Heard a rumor that Harbor Freight is going to start selling automotive parts. Should be able to get parts real cheap with there discounts or better yet there tent sales
StanSki

Good one, Stan!

Well, it looks like I already threw out all the crap that came inside the boxes that the upper end rotors came in, so I can't tell exactly which state they are made in.
But I do still have the boxes.
They are, of course, labeled all NAPA hype, but for what it's worth;

They are called NAPA ULTRA PREMIUM.
It says these rotors contain:
QC100 venting
Level EQ sound reduction
ONYX Gurard Corrosion Protectant
OE Matched - Runs cooler - Longer life

Next time you need rotors, buy a set of these and the literature will tell what state they were made in.

Seems to me that I recall the rotor castings themselves had USA cast right into them, too.
Mark D.

Parts are pretty much hit and miss regardless of manufacture or country of origin. I've bought bad quality parts from the US, Canada, Mexico, China, and so on as well as good quality from those as well. The worst was a new Chinese exhaust manifold for my truck: It seriously looked like a ingot of iron with very crude casting quality. I spent probably a good solid day using a grinding bit to smooth it out. Luckily I had a jeweler's bit and was able to get inside it too.

Ironically most of the Japanese brand parts I've bought seem to be made in the USA.

I tend to agree with you, Bob.
But the rotors in question above (admittedly not an OP sender, as in the true topic) are good. In my own view, they're the only thing I'll put on a car other than OEM.
They're guaranteed to not need to be trued up in a brake lathe before mounting, too.
Most of the junk available out there needs to be turned before being installed new. Talk about crap.
Mark D.

The Big Three had problems with cracking OEM exhaust manifolds long before China got into the act. Ive learned to live with some since the alternative isnt worth it.

Chevy even took it a step further with cracking 350 heads in the 80's.

Carl

Something I forgot to mention is that more often than not I'll wind up using re-manufactured parts anyway. Often times they're OEM components that have been completely re-manufactured, meaning for example if its a alternator the whole thing- windings, bearings, and so on are all new and the only thing old might be the case and some of the hardware. Its a much cheaper alternative to new and sometimes better quality anyway. I've done that on 3 of our cars and to date, none of the remanufactured items have failed.

Yes, Bob, there is nothing wrong with using reman elecromechanical parts on a car.
But some advance knowledge is good to have.
For instance, though it has improved, NAPA reman alternators especially and to some extent starters, would almost universally fail. This was during the early 2000's into around 2007 before they started to figure out why hardly any service shops were using their alternators anymore. Shops hate comebacks.
But it is still a good idea to only buy the top of the line choice, whether it's NAPA or anywhere else. The less expensive one will invariably have less expensive components in it, and shortcuts in the rebuilding process have probably been taken.
The above is especially important with water cooled alternators. It sucks when the alternator, mounted near the bottom of the engine usually, lets all the coolant out and you have a overheated engine.
Mark D.

I will agree that in many cases the OEM parts are superior. For example I've removed original Denso parts from my Toyotas and the machining and overall quality is drastically better than the parts I'm replacing them with. On the other hand often times the OEM parts are a LOT more than an aftermarket part. My truck is 17 years old with 250,000+miles. So its not a spring chicken and getting up there in the mileage department. So for the last few years I've replaced parts with aftermarket ones. There have been some instances where the replacements were total crap.

The WORST experience I had was replacing one of the front wheel bearings. The original had come with the truck. Last year it started to whine. So I went and got a set of aftermarket bearings. I slid the new one on and immediately it got jammed: It was ever so slightly too small and somehow got totally stuck on the spindle. I wound up having to beat the thing off of there with a hammer which destroyed the outer shell of the new bearing. It was off by just a hair too, so upon getting ANOTHER one, I spent about an hour very slowly sanding the spindle with 1000 grit sandpaper until it fit. The originals were American-Made Timken bearings. Looked like a watch piece. Can't say that much for the new ones. But they've been ok for now.

My Wife's car is the worst for parts. Its a first generation Prius and there are very few aftermarket parts available. The rear wheel hub started making this awful noise. So I replaced it. But- I had to get an actual Toyota hub AND you couldn't just stick in a new bearing: The whole thing was sold as an assembly, fully out together. It was like $300 for the part and additionally you need a special tool to remove the old one. So I spent a few hours tapping the old one out. What a mess!

Bob, I feel your pain on the wheel hub issue. Most or nearly all cars now come with a unit hub that is replaced as a unit. They aren't cheap from the dealer. About half the dealer price at the usual auto parts outlets.
But about the only one that can be trusted from these sources is made by SKF. If there is a timken unit out there, I'm not aware of it. But you can pretty much trust that name.

On the high mileage thing, though, it depends on how you use the car.
My car only has 226K miles on it, but I depend on it the same as when it had 100K miles on it. I keep it in like new mechanical condition, and because I take care of it, it takes care of me.
I still put in the part that I think will be the most reliable in the long haul, I don't consider the cost unless it is a huge difference and the quality isn't a huge difference. Such as the SKF wheel bearing hub assy vs. OEM.
Had a bad front wheel bearing on my wife's car. The GM replacement was a good $130 (at my discount) over the Napa one, (at my discount.)
I used the NAPA one. It'll be fine.

OTH, one day I was working at the locomotive shop in Minneapolis when the shop phone rang.
It was my wife.
She told me that the low coolant warning light was on, the DIC was saying "change oil soon" and the temp gauge was all the way over to the right.
She wanted to know what to do.
I told her to just drive it home, I'll look at it when I get home.
Fortunately, you can run that car with no coolant for "up to" 50 miles, and she was only a few miles from home. So she did.
I had this nasty feeling of head gaskets, or something nasty.
I did head gaskets on that car not all that long ago, and replaced the wimpy little metric 11mm fine thread head bolts with 5/8-11 head STUDS to keep the head down where it belongs. It was a lot of work, and I did it with the idea of not having to do it ever again.
While I was at it, I replaced everything under the hood that is difficult to get at when the engine is in the car, but is a service item with the idea of it being more reliable in the long haul that way.
In general, it is.
One little problem, though.
When I looked at the car, I found that this little coupling hose that joins a steel pipe to the alternator hose barb for the cooling, THE ONLY ITEM I PURCHASED FROM NAPA FOR THIS JOB THE REST BEING OEM REPLACEMENT PARTS - INCLUDING ALL HOSES EXCEPT THIS ONE - one little 3" hose, had ruptured. Brand new, less than 2000 miles on it!
I was actually relieved, because nothing was wrong with my work on the engine.
I replaced the hose WITH OEM and it's fine now.
So, ol' Markie here made this mental note that says, "Caution - Use only OEM hoses from now on."
Once I get burned by an OEM hose, that little note will change, though.
Mark D.

Yup it is hard to buy good parts.

My dad has worked on cars for many years and if he orders an electronic part from NAPA and it says made in China he returns it and asks them for a part made in USA.

My dad whenever possible always has starters and alternators rebuilt at a local place that has been doing that kind of work for many years.

Right on, Tube Radio.
NAPA does have Echlin. If you need a relay, switch, coil, ignition components, turn signal switch, etc. you can get the cheap, or you can get Echlin. I can't say that all Echlin is made in the USA, but over the years Echlin has shown me that I can count on a quality part. Naturally, you pay more. So most people just get the "same part" in a plain white box.
Mark D.

I always buy NOS for my 1963 Falcon, if possible. Thank God, Honda still stocks many parts for their 1994 Civics, as their prices are very reasonable:)-Gearhead

Yup my dad always buys the best parts as any return repairs for the same problem are done on his dime and he don't like rework.

Also seems like some stuff these days is better than they used to be. For example, I replaced the original Gates belts in my truck at 100,000 miles. Looked like they really didn't need to be changed but I did it anyway. I put in new Gates belts and they now have well over 150,000 miles on them. Occasionally I look at the underside of them to check for cracking. They still look practically new.

Also- anyone else notice that coolant basically stays perfectly clean forever? I remember changing the coolant in my older car and even though I did it every 40,000 miles the coolant always looked a bit rusty and brown. I still change the coolant in all my cars every 40,000 miles and these days the coolant still looks as clean and clear as the day it was put in.

As you say, Bob, coolant does seem to look like new year after year. I don't know for sure why, but I think better anti corosion additives in the antifreeze.
Also, good to use only distilled water in the cooling system, most especially if you live in an area with somewhat alkaline or very hard water.
I tend to avoid the 50/50 pre-mix antifreeze because it doesn't state specifically that distilled water is used. I believe most of it is mixed with local (to the maker) tap water.
As you do, it's still best to flush the coolant every couple of years.

Honda factory parts are often cheaper than the less desirable aftermarket replacements.
That might depend on who's buying what, where, though.

The multi-ribbed, so called "serpentine" accessory drive belts seem to last a lot longer than the older style cluster of V belts driving engine accessories. Even the V belts seem to last longer, too. But the multi ribbed belts do have a proclivity to squeal at the slightest provocation. A small coolant leak can cause it.

Avoid Dayco brand belts for the time being. Currently, they seem to stretch up to or beyond the limits of the tensioner. Not sure if it is dependent on which plant source or what causes this, but it's a royal pita. Eventually they'll probably get back on track, but for now that's the word.

Mark D.

My dad has found that it is best to only use Honda brand fluids in their engines, transmissions and brake systems.

For belt squeals a simple bar of soap applied to the belt while the engine running will usually take care of any squealing.

I suspect the reason you see coolant staying clean longer is because not only are there better anti-corrosion additives, but that that the metallurgical properties of cars in general has gotten better as well. Perhaps a better understanding of the effects of electrolysis within the coolant chambers when various metals combine. My truck has a plastic radiator with aluminum cooling fins. Even now I can remove the cap and the top of those fins look new. That too probably helps as well.

I too will concur that for some reason actual Honda parts are cheaper that the aftermarket parts for some reason. My Wife used to own a 91' Civic hatchback ( Wish we had kept it) but it was not only about the easiest car to work on, but parts were always dirt-cheap and readily available. Around here I still see a TON of this vintage of Hondas still on the road. I sometimes wonder if the availability of parts and the ease of their repair is why.

That and the fact that they are so danged reliable when properly maintained.

My dad has had several Hondas come through his shop with over 300,000 miles on them having been properly maintained and the engine still purrs like a kitten.

If you must buy a car, truck, SUV, van ETC... buy a Toyota or Honda.

I agree on the above comments on Honda. I own one too. But I only own it because it was free. 1990 Accord with 5 spd manual trans.
Reliable, and great gas mileage. Rusted just about up to the roof from salt.
But I use it to keep my preferred car out of the salt.
However, though Honda's are reliable and economical, they are one of the most boring brand of cars I've ever driven.
The best thing about them, though, is the simplicity of construction. That is what makes them so easy to work on, when or if you have to.
Just change the timing belt as per factory recommendations, and use a HONDA belt when you do!!
Mark D.

I feel that Hondas from the late 80's-early 90's were maybe some of the best ones built. They wern't the most exciting cars but they also had a sort of understated, practical design. My Wife's 91' Civic still looked pretty decent, and didn't look as dated as some of the models that came after it. Even the computer in her's could be diagnosed with tools: You simply lifted the passenger side car mat and underneath was a clear plastic sight glass that had a red LED that would flash "X" number of times, the number giving you the code to look up. Somehow I don't feel that the new ones are of the same spirit as the old ones.