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A bitoger through and through lol
Dorman Quality - Why This Huge Gap Between Claimed Quality and Actual Quality?
- Thread starter George7941
- Start date
I've had some decent Dorman products over the years and also plenty of failed components. Just had some one of their rebuilt calipers, one month old, fail in a big way earlier this year. In some cases, at least on older GM, they produced the oem part, so that's all there ever will be. I ran into that scenario a few years back on an Olds Intrigue intermediate steering shaft. Life spans of about 40k mi. The shelves of chain parts stores are filled with their relabeled products. There's always Cardone, if you really want to experience the low life.
Had an exhaust manifold on my Corolla cracked. It was the California one with a pre-cat so it has a narrower length vs the federal one. The Dorman one should have fit like OEM, but the heat shield blocked the access to the oil filter so I had to take it off. How in the world did they sell something that will block the oil filter? Did they even test it before selling?
It did come with lifetime warranty and it didn't crack. I'm not sure if it is because the heat shield was taken out, or if it is better design than OEM. It was good enough and a lot cheaper ($99 instead of $200 like other brand), lasted 100k miles and went to the junkyard with the car eventually.
The Dorman Taurus coolant tank is better quality than the original from Ford, I think it is the new design from another company addressing the OEM's design problem, eventually Ford use that one as well.
It did come with lifetime warranty and it didn't crack. I'm not sure if it is because the heat shield was taken out, or if it is better design than OEM. It was good enough and a lot cheaper ($99 instead of $200 like other brand), lasted 100k miles and went to the junkyard with the car eventually.
The Dorman Taurus coolant tank is better quality than the original from Ford, I think it is the new design from another company addressing the OEM's design problem, eventually Ford use that one as well.
It's 'doorstop', not dorman... lol
That’s why Walmart and the dollar stores do so well - many are price-point shoppers and don’t care about anything else beyond that.
Zee09
$200 Site Donor 2023
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When the end user refuses to actually pay for quality the game manufacturers play is
how much can we soak our customers with junk products before they tap out. Tongue in cheek but there is much truth in
that statement. People love crap if they can get it cheap enough...
how much can we soak our customers with junk products before they tap out. Tongue in cheek but there is much truth in
that statement. People love crap if they can get it cheap enough...
Owen Lucas
$100 Site Donor 2023
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If Dorman is using the original tooling and molds from the factory, maybe it’s possible they have become worn and out of tolerance. I’ve seen the same with plastic bumpers that supposedly were made with old molds, never fits right. Probably an old wives tale, who knows.
I've recently been very disappointed in the quality of their parts. I've had a heater proportioning valve of theirs last 10 months on the Wife's Armada (factory lasted 8 years) and a 4x4 actuator motor last 2 months in my 98 F150 (original lasted 23 years). The 4x4 motor was replaced under warranty but now I have no confidence that I won't have 4x4 when I need it with the new replacement part from them.
I had used many parts from them in the past without issue, but in the last year, they are 0 for 2.
I had used many parts from them in the past without issue, but in the last year, they are 0 for 2.
Doorman - if all other sources come up dry.
This is why they're best for flips. Get it working for the next owner but longevity is a HUGE wild card.
Some of their non-electrical stuff is okay but from my experience a lot of their electrical parts are pure junk.
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
Depends on the part. A year ago I replaced the LR window regulator/motor assembly in my '07 Sonata with a Dorman unit. Had a hell of a time getting the window to meet up with the track and took forever to install. Motor is fast and works good though.
Last weekend I replaced the RR window regulator/motor assembly in the same car and used a WAI Global unit and it fit like a glove. The window slid right into place and it was a quick and painless job.
Last weekend I replaced the RR window regulator/motor assembly in the same car and used a WAI Global unit and it fit like a glove. The window slid right into place and it was a quick and painless job.
For me, it's been hit or miss with Dorman. Their parts have worked fine out of the box however they fail in short order. So, I choose not to use them any longer unless I just can't get another brand or I can't get another brand quickly enough. It is all about the initial cost of Dorman products and their lifetime warranty that sells. Otherwise buy another brand. And if you can afford it, buy OE.
Yeah cheap "white box" window regulators and window motors have served me well.
Dorman was poor quality even in the 80's.
Their nuts, bolts, and gaskets are fine. Some of their oil pans are supposedly good as well.
You forgot to mention how much cheaper the WAI Global regulator/motor assembly was compared to the Dorman assembly.
Some. And there was a TH350 pan for awhile that was lacking the stamped ribs to stop it from leaking. Glaring oversights like this are what you see from cheap Chinese manufacturing sometimes
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