Delco Parts ( Reference thread on OEM vs Aftermarket)

[Wayne W.]

I just bought an ignition switch for a 2002 this week. My customer and I agreed that we would stay with OEM, so Delco it was.

GM #10308321, MADE IN CHINA. Oh well.

[Mike E.]

Re: Delco Parts ( Reference thread on OEM vs Aftermarket)

I just bought an ignition switch for a 2002 this week. My customer and I agreed that we would stay with OEM, so Delco it was.

GM #10308321, MADE IN CHINA. Oh well.

Same thing for my Clutch/Slave Cylinder and Master Cylinder for my '01 Z06. I think all AC/Delco does now is market part from jobbers that are the lowest bidder.

The emergency flash switch is going flakey on it too that causes the turn signals to be intermittent. I might as well find one that's cheapest price because that's what you will get from a dealer anyway. Have you had any issues with the steering column lock on your car?

Mike

[Joe L.]

Re: Delco Parts ( Reference thread on OEM vs Aftermarket)

I just bought an ignition switch for a 2002 this week. My customer and I agreed that we would stay with OEM, so Delco it was.

GM #10308321, MADE IN CHINA. Oh well.

Wayne-----


Lots of OEM automotive components are made abroad, especially in China. Just because a part is made abroad does not necessarily mean that it's aftermarket quality. The OEM manufacturers produce parts in many countries. In fact, it's very possible to get an OEM-quality part made in China while an aftermarket quality part for the exact same application might be made in USA.

From what I can determine, Delco does not offer both an OEM-quality and an aftermarket-quality part for this application. The only part offered is OEM. However, there was a predecessor part number. That part number was GM #10246848. It is possible that part was USA-manufactured.

[Duke W.]

Re: Delco Parts ( Reference thread on OEM vs Aftermarket)

This situation has been discussed many times, and nothing has changed.

GM began shedding parts operations in the early 1990s - over 20 years ago - when they got into financial problems and almost went bankrupt. They had to reduce costs, and selling the parts manufacturing operations was one of the restructuring steps they took back then.

Ever since, "Delco" has just been a marketing operation. "Delco" parts are made by outside suppliers and packaged in "Delco" boxes.

The exact same parts are sold in other brand names in their brand name boxes through a variety of marketing channels that we generally call "aftermarket".

A prime example is electrical parts. Most are made by Standard Motor Products and sold under a variety or brands including "Delco", Standard (including Bluestreak) , Echlin, Niehoff, Wells, et. al. So "Delco" is just another aftermarket brand that happens to be owned by GM rather than Federal Mogul, Dana Corp. or some other big automotive parts supplier. It's all aftermarket now.

These manufacturers are authorized by GM to manufacture the parts and allowed to sell the parts under their own and other brand names in addition to Delco buying the parts and selling them through their marketing channels. Drawings, specifications, and tooling, if available, are provided to the manufacturers, and parts may be made anywhere in the world. As Joe said, just because the part was "made in China"... or Mexico... or Indonesia doesn't mean it's junk, but there can be some variation in quality and/or appearance from the original manufactured by GM before circa 1990 depending on the specific part.

Back in the fifties we all thought Japanese manufactured goods were junk, but perceptions certainly changed by the seventies when many Americans started buying Japanese products (cars, consumer electronics) because they were perceived as high quality and a better value than American manufactured goods in many cases.

The bottom line is that seeking out a "Delco" part - unless it is NOS manufactured before circa 1990 - is a waste of time, effort, and maybe money. Buy whatever name brand is most conveniently available to you at the lowest cost.

And we should all be thankful that we can still buy, at reasonable prices, most of the parts we need to at least keep our cars running including parts that have not been used in production for over 50 years.

Duke

[Richard M.]

Re: Delco Parts ( Reference thread on OEM vs Aftermarket)

Wayne, back in 2009 I bought #10308321 for my 01', It said Made In England , I thought to myself if the original was made in England, and Lucas was the supplier, then no wonder it went bad. (Lucas the Prince of Darkness) Richard.