bryzmon

For anyone who has replaced the front Header Panel, Fan Schroud, Grill, Condensor and Radiator, what are sources / brands for quality parts you have used?
Thanks for feedback!

awg

I would start with Rock Auto. They are my preferred supplier of Jeep parts, and I live in Australia

Sometimes shipping can be the killer (for me, and it getting worse), but in most cases, it is less than half local price, delivered in10-15 days

If I was in USA, I would not hesitate, they have a good website

If you cannot obtain new parts, used are available (header panel)

UKXJ

Can't help but feel this is a very American problem, the rest of just have to use what we can find.

As for RA, catalogue's a great reference tool, but unless I was in the US I'd never again trust them to supply the right part - there's no after sales service.

Interestingly I was watching a Youtube vid recently and the presenter referred to going through his box of brake pipes RA had sent in error to find one for the current job: all to familiar!

lalo

...

For used parts, try - J & W Jeep Auto Wreckers in Antelope, CA

lalo

RocketMouse

I've liked them too in the past... seem to have our XJ parts at pretty reasonable prices all things considered.
Only thing to be aware of is that they have literally NO customer service dept. If an order gets messed up in their system... there's no one to contact. No phone, no email... no nothing.
Ask me how I know.

UKXJ

So they've got worse. Doesn't seem so long ago they simply wouldn't consider a complaint without the part(s) being returned first - which for those of us outside the US, isn't viable.

awg

hmm, that's concerning, they have been my go to supplier for over 10 yrs of XJ ownership, and I havent had any problems at all I can recall

Delivery takes 12-14 calender days to Australia, and is almost always less than half local price

If they are a USA based company ?, I am surprised there is no law regarding return policy etc...UKXJ seems to say he has communicated with them at least ?

I have got "caught" recently, and this is what I think happened;

In Australia, things from China are cheap, as we are close, and there is little duty

There is a website called Ali Express that advertise Jeep (repro) parts (amongst many other things) for very cheap prices, with a stated 12 day delivery, mostly free, or very cheap

If you buy of eBay site in Australia called "Superspares" they say 7 day delivery, but then guess what, you get a message saying its ordered from the wharehouse and their will be a few days delay. Turns out to take about 14 days. Prices, while somewhat low, are 2-4 times Ali Express

Brainwave, why not set up a site in Oz, when the order comes in, order from Ali Express, just make the customer ****ing wait for their parts

UKXJ

Yes, I have contacted RA, the 1st time many years ago when I took issue with there being no fitting kit: the response was that was why they were so cheap - but acknowledged they were not as described & I got a full refund with no need to return. More recently I bought a pair of shox, when I pointed out that had they had the wit to check the contents of one of the boxes which had been opened & indifferently re-sealed with parcel tape, they would have realised the decal was missing & the boot was distorted so much it was useless, I was asked to return both of them. which made no sense, from any perspective.

So I already knew they were on a one company crusade to destroy America's enviable reputation for customer service.

My main fault with them is you have a less than 50% chance of getting what you ordered &, despite advertising in the British motoring press & having a UK website, all orders are filled in the US, at as many distribution centres as parts ordered, thus significantly ramping up the shipping (although that might be offset by a saving on tax & duty - because no one item is over the threshold).

As for being so much cheaper than home brewed Oz parts, several Oz suppliers post on UK eBay & the prices are usually very attractive - it's the shipping that's the killer!

awg

wow, touch wood, think I have 100% record on maybe 30 orders, mostly multi parts (preferably for shipped from same warehouse)

Hope my last order is now going to be ok !

Yes, some Australian vendors are well priced (almost all from China though, like I said)

I am going to give Ali Express a go (direct from China)...less than Rock Auto, mainly free shipping, state same delivery time

There is one really good Aussie brand, and that is Mackie/ Mackay (I think spelling)

Mostly rubber stuff, but consistent quality, reasonable price

Rock Auto have a very good reference website for the parts

If you are in Continental USA, their homeland, I imagine choice is far better

I have noticed the specialist sites mainly have prohibitive shipping costs

zs&tas

Every part I ever buy for my jeep comes wrong, dosnt matter who I purchased from and wether they have my reg , vin, any details , it is always wrong ! Never known a car like it !!

SamuelWalker

I am just posting so I can keep track of this thread.

cpttuna

pick'n pull

UKXJ

Sorry to hear that but I think you've been really unlucky.

1st parts I needed, not knowing any better, came from a well known American parts dealer ( we probably have a dozen such specialists here in the UK) but the serpentine belt was wrong (I've since learned that was likely because they only carried parts for US models). More recently I had an idler pulley fail & a search on eBay (for many years now, by go to source for all auto parts) produced the wrong one - but the seller was brilliant, & arranged a refund & dispatch of the correct part within a week. The shox I mentioned in a previous post were for the XJ but can't now be sure that any other typical RA wrong parts delivered experience were Jeep related - but I think not.

So not too bad for 5 Jeeps over probably 12 years, like I said, I think you've been very unlucky - but it's good you're still hanging in there.

UKXJ

You, on the other hand, have been extremely fortunate - & I hope your luck holds.

For me though, I've had my fingers burnt & RA is v. much the supplier of last resort (right down there with that load of crooks at Amazon!).

All the Oz stuff on eBay is brands I don't recognise but have taken to be pukka products.

Interested in how you get on with AliExpress, I made a test purchase (a chef's blowtorch) a while back, cost next to nothing, even before the 1st order discount, but wasn't worth that much - which was when I discovered the returns procedure is in Mandarin.

There's an Indian site called Vicky (I think) which I keep meaning to investigate further: it's in English, India is silly cheap, even for stuff they import, & nearly everything is free shipping, even internationally.

markjja

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