Overpriced Mopar reproduction parts Rant FB group!!!

[Nacho-RT74]

Sometimes the language can be a barrier. I can't use fancy words on this topic due that.

No Ponch, I can't admit I'm wrong since I'm being a victim same as many of us of this "weird market". I allways check those prices that makes me think about sonething is wrong here. Simply is true what ECS says about  I can't post better examples and the numbers behind the counter, I ADMIT THAT!, but not the rest. I just can post the numbers on this side of the counter, which is not fair. If is true less Challengers were produced than Camaros... Is the same for Darts? And they are priced the same than Challies quarters, So what about the profit for the Darts quarter panels againts Challies ? See ? I can post similar examples that makes this really fishy somewhere, buy once again, I don't have numbers for them and this will go on forever.

Same as I can't buy a piece and allways have to buy a set of anything! Fords and Chevies can get one piece on allmost everything.

We are all friends here and this is not a hard discussion, just points of view exposed on the table. Some ppl see the circle and some others see the square

[ECS]

Using fancy words doesn't make a person smart.

The manner in which some people use words can certainly expose their ignorance.

[ECS]

I can't admit I'm wrong .......I just can post the numbers on this side of the counter.....

I'll ask you again.  Unless you know the exact costs associated with the parts that are offered by the Vendors, how are you able to determine that their profits are inflated and unfair?

[HANDM]

You're just now figuring this out? I've known this ever since I bough my first Mopar over 25 years ago. As someone stated earlier, it's the price you pay for being different.....

[ECS]

........it's the price you pay for being different.....

It's the price you pay for choosing a certain Make/Model of vehicle.  A total of 559,451, Mustangs were manufactured and sold in 1965.  A total of 64,596 Barracudas were manufactured and sold in 1965.  Which has the greatest potential for ROI between those 2 markets, with regards to reproduction opportunities?

[Ponch ®]

No Ponch, I can't admit I'm wrong since I'm being a victim same as many of us of this "weird market".

victim? bro, we're talking about reproduction parts for expensive collector cars that we own because we want to, not because we need to. Again, we're not talking about the price of bread or milk.

https://youtu.be/g2jAwiq6YsE

[birdsandbees]

[Nacho-RT74]

I'm wondering how many 51/53 Cadillacs were made

https://www.ebay.com/itm/201693864025

More than ANY other Mopar?

[ECS]

I'm wondering.....

That appears to be the only legitimate information you have shared in this conversation. 

[Nacho-RT74]

well, that's what I got LOL... as I told you lot of stuff still seems to be fishy, and now you can't tell the 51/53 Cadillac was sold way more than any Mopar, or maybe being restored, and they are trying to get the profit with afew parts made... right?

Or any other Cadillac panel, or Lincoln or Buick Roadmaster, search around on "People who viewed this item also viewed" section after click that link.

ASIDE THE BIG SIZE or a Cadillac or Lincoln quarter panel... More material too.

I can understand some diff but not the diff we are knowing!!!

[ECS]

I can understand some diff but not the diff we are knowing!!!

You're doing it again.  You're basing conclusions on nothing more than your limited knowledge and opinions about the subject.  Provide us with ALL of the costs associated with making those Cadillac panels.  Then provide us with ALL of the costs associated with making the Mopar Panels. Only then can anyone give a valid opinion or conclusion about the profits being made.

[Scaregrabber]

I feel the same way as the OP on a lot of issues. I have purchased stuff from ECS and it is correct and worth the money. However I have purchased repro parts from other suppliers and have thrown a lot of it directly into the garbage can. ECS takes time to make stuff right and I don't mind paying for that. But for example when you buy a simple product like firewall insulation nails and you can't install them without breaking them I cry foul. Or how about a reproduction throttle cable that you pay big bucks for, you install it, test it with the throttle pedal once and the ball comes off? I could go on and on. A lot of repro parts suppliers screw us because they can.
My advice to anyone is to try to use original parts whenever you can. I also sometimes wonder if suppliers ship all their garbage to people out of the U.S. because they know it is costly and troublesome for us to return it. I live in Canada and I just fill up the garbage can with this crap rather than return it and overseas would be even more daunting. Sometimes I think it is amazing anyone restores these cars at all. Another funny thing that happens is that a lot of times when a new part comes to market, it just seems to get priced about where NOS ones are at. This doesn't happen all the time but I've seen it more than once.

Sheldon

[Lennard]

These cars are getting restored out of passion.

[Nacho-RT74]

You tell me! I began 17 years ago, and still not finished correctly, just going step by step ( if that's not passion, dunno what really could be passion ), but is not just passion required! Even less when the market bites out our "Passion" LOL.

And trust me, I can say propperlly down here in Vzla maybe I'm the more hardcore Moparian in the country!

[ECS]

I feel the same way as the OP on a lot of issues. I have purchased stuff from ECS and it is correct and worth the money. However I have purchased repro parts from other suppliers and have thrown a lot of it directly into the garbage can. ECS takes time to make stuff right and I don't mind paying for that. But for example when you buy a simple product like firewall insulation nails and you can't install them without breaking them I cry foul. Or how about a reproduction throttle cable that you pay big bucks for, you install it, test it with the throttle pedal once and the ball comes off? I could go on and on. A lot of repro parts suppliers screw us because they can.
My advice to anyone is to try to use original parts whenever you can. I also sometimes wonder if suppliers ship all their garbage to people out of the U.S. because they know it is costly and troublesome for us to return it. I live in Canada and I just fill up the garbage can with this crap rather than return it and overseas would be even more daunting. Sometimes I think it is amazing anyone restores these cars at all. Another funny thing that happens is that a lot of times when a new part comes to market, it just seems to get priced about where NOS ones are at. This doesn't happen all the time but I've seen it more than once.

Sheldon

Hi Sheldon.  First I would like to "Thank You" for your patronage and kind words.  It's People like you that allow us the privilege to provide the things we offer.  Without satisfied Customers, we're nothing!  Regarding some of the other things you brought up, I agree but remember that those aspects are a completely different topic.  I started ECS because I was sick of the garbage that was offered in the Ford World.  For me, if it's not as good (or better in quality) that an original example, we won't let it past our shipping door.  You'll find lack of quality in every segment of business that manufactures any product.  Your concerns are not limited to the restoration Industry.  The topic I though we were discussing was unjustified high profit margins as they relate to "comparable" reproduction parts.  

[Nacho-RT74]

Need to say, PLEASE don't take this personally ECS to you or your bussiness. I never have dealt with you to say anything about your products! I'm just compairing what the prices show and... whatever I have told and will hold. my opinion is still intact.

profit ? yes, by piece, not by qty expected to sell, which is really unknown and just a suposition. Reproduce ANY quarter panel ( as an example ) takes same material and same job to make them.

( I have being a seller on shops too, of professional and HiEnd audio products, so even you maybe can't believe it, I know what is a profit )

[ECS]

However I have purchased repro parts from other suppliers and have thrown a lot of it directly into the garbage can. ECS takes time to make stuff right and I don't mind paying for that. But for example when you buy a simple product like firewall insulation nails and you can't install them without breaking them I cry foul.

Sheldon

Just a quick deviation here.  For things like Gaskets, Firewall Insulation, Firewall Insulation Nails, etc.......  Detroit Muscle Technologies is the best supplier for those parts.  James Fillmore is a great Guy, has a discerning eye for correct & exacting detail and manufactures his components to Factory OE specifications.

[ECS]

Need to say, PLEASE don't take this personally ECS to you or your bussiness. I never have dealt with you to say anything about your products! I'm just compairing what the prices show and... whatever I have told and will hold. my opinion is still intact.

profit ? yes, by piece, not by qty expected to sell

Thanks for the explanation NACHO.  I work with other manufacturers and can tell you that it's not as simple manufacturing stamped parts as what's being expressed here.  I can't talk for everyone but can assure you that there is more than meets the eye when reproducing OE parts.   What's sad is that some of the "less capable" manufacturers take shortcuts and give a black eye to many others in the Industry.

[Nacho-RT74]

However I have purchased repro parts from other suppliers and have thrown a lot of it directly into the garbage can. ECS takes time to make stuff right and I don't mind paying for that. But for example when you buy a simple product like firewall insulation nails and you can't install them without breaking them I cry foul.

Sheldon

Just a quick deviation here.  For things like Gaskets, Firewall Insulation, Firewall Insulation Nails, etc.......  Detroit Muscle Technologies is the best supplier for those parts.  James Fillmore is a great Guy, has a discerning eye for correct & exacting detail and manufactures his components to Factory OE specifications.

Definitelly DTM are great and I have personally talked with them at Carlisle 2008.

and well most of the examples are about quarter panels because is something easy to compare from same manufacturer ( on the initial examples ), same size etc..., but have posted some others, and once again, there was a profit for the stripes on $400 like it seems there is also a profit now for $300... nobody can say is not somehow fishy! we are not talking about an speciall offer but a price list. Think now on every part with high prices that can take us to same doubts about!!!!

I have the right to think there is something going wrong here! and claim about it!

[ECS]

there was a profit for the stripes on $400 like it seems there is also a profit now for $300... nobody can say is not somehow fishy! we are not talking about an speciall offer but a price list. Think now on every part with high prices that can take us to same doubts about!!!!

You continue to ignore the fact that you don't know why the price was lowered.  I gave you an example of an Emission decal that I made and lost money on.  I lowered the price to simply cut my losses.  Had I not explained that reason, would you have assumed I was making too much profit?  Not every product is guaranteed to be successful.  For all you know, the price could have been lowered to get rid of them and also cut their losses on a slow moving item.  I don't understand why you continue to act as if you haven't heard these explanations given about why prices may have been lowered.   Just like your other observations about their profits, you continue to use unsubstantiated opinions about why you think what you think.  The fact is, you have no factual data to state why a Company does the things they do.

[Scaregrabber]

I just checked on a shaker bubble for fun. Mustang one is $595 for complete assy. Scoop to air cleaner base including filter, I have no idea on the quality of these but you would guess the bubble is much more complicated to produce than the easy Mopar piece? Then you have the sheetmetal pieces as well, sure there's a larger market but that's a lot of parts which are much more complicated than a simple Mopar bubble for just 1.5 the price. Totally wrong bare Mopar bubble for $395 from a place in the NW. I have no idea about what it would take to make a correct bubble but I would guess maybe 3 or 4 more hours to get the mold right to start with (I could even accept the wrong material)? I know we are just shooting bullets in the air here but these are things a guy notices and starts to wonder if it's worth it.
Also on a side note, with our limited market when I see a part I need get reproduced I buy the dang thing and don't worry about who has it cheapest. Manufacturers sometimes make a limited run and won't make another run if there is no market for the part. You can't blame them for good business practices.

Sheldon

[ECS]

I have no idea ......I have no idea......I would guess maybe......I know we are just shooting bullets in the air.......

With all due respect, this is why fictional information becomes fact over time.  This reminds me of a little story that I made up to express the point.  When you don't know something, all of the guessing in the world will bring you no closer to the truth.

Two Friends were at the Airport waiting to board their flight.  Sitting 5 seats down from the 2 men was a Brain Surgeon who was typing on his lap top computer.  While sitting at the Gate, the 2 men noticed that a TV was showing a new brain surgery technique that was being done.  They started talking about what they thought was needed for the new procedure to work.  Neither Man had any Medical Training or experience and were using their limited knowledge to stumble through their hypotheticals.  After about a half hour of discussion, the 2 Men were satisfied with the conclusions they had come up with as it related to the new surgery process.  The Doctor sitting 5 seats down had overheard their conversation and inwardly laughed to himself.  He was humored by the fact that the 2 Men were no closer to the truth than when they first started their conversation.

[Scaregrabber]

Okay let me put it another way. I do know what it would take to pull a fiberglass mold from an original shaker bubble and what it would take to lay one from that plug. Charging $395 for a totally wrong POS is highway robbery. There.

Sheldon

[ECS]

Okay let me put it another way. I do know what it would take to pull a fiberglass mold from an original shaker bubble and what it would take to lay one from that plug. Charging $395 for a totally wrong POS is highway robbery. There.

Sheldon

Now we're getting somewhere.  What steps would it take, as well as the costs associated with the steps for the process?  Thanks!

[moparnation74]

DMT offers great products and outstanding customer service....