My brake rotors for my C4 just arrived by FedEx from Ecklers, all made in China!
I'm a bit concerned about using them and wish the supplier had said in their advertisement (would definately have avoided them).

Fit a new fuel pump last week, GM pump not available seperately so bought Chinese made.
This I'm not too concerned about because the car will stop if the pump does not work whereas the opposite for the rotors


But Jeeze, the Chinese are into everything now.

 

Good luck finding non-Chinese brake rotors. I haven't been able to find any for three of my vehicles. Even the most expensive ones come from there. Fortunately, my vehicles stop just fine. But I've had a couple rotor sets warp prematurely, like because of poor steel quality. . .

 

Welcome to the party....its called "the new normal". Today, we're manufacturing parts, sending them for assembly to China, then shipping the completed part back to the U.S..

 

Are you 100% sure about that?

I don't see as much manyfactured here at all. I believe it to be more manufactured overseas and assembled here.
I could be wrong though, but that's what I've observed.

 

I recently heard they are casting SBC blocks over there? WTF.

Corvette Mike

 

Yep, China makes all our stuff now.

If you're wondering why it seems this recession is so long, and so deep, that's a big part of the reason. Look at England, that's America in 30 years.

 

I agree that it's a shame we have to have stuff made elswhere. I wish it wasn't so. But I have a personal side to this story and if you continue to read you'll see "some" of the reasons I feel this way, otherwise just go to the next reply.

I had stuff I invented made here at first, then found the overall costs so high that after factoring in any profit so I could earn a living my customers could no longer afford to buy my products. What once cost me $16.00 to make now cost $3.50 to make. I lowered my retail costs so now my customers can afford to buy the "same" quality product for less.

People whine about sending manufacturing overseas, and even though I would rather make it here...we can no longer afford the high cost associated with our labor costs.

I want to eat and drive the cars and bikes I want. I worked hard to keep things here, but in the end...I'm not getting in the food stamp line if I can avoid becoming a economic slave to the Government.

If I ever have the chance to move any of my products back to the US, be sure I would. BUT I REFUSE TO BE ROBBED by my Government!

 

We need to put in place tariffs like the Japanese do and protect our businesses and jobs. We deal with Communist nation who's generals said they would be not against a first nuclear strike. All for the cheaper prices and lousy quality and our companies charge the same price in some cases. When I see one our companies close up and send our machines to China it makes me ill. Sorry,but I just finished reading the paper and my comments reflect it.

 

Don't take this personal....I mean no harm or foul. But it was protectionism that started the first problem in the 1700's that caused the citizens of this country to revolt after being "told" to buy only items made in Britian or they were so heavily taxed by their Brit Overlords.

I'm sure there were many Tories in Boston and elsewhere that felt much the same way as those you hear in todays circles.

Competetion is the only means to stabilize the markets and manufacturing. Protectionism, and tariffs either goverment induced or labor union induced only hurt real Americans.

 

Hey Frank, I'm not 100% sure of anything. A large percentage of U.S. corporations are assembling parts in the U.S....then sending those parts to be assembled in China, Russia, India and Brazil then sending the completed part back the the U.S. The above four nations are called the BRIC nations and labor is from $5.00 to $10.00 a day.
Shipping now using containers and container ships are relatively cheap.

 

I don't blame you, I'd do exactly the same thing in your shoes. The short term is your gain. The long term is America's loss.

As more and more little gadgets, gizmos and general utility items are manufactured in China, that syphons money out of our economy. The people who would have made your item in the US would have bought things that supported your customers, which in turn would boost your sales. Many of those who would have made your item are now unemployed, which flattens the market for your item.

I get it. You can't survive making it here. But eventually, you'll have to sell your item in China, because you won't have customers here. And where you live will be more and more like a 3rd world country every day. High unemployment equals less taxes, equals less services and decaying infrastructure.

The only answer is a government that helps small business, not hurts them, (less stupid regulations and restrictions, financial support where needed, and tarriffs strategically applied). But, the Chinese have a huge lobby now, so they've bought our politicians. Things will get MUCH, MUCH worse before people start to wake up.

 

I sell wholesale auto parts for a living, and trust me, all of the name brands of yesterday are all using Chinese
stuff now. Raybestos, A/C Delco Durastop, Wagner, Bendix-all gone. We have no one to blame but
ourselves (we as a country, not domestic enthusiasts), we wanted cheap, now we've got it. It's like this
for almost everything in our lives now.

If you want USA made, you need to buy a way premium product like Baer, or the like.

 

I do a lot of wood working as a hobby. I've found that many times the screws I buy are made in China and the least bit of misalignment between the screw head and a power screw diver will chew up the head of a phillips head screw. And we're worried about their nuclear delivery cababilities? WTF!! I wouldn't be surprised if their missles are all constructed with parts made in the USA.

 

It's also the fault of the companies outsourcing the parts. The companies set the standards (technical, quality, and reliability) for those parts. If they are reducing their standards to save a buck (more likely a nickel) then it really does not matter where the part is fabricated or assembled.

Steve

 

That giant sucking sound you hear... anyhow, I have never had a problem with cheap rotors on a street car...the pads are usually more important.

 

Try to find DBA rotors. I have heard good things about them from the racing crowd and street drivers.

 

Gentlemen,

This is bigger that crappy brake rotors !

Oh no, this hit a nerve! Hold on she is going to blow!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One day the historians, if there are any left that are able to tell our side of the story, will look back on these times and note that the Chinese were actively engaged in economic warfare against us. BTW, the Chinese cars are being loaded on a boat right now for shipment to the US!

If you drill down to the bed rock, you will see that many, most or all of the manufacturing companies in China are owned by the government and the People's Army! For example, years ago one of the gun magazines found that all of the profit made in the USA off of Ak-47 sales at the local gun stores was funneled into the pockets of the Chinese Army. Need to study up on the Chinese Army and see some scary stuff then refer to this website.

http://www.sinodefence.com/overview/default.asp

Here is a quote:
"The Chinese armed forces are given three fundamental roles: to defend the country against foreign invasions; to maintain internal security and stability; and to engage in the economic development of the country. Under the Constitution of the PRC, the armed forces are under the absolute leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Considering the size of the Chinese Army they currently have two major issues holding them back:

1.) Troop Movement -eventually they will solve this and be able to quickly switch to an invading Army with strike capabilities.

2.) Military Technology - This one is easier for them and will just take a bit more time as we are idiots in the USA and are slowly shipping our technology and industrial might into there Chinese hands. Between Greedy American businesses and extra super greedy politicians (Both Democrats and Republicans) the war is almost lost at this point.

At our current rate decline, the USA will not last another 200 years. Maybe not even 50? Alot of fat assed Americans will be sitting on sofa playing chinese made video games when the Chinese invade and conquer us. We have lost our competitiveness and our most specifically our leadership. I fear that the ship cannot be turned. If you doubt this, did you see Obama bow down to the Chinese on his recent trip? Just the facts. They own us financially now.

I understand that this is a rant and that these are radical statements... I have my flak jacket and helmet on (Both are made in China By the way!) Start hurling rocks and brick my way. Just don't miss and hit the Chinese!

It is very doubtful that any of us here in the C4 section individually have the power to do a damn thing about what is happening. So these are certainly wasted words. That is unless it begins to change how we vote and what we collectively put us with as citizens.

We are truly a bunch of arrogant idiots if we think this can continue and that China is our friend! They love this friiends thing all the while slowly eating us alive while we pat them on the head and thank them for doing business with us!

Obviously, I predict bad things if we do not wake up.

 

Don't forget another reason for sending mfg overseas: litigation, environmental laws, etc.

 

You know I had wondered if it was my car being the problem (warped rotors) and just insane amounts of brake dust on my front wheels of my 97 camaro. It never did this when it was brand new and yet I could get on it's brake multiple times hard and never have an issue. But it's last two brake jobs have ended with massively warped rotors of which this has happened with just normal driving.

About 3 months ago I had the car in for new front rotors and pads and the bearing things and I am already having warpage issues. I also noticed my wheels get insanely hot after driving to the point where you can't even touch them (chrome wheels) and I never recalled this when it was new.

 

i have been traveling, working and living all over the world for 30 years. most of it in asia and i speak chinese. when i look at things i always try to break it down to ts basic component. in the case of most things its pretty simple, follow the money. what most western people dont understand is how poor, polluted and corrupt the majority of the world is. we here in the west have worked very hard at creating standards, controls and a lifestyle that most of the rest of the world isnt hindered with. in doing so we may have created a standard of living that is unsustainable over the long term given the economies and technologies of the present world. unless the US makes a substancial leap forward in some technology that puts us back in front of the rest of the world the lives of our children and grand children are going to be quite different then what we have experienced.

everyone who will listen to me, and thats not many i tell them, tell and teach your children to speak spanish or chinese. the mexican border and china will have more of an impact on your/their future then anything else.

china, as a country and people, has gotten richer faster than country or civilization in history. the changes that i have seen, materialistic, in that country over the last 20 years is absolutely mind boggleling. when a country/company isnt hindered with what hinders us they have an amazing advantage. it is just way cheaper for them to do what we do. if you want a $300 tv it just isnt possible in the US anymore.

however all of this leap forward for china is coming at a steep price. since they are not hindered with the rules and regualations that the west has, it creates many problems for them. the US learned these rules over 200 years of capitalism and china is learning some of them now. pollution in china is absolutely unbelieveable. you simply cannot imagine how bad it is. they dont have the rules or even care about it. corruption is a major casuse. i could go on and on about problems in china as most people have no idea about the history of it and such. but the bottom line is, china is the worlds manufacturer now and will be for the forseeable future.

but that is not all bad. it allow us to get the $300 tv at walmart and maintain the standard of living we have become used to, right? i remember my parents telling me how bad things made in japan were in the 1950's and look at them now. china will learn, it will improve but the one thing it and alot of the world lacks is that damn yankee ingenuity. as long as america keeps the lead in that we will always be a magnet for others.