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MG TD TF 1500 - eBay Parts

Has anyone noticed the number of eBay parts for sale because the owner has replaced them with new ones as part of a rebuild? Surely these must be substandard.

Jan T
J Targosz

As with anything, one must be careful what they purchase on E-bay since you are getting a pig in a poke. That said, used old stock is not necessarily substandard. Many of the used parts that have been replaced with new parts, are in fact, a better made part that can be cleaned up and with a minimum of skill repaired and put back into service. The problem with doing that is, of course, not being able to check out the part prior to purchasing it. Going back to my original statement, I would caution anyone contemplating such a purchase to be very careful in doing so. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Dave: I read Jan as stating the same as you. Maybe I am wrong. I agree the new parts they are replacing with the old part is substandard. Had they spent the time to restore what they took off they would have been better off.

Oh well. I just snagged a set of original side curtain plates and knobs. Sure they will need to be replated and that alone will cost more than repos, but they will be original.

The profiles are distinctively different which gets me to a whole other topic. Why or why do the parts houses contract out for repos that took every bit the same effort to do wrong as it would have been to do right? Almost every part we get today has some small nuance to it that clearly shows its not original. Rarely is the part better for it. Most of the time its just different.
Chris Couper

It totally depends, and yes you have to really evaluate the parts and what you want to do with them. Over the years I have purchased original items such as an undented but needing chrome radiator shell, hubcaps, bonnet handles, original nuts/bolts, and sidelight housings. Most likely the seller replaced with new, repro stuff. While needing restoration/rechrome, they are original factory parts and the restored version is likely much better than the repro stuff. By carefully looking at the pictures/descriptions, checking feedback, and asking the seller questions you can get a pretty good handle on the exact nature of the part. I have had virtually perfect satisfaction from sellers on ebay over the years. George
George Butz

One of the reasons some of the repo parts are not exactly the same as the originals is that there are copyright issues and new one has to be a little different. I bought a new key switch and the keys are cut on both sides, the originals have only one side cut.
Louis
L.M. Levin

IMHO: I am somewhat glad that the re-pro parts much of the time have a visual difference. Makes it easier to spot people that did the same thing I did years ago.
i.e. Bought re-pro's and realized the originals were better, so sold the re-pros on ebay. When I did that I solid as "New Reproduction Parts". I see a number of items being sold as "NOS" that flat are not.

The thing that has got me lately is (Not "M.G. Part's) ...but the John Deer parts I have gotten from Amazon (at 1/3 price of "JD OEM" have actually been better quality than the original part that failed!
All 3 spindals on my JD mower deck failed with just over 200 hours. JD $67ea. re-pros $26ea. The cheap one's have a grease fitting ...the originals did not.
Go figure?
David Sheward

This thread was discussed between 20/10/2013 and 21/10/2013

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