Another Amazon Scam

[Rockwood]

I don't buy any electronics of any type from any online retailer anymore.  You can get most ACDelco parts from OReilly's, open it right there and see if it's cheese and also return it if it doesn't work.  Everything online, even "OEM" (unless it's from a dealer with an online shop, like Courtesy Nissan) is facking GAH-bage these days.  GAH-bage.

I just received a New AC Delco TPS sensor from Amazon on Thursday. I buy those all the time there and only from authorized dealers. I opened the box, and in 1 second I could tell its a knock off. Not even close labeling... So how does that happen??

 I contacted Amazon and tell them and of course easy return...  They ask if I want to talk to the seller, I checked yes andx sent the note to them since I have bought from them many times before.

The seller contacts me afterward and apologizes saying they ONLY sell genuine AC Delco parts But there is a new scam on Amazon where people are buying the $10 china knockoff and the Original AC DELCO part and swapping the knock off into the AC Delco box  and returning it as unopened/unused.  He told me he sees this on every sensor, alternators, water pumps etc. and most people never know  except he gets warranty returns and they are knock offs.  He is moving to put "label tape" on every thing he sells so Amazon can identify if its actually been opened/replaced and they send back to him rather than out back on the shelf, he still eats the return, but he keeps the junk out of the field. 

I have seen so many knock off Bosch 044 fuel pumps and 02 sensors and MSD and Aeromotive stuff from unauthorized sellers - that stuff is all over the web, but never saw "people" being dirt bags doing the buy and switch... I love Amazon's return policy, but soon I doubt anything will be original if you buy it on line

Its really frustrating especially when a knock off part fails  - and they always fail

Same arsefaced douchewagons made it so you have to check the oil you just bought before pouring it in...  Wal-Mart needs to make oil sales final or exchange only.  Who in the F needs to return oil?

 

[Fullthrottleguy]

I did the same thing for a mass air flow sensor for my Chevy. When I installed it and it immediately threw a code I knew it was a fake. Then I realized Delphi was the OEM for that part and an AC Delco part wouldn’t have been correct anyway. Wouldn’t the TPS be made by Delphi as well?

This is really interesting - I researched it a couple years ago and now I track it ... Delphi is the OE for GM and you would think if you buy a Delphi part as a replacement its made by Delphi .... But thats not the case ... MOST Delphi replacement parts  for cars over 3 years old are "sourced"  and put in Delphi boxes. This happened after the GM Bankruptcy and many of the plants were sold and Delphi and its remaining plants were sold to Borg Warner this deal got completed in 2020, but started in about 2015.  So will Delphi be the same part your car came with ... maybe, but likely not?

AC Delco is the GM branding company for Delphi and other parts that "were" used in GM production.  AC Delco sources Delphi parts - but only from Delphi owned plants (still owned by Borg Warner) - where Delphi sources from Delphi and divested Delphi plants that may or many not be GM approved  where Delphi transferred manufacturing after the 3 year source supply agreement  ends with GM on new models to build in approved plants expires  - its a cost saving move for Delphi and its so confusing because its hard to say what parts are made where ...

AC Delco sources Only from GM approved suppliers and those suppliers subsidiaries or vendors also need to be approved, so you would think the parts would be better?  and one is Delphi but only where products are made in Delphi plants where Delphi may or may not

There is one other factor and that is that GM also has a "licensing program"  where parts can be made under the GM license but not necessarily GM approved. They may "meet" GM standards on paper but never actually tested by GM (marketing BS deal)

I always used to wonder why at "self service junkyards" the sensors were missing from all the engines, now I know the used stuff is probably better than any of the new stuff you can buy.   I am amazed that an 03 Pickup can have 250K miles on it before the TPS gets "flakey" and I put new one on and its dead in 10K miles and thats after checked to ensure the throttle shaft has zero play.  same is true for just about every other sensor on the car ...