Aftermarket radiator minefield

[STL_G8GT]

2004 rx330. Decided to swap the radiator because very fine white dots were showing up inside the fan shroud, indicative of a pinhole(s) leak.

Ordered a koyorad from rockauto. Arrived with the fill neck bent completely off, looked barely attached in the first place. Side bent in where it was bent while attached. It was shipped in a box secured with a wrap of soft 1/8" foam. No bracing of any kind. Returned, wasted a week.

Needed faster than 1 week shipping, and not wanting to pay shipping, found the Denso unit AND a CSF unit on Walmart.com. Ordered both.

They arrived today. Denso damaged in the exact same way as the Koyo, but not broken off. Face of the side tank dented in where it bent the fill neck. Secured in box with craft paper packaging, no bracing.

CSF had a small hole in box. Bent a few fins, but didn't impact tubes thankfully. It was secured in box with styrofoam ends and top/bottom braces.

I'll go with the CSF. It looks well built, necks are welded instead of pressed.

In a perfect world, thick cardboard front/back sheets AND styrofoam end tank supports with center top/bottom braces would be nearly bulletproof and would've saved incredible shipping and broken material expense.

I'm beyond disappointed with the packaging on the Koyo and Denso. I probably could've braised the necks back on, but I didn't want to learn (haven't done it before) in a vehicle we need to be 100% reliable. I don't know what's happening to the world and parts, but I'm SO OVER the poor quality post-Covid. I can't wait for the free market to remove these lazy manufacturing / packing / shipping practices.

 

[Dino01]

When it comes to part quality these days…

 

[Chris142]

CSF would be one of my top choices

 

[STL_G8GT]

CSF would be one of my top choices

It is definitely well made based on what I received.

 

[CDX825]

I will never understand how the people packing these things think that its acceptable to put something like that loose in a box with just few pieces of bubble wrap or brown packing paper.

I ordered replacement fenders for my Ranger. It took 7 times before I got ones that were not damaged in shipping because they were just shipping them loose in a box.

 

[Lubener]

Un fortunately radiators are still packed with styrofoam inside which doesn't hold up well to shipping with today's rough handlers who toss boxes around into their trucks.

 

[Donald]

One would think that when a company gets a lot of RTMs and has to eat the cost of a damaged product that they would make changes to how they pack the radiators from the factory. If I owned the company manufacturing them I sure would.

 

[Kira]

Years ago, I needed a new radiator as the local radiator / gas tank repair shop didn't have "core" in my size.
My choice was between phone calls / waiting / delivery OR having a completely new radiator delivered from a nearby warehouse in a real box.
It was a Friday.
Can you guess which route I took?

 

[NibbanaBanana]

I ordered head gaskets for my SpeedAire compressor from Grainger. They were in a very sturdy, unbendable, bubble envelope. They were broken into pieces like somebody had crushed them in their hand. Called Grainger. They sent a replacement. Same exact condition. Third time: same result. Forth time I talked to the warehouse manager and told him these are being damaged before they're ever shipped. He assured me I'd get good ones. Same result. These were not damaged in shipping. They were shipped damaged.

Got refund. Made new gaskets like I should have done in the first place.

 

[researcher]

I've ordered stuff from Amazon and all of the ones where you can get a delivery appt time, where they are someone in a their own vehicle but delivering for Amazon. Those deliveries, every-one-of-them lately has had the shipping bag or box cut open and looked into what's being shipped. Most have had the product taken out and hurriedly put back into the box (never fits right after that) None have I kept, all returned.

How about ordering some jars of salsa, only to have it thrown in a box, banged around, lids open, salsa everywhere?! If Amazon wants to record how many returns I'm making, sure go ahead, it's your people in the warehouse causing all of these returns.. SO STOP BEATING UP THE PRODUCT IN THE WAREHOUSE!! Really going to buy elsewhere, but even that isn't a guarantee it's better!!

Oh another one, friend of mine needed a phone battery from supposedly a battery store in business for many, many years. Thrown into a cheap yellow somewhat padded envelope. Battery banged up, small box it was in, crushed open, battery semi-outside box. Yup going to return, no don't think they'll ask for another, why bother? If they can't get a simple thing right the first time, 2nd time not going to get much better.

I can't even count how many things I'm returning lately.. insane.. I think we can train animals to do a better job! Maybe robots are going to do a better job?

I've also had radiators sent and beat up so bad, the fins were smashed closed. Unreal.. I didn't keep any of them, luckily I think a seller on ebay packed it perfectly. It was a small auto parts store in like the dakotas or montana, idaho, something like that.

 

[JayhawkRoy]

I've ordered stuff from Amazon and all of the ones where you can get a delivery appt time, where they are someone in a their own vehicle but delivering for Amazon. Those deliveries, every-one-of-them lately has had the shipping bag or box cut open and looked into what's being shipped. Most have had the product taken out and hurriedly put back into the box (never fits right after that) None have I kept, all returned.

How about ordering some jars of salsa, only to have it thrown in a box, banged around, lids open, salsa everywhere?! If Amazon wants to record how many returns I'm making, sure go ahead, it's your people in the warehouse causing all of these returns.. SO STOP BEATING UP THE PRODUCT IN THE WAREHOUSE!! Really going to buy elsewhere, but even that isn't a guarantee it's better!!

Oh another one, friend of mine needed a phone battery from supposedly a battery store in business for many, many years. Thrown into a cheap yellow somewhat padded envelope. Battery banged up, small box it was in, crushed open, battery semi-outside box. Yup going to return, no don't think they'll ask for another, why bother? If they can't get a simple thing right the first time, 2nd time not going to get much better.

I can't even count how many things I'm returning lately.. insane.. I think we can train animals to do a better job! Maybe robots are going to do a better job?

I've also had radiators sent and beat up so bad, the fins were smashed closed. Unreal.. I didn't keep any of them, luckily I think a seller on ebay packed it perfectly. It was a small auto parts store in like the dakotas or montana, idaho, something like that.

Interesting. I purchase some Euro/German glass jar foods on line from Amazon and 3d party vendors, and they all have made it through the process just fine so far. Properly wrapped and then filler in the box to make sure they don't move around during shipment. I think I may be lucky, so far.

 

[fdcg27]

I order cases of wine pretty frequently and have had no problems with Fedex deliveries.
Wine bottles are heavy, fragile and bulky, but with proper packaging they seem to arrive without any damage.
Last time I needed a radiator I ordered a Denso from I can't remember where and it came quickly and in perfect shape.
Don't know what the deal is with packaging and handling but I would think the consignors would object to a high volume of returns due to damage in transit.

 

[researcher]

Interesting. I purchase some Euro/German glass jar foods on line from Amazon and 3d party vendors, and they all have made it through the process just fine so far. Properly wrapped and then filler in the box to make sure they don't move around during shipment. I think I may be lucky, so far.

guess I'm just "lucky" lol.. glad to hear yours came in good shape, usually it's been no issue of something glass, but this time just tossed in a box and they did have the bubble wrap around the jars! Just in the last couple of months a ton of damaged stuff no matter who the seller is. strange

 

[Marcozi]

Several years ago we order bathroom fixtures from a well know supplier. The toilet tank cover arrived cracked. They sent another tank cover. Cracked! Finally, the sent the third cover and it arrived fine.