it is.

We have the right as vendors and consumers to request information on the country of origin.
As informed consumers we make the choice, to buy quality, buy garbage, do without, fabricate, or pay someone to fabricate. And that usually revolves around cost.

One thing that may work out for you is to explain to a potential customer, that the Scott Drake product you have is inferior to a custom made American product, or a NOS part, however it is XXX amount cheaper. Then let them make the choice. You'll have done due diligence, and the customer gets to make the decision, to buy crap, or buy quality.

It may work if you call Scott Drake back and apologize. Then see if you can make a deal to return the product you are unhappy with, if you purchase X% more of product they sell, that you are happy with. This is a concept anyone who deals with China understands very well.
You win, your customers win, and Scott Drake wins.
And one more starving Chinese child gets to eat... :D
 
What needs to happen is for every one to stop buying parts for about six months. Tell the vendors that if you don't get the manufacture to step up the quality you can go out of buisness. After a couple of days with no orders lots of the vendors and manufactures would realy start to think about the junk they are selling. As long as they keep selling it there wont be any changes. Scott

Half the vendors, who I guarantee raise "heck" when they get defective parts, would go out of business with boycott as you suggest. Probably some of the smaller manufacturers would, too. The only survivors would be the big dealers, and big manufacturers, i.e., the ones you are mad at in the first place.

Believe me, when a small dealer gets a defective part, even if the manufacturer replaces it, there will be shipping costs, packaging, time, etc., they lose money, so believe me, they bitch to the manufacturer.

How many of you have actually phoned or emailed the manufacturer? That is, instead of just complaining to Acme Mustang Parts, where you got it? Every manufacturer I know of has an email address.
 
Not to bash China, or American businesses that buy from mainland China, this just is what it is. Mainland China is like dealing with a third world country. Quality is not a cornerstone of business, unlike in Malaysia or Taiwan.

I'm not aware of any Mustang parts coming from China. Many parts from Taiwan, but not China. I have seen a lotta parts, and some were excellent, some were crap. I haven't seen a pattern based on origin. It's easy to bash Taiwan, because so many of these parts come from there. But I have seen crap parts with "made in USA" on them, too. It's like they think we'll accept poor quality just because they're made here. The only thing you can do is deal with a supplier who works on these cars, and understands which ones are better, and what you need to do to get them to work, as in "It'll work just fine, but you'll need to back the rivet up with a washer", and so on.
 
Taiwan is China...

I'm not aware of any Mustang parts coming from China. Many parts from Taiwan, but not China.

Actually Taiwan is PRC, it's just a little rebellious. :rlaugh:
So if you know of parts coming from Taiwan, you know of parts coming from China.
That said, Taiwan is very modernized. A lot of their factories have newer equipment, and facilities than we have. On the whole, Taiwan manufactured goods have a great reputation for quality.

Have you ever been to the world trade fair in Shanghai?
There are automotive parts and accessory manufacturing plants all over China. Some very modern, some... archaic.
Which manufactures American companies purchase goods through, is normally kept confidential. This helps them maintain a competitive edge with fellow American businesses. And two competing companies can have different trade agreements with the same manufacturer.
I have yet to deal with an American company that will not divulge the "Country of origin", as is correct by law. Some may not make it easy, but the information is available.

BTW: Why is this thread in tech instead of talk?
 
Actually Taiwan is PRC, it's just a little rebellious. :rlaugh:

"Actually", Taiwan is the principle island comprising the ROC, or Republic of China. From their point of view, it's the mainland, The "People's Republic of China", that's in rebellion. Or do you prefer to take the Chinese Communist side of the discussion?

Last I heard, the PRC, not the ROC, was the country that keeps putting lead paint on childrens toys, and poison in export food products.

A few years ago China (PRC) was caught making fake aircraft parts, that is, things like propeller mounting bolts that were, instead of Grade 8, didn't even come up to Grade 5. The boxes were real authentic, right down to the fraudulent trademarks of the legit manufacturer. Not that trademarks have ever been a problem for the Chinese Communists. They can fake them perfectly.

At least one of the guys who ran a factory making poisoned food had the decency to commit suicide when the news broke. Too bad he was the exception.

What makes this relevant is the ROC is the source for many Mustang parts, some of them quite good.

link.taiwan.map.jpg
 
Love the map of CHINA!!! To all mustang owners, if it says made in china, dont buy it! Please dont buy it!!! I know its priced right. The NOS item in 10 time more. Buy the NOS. Some real company in THE USA will pop up and repop this stuff the way it should be done, BUT, it will cost more. It will happen, IF YOU STOP BUYING chinese S__T!
Venting complete!:lol:




"Actually", Taiwan is the principle island comprising the ROC, or Republic of China. From their point of view, it's the mainland, The "People's Republic of China", that's in rebellion. Or do you prefer to take the Chinese Communist side of the discussion?

Last I heard, the PRC, not the ROC, was the country that keeps putting lead paint on childrens toys, and poison in export food products.

A few years ago China (PRC) was caught making fake aircraft parts, that is, things like propeller mounting bolts that were, instead of Grade 8, didn't even come up to Grade 5. The boxes were real authentic, right down to the fraudulent trademarks of the legit manufacturer. Not that trademarks have ever been a problem for the Chinese Communists. They can fake them perfectly.

At least one of the guys who ran a factory making poisoned food had the decency to commit suicide when the news broke. Too bad he was the exception.

What makes this relevant is the ROC is the source for many Mustang parts, some of them quite good.

link.taiwan.map.jpg
 
You'll have done due diligence, and the customer gets to make the decision, to buy crap, or buy quality.
I agree. Problem is, I would pay 4 times the amount, and prefer to make nothing on the part if I could get quality parts. And I mean make nothing. The part cost me much more having to replace it than the measly 100 bucks it cost me. When a suspension part goes out, it's another part, plus labor, pus alignment. Believe me their part is the least of it. I'm already used to making squat on a part. But being able to keep the money I have made on the install would be fabulous.

It may work if you call Scott Drake back and apologize. Then see if you can make a deal to return the product you are unhappy with, if you purchase X% more of product they sell, that you are happy with.
Apologize for what ? Buying a bunch of parts that continually cause me problems ? Not a chance. I tried to return it before this route. When his employees were in he back ground giggling while Scott and I were on speaker phone. I was offered different product. But why would I trade this quality product for something else of the same quality ? What would be the point ?




How many of you have actually phoned or emailed the manufacturer? That is, instead of just complaining to Acme Mustang Parts, where you got it? Every manufacturer I know of has an email address.
That's not how private labeling works. If someone sells you a part from another company, yes, you take it up with them. it's their part. Most of their stuff is private labeled. Made by someone else, so they can put their name on it. It the responsibility of the labeler to make it right. Even more so, people don't give out their manufacturers contacts. Especially to companies like me for protection of their own product. Nobody know where I buy my header tubing, and won't tell them.


BTW: Why is this thread in tech instead of talk?
Eh. If someone wants to know the difference about two parts, it always goes in tech. This is just one sided :D