So when I did my frame up resto on my 1983 Jeep Scrambler, I put in a new Dorman oil pan. Found out that those idiots painted the INSIDE of the pan, having that coating peel like paint & destroyed my engine! Nearly $9,000.00 in damage. Dorman blamed me for not doing proper maintenance on that oil pan ?, and then baulked at the $200.00 I quoted for a new one. Refused to help in any way. In my research I've found more of this same issue to others going back to 2008. The real kicker is they now do NOT coat the insides of their oil pans, that tells me they are aware of this issue, but refuse to comment on it, or comment falsely. So if you installed a Dorman oil pan from 2008 to 2012, your engine is being destroyed. Of course, unless you were doing major work on your vehicle, you'd have no idea this is happening to your favorite auto or get to work ride. I'm hoping for help from the FTC or some group who oversees hideous/cover-up business tactics. Any help would be appreciated.

 

dorman parts are for cheap people trying to fix an abused vehicle to unload on someone else.
i have never, and will never use any of their junk parts.

 

I sadly did not know this, my mechanic bought that crap! It destroyed a factory customized 1983 Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler. Tell all the world that doesn't know this, Dorman executives need fined & jailed! Located in Colmar, PA 26+ $ Billion in value, but are massive shysters & cowards.

 

most people are cheap and do not care, as long as they save a few pennies.
autolite glow plugs. pure garbage, and burn out usually after first use.....but they are still sold because they are cheaper than the recommended motorcraft glow plugs.
generac generators. "worlds best selling generator" another pure garbage.
the only reason they are the worlds best selling generator is because they flood the market with advertising.
anything made in china,,,, once upon a time made in america lasted damn near forever...
than came made in china and cost 1/2 price of made in america. but it only lasted 1/4 the life of american made....or less.
but it cost less so people bought it instead.

 

From a professional automotive technician's point of view, I whole heartedly agree with you on this matter and company. They were really bad when they started out on the "Help Rack" in most auto parts stores at the corner of oil filter and chrome alley. Then they got bold and stepped up into functional parts and thats when the SHTF for quality.

They must have improved over the years or they wouldn't still be in business but I've grown accustomed to a saying my parents taught me. "Get me once, shame on you. Get me twice, shame on me". You don't get a 2nd chance with me, at least not right away, when you sting me with what ever it is, be it advice or a POS auto part, you just lost my trust until you make the extra effort to PROVE my trust is not misgiven to you again. Tough alley to be stuck in when you rely on customers money and I'm a customer wronged by your company.

With all that said, keep those same thoughts for ALL others, aftermarket and OEM. I've taken a hit in the wallet plenty of times on brand new genuine Ford parts given to me by a Ford dealer parts man for install at a Ford dealer by a factory trained tech, (me). So it's easier to just say, "if it's man made it's flawed".

How many flaws are you willing to pay for today?

 

I feel your pain brother, Dorman may have improved from where they started, but they'll likely never see my trust again. Let me just say, if my ride depends on a Dorman part, I'm not depending on my ride. I watched them struggle to make it on the chrome accessory rack, then the Help rack, then I stopped caring because I realized they only sell trash.

 

I've never had a Dorman oil pan but I've used plenty Dorman parts and never had an issue so it surprises me to see a negative experience with one of their parts. They're not top notch parts and definitely on the lower end but this surprises me that something of that sort took place. A good chunk of aftermarket and OEM parts are becoming cheap and unreliable everywhere so sometimes it's just the luck of the draw. I've had OEM parts fail after a week and aftermarket last for years and vice versa so sometimes you just have to take a chance on specific brands.

 

Dorman should be ashamed and they should have made it right or at least offered some assistance.

I often wonder though where the OE parts are made and by whom. I'll bet those answers would surprise all of us. My experience with MC parts both OE and replacement hasn't been a great story of high quality but rather a story of disappointment and excessive cost. My experience primarily relates to fuel pumps, ignition systems, alternators, brake parts, cooling system components and other external items. I will wholeheartedly admit that of I were to get an engine or transmission rebuilt, I'd spec MC parts for the internals.

 

In today's world it's a crap shoot where any brands parts are made. That doesn't really matter, what matters is quality control. That cost extra no matter who made it.

Whether we choose to accept it or not, we all live in a one world economy for the most part.

 

Yes sir, in that we completely agree.

The fuel pump went out on my 2004 Expedition at 80K miles, I was pissed but I accepted it and had the dealer make the repair with a complete fuel system flush. Just 20K miles later it happened again. I did all the right things right and got burned again. This time I dropped the tank and did the repair myself using a pump from Autozone. We drove the truck another 60K miles without issue, sold it to friends of ours three years ago and still no issue.

Prior to that, the pumps went out on my 1988 F-150, first the midship pump then a year later, the rear pump. I did the work myself and I used MC pumps, both had to be dropped again with each pump lasting about 30K miles. I went to AZ and bought their pumps each time with no more issues. Same with the alternator, starter and other parts for the '88.

The 4x4 shift motor on my 2011 truck went out, I didn't hesitate to replace with a Dorman motor at a substantially lesser amount. A Motorcraft vacuum pump for the 2011 Ecoboost is about $800, the Dorman is under $400. If that fails, the Dorman is going on it and I'll make the repair.

 

The quality of parts in general is a joke. As much as I hate to say it I've taken chances with the lower end parts just because why would I spend all that money for a "better" part with a higher price tag when it could fail just as quick. Before I buy any parts I do my research on the company it's coming from and look at reviews even on different sites.

 

It is the worst kind of joke, a not so practical one when you're sitting on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck to be sure.

Quality control can cost more $$ at times than the actual product. That usually leads to what we have now, a crap shoot. I almost went to fists with our parts manager when he refused to believe that new part he gave me was bad out of the box. Yes this was at the Ford dealer I worked at 20 years ago. I grabbed my scan computer, the keys to the vehicle I was working on, the shop manual and tossed them on the counter and told him to find out why the car wasn't running and went home, I don't think I've ever been that pissed off at anyone that much before or since. Parts flunkey telling me how to diag a vehicle, seriously?

Anyway, when I went in the next day he apologized and gave me another part that worked. So yeah I've been there fighting for customers when idiots flipping pages in a parts book (think) they know more than the tech that went to school to learn how from the experts that built it.

I've taken it from all ends of the spectrum from pissed off customers to (think they) know it all parts jockeys. All because of some @ssh@t named inspector 12 that doesn't give two fks about the quality of the part they're supposed to be inspecting.