In the neverending process of repairing my brother's Jeep (a 1994 Wrangler
YJ with a 4.0L engine) I discovered a need for a new radiator. It would
seem there were two problems with the cooling system... massive leaks from
the radiator, and it was full of sludge. However, the sludge had plugged
all the leaks, so the problem wouldn't become apparent until a coolant
flush. But anyhow, I set out attempting to find a new radiator.

In reading through old posts, it seemed that 1-800-RADIATOR (also known as
radiator.com) had the largest number of positive reports about it, and so
after checking around some and comparing prices, I decided to go with
them. They weren't the cheapest (I believe both radiatorbarn.com and
radiatorexpress.com by a decent amount) but the number of glowing reports
swayed me. Plus I had read posts stating that the other companies were
selling generic "made in China" or "made in Taiwan" radiators, whereas
1-800-RADIATOR used some more reputable name brand manufacturers. I
called them and was quoted $159 for a standard duty two core OEM
replacement radiator, which seemed reasonable enough as AutoZone wanted
$300, NAPA wanted $190, and Quadratec wanted $180.

From reading other people's posts, I was under the impression that they'd
overnight the radiator to me, and quite possibly without any additional
cost. These impressions turned out to be wrong. I suppose they'd
overnight it to me, but definitely NOT for free. As far as sales tax
goes, I figured I'd likely have to pay that since they're based out of
California, which is where I live, so there'd be no way around it. As luck
would have it their nearest warehouse was about 15 minutes away from me, so
I just picked it up myself the same day. Total price was $171 after tax.

Now, the stock radiator was a two core with plastic tanks on the side.
Many posts I had read said that the replacements they purchased were all
metal models; the one they wanted to give me was not all metal, but in
fact was yet another plastic tank version (which I don't like, as in my
experience the plastic is what fails first 9 times out of 10).
Furthermore, and much to my surprise after what I had read in my research,
upon opening the box I saw a nice big "MADE IN CHINA" sticker on the top.
At this point I wasn't so sure I even wanted to take the thing home with
me... I knew for a fact that I could get an all metal Chinese or Taiwanese
radiator from one of their competitors for significantly less (around
$140, which was free of sales tax AND included shipping). I told them
this, and the sales guy there then swapped the one they pulled originally
with an all metal "made in Indonesia" model but left the price tag the
same, even though by their catalog the all metal one was more expensive.
This seemed better to me, and although the price was still higher than
something I could get via mail order, I preferred buying one I could
actually see and inspect before I paid for it.

So in the end, I'm pleased with the quality of the service I received
(nice enough folks, helpful, and gave me what I wanted without any fuss at
all), but I don't know if I'd say it's the best bargain around. They're
certainly cheaper than the dealer or any chain auto parts store, but as
far as the online and mail order companies go I think other stores out
there have them beat in terms of pricing. It should be noted that the
radiator I purchased carries a lifetime warranty, but then I think that's
the same with all the other online companies as well. My experience
wasn't a negative one, but I didn't get what I thought I was going to get
after reading all the positive reports online. I figured I should mention
it to the world in the interest of fairness and as a contrasting
perspective to all the other things I've read so far.

Bryan

 

I would have kept looking until I found a domestic one.

Indonesia is probably worse than China.

 

I would have kept looking until I found a domestic one.

Indonesia is probably worse than China.

 

I would have kept looking until I found a domestic one.

Indonesia is probably worse than China.

 

"Childfree Scott" <scott_z500@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:2076f9e7.0311201343.fe26eef@posting.google.co m...
> I would have kept looking until I found a domestic one.
>
> Indonesia is probably worse than China.

If you guys need USA/Canada made radiators, I'm pretty sure I can come real
close to those prices. I don't want to sound like an advertisement, but we
are working on setting up a radiator site for my buddy's shop and will be
selling them online soon.

Chris

 

"Childfree Scott" <scott_z500@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:2076f9e7.0311201343.fe26eef@posting.google.co m...
> I would have kept looking until I found a domestic one.
>
> Indonesia is probably worse than China.

If you guys need USA/Canada made radiators, I'm pretty sure I can come real
close to those prices. I don't want to sound like an advertisement, but we
are working on setting up a radiator site for my buddy's shop and will be
selling them online soon.

Chris

 

"Childfree Scott" <scott_z500@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:2076f9e7.0311201343.fe26eef@posting.google.co m...
> I would have kept looking until I found a domestic one.
>
> Indonesia is probably worse than China.

If you guys need USA/Canada made radiators, I'm pretty sure I can come real
close to those prices. I don't want to sound like an advertisement, but we
are working on setting up a radiator site for my buddy's shop and will be
selling them online soon.

Chris

 

In rec.autos.makers.jeep+****** Childfree Scott <scott_z500@my-deja.com> wrote:

> I would have kept looking until I found a domestic one.

Had I the money and the time available, I probably would have done just
that. But the radiator needed replacing, and I'm running short on time
and funds for this project. Besides, I'm not sure where I'd even find
such a beast at a reasonable price... all the dealers/auto parts stores
were out of my price range (though NAPA would have fit, but the person at
the store expressed a great doubt in her ability to get the needed part
shipped there in any reasonable amount of time), and all the cheaper
places seem to only stock Chinese/Taiwanese/Indonesian/etc. parts. Maybe
Quadratec's radiator would have been of a better reputation, but for the
price I doubt it. And besides, calling and asking doesn't guarantee the
part to be what I want, it just gives me a reason to return it if it
isn't, which would only add headache, lost time, and cost.

> Indonesia is probably worse than China.

Possibly, but truth be told even a marking of "Made in the USA" isn't any
sort of guarantee about the quality of the item anymore. I do it more out
of interest in keeping as much money in the states as possible, though
it's also possible that the radiator would be ASSEMBLED in the USA, using
foreign components, which in the end doesn't help much.

Still, I hold out hope that this radiator is sufficient. It looks
reasonably stout, and the lifetime warranty does ease my concerns a bit.
But the main thing is I just don't see what all the hooplah over
1-800-RADIATOR was about after doing business with them, which is why I
posted my experience. Maybe they underwent some changes recently or
something, but whatever the case may be they seemed to be basically just
like every other bargain radiator shop online. Caveat emptor, I guess. I
would neither steer other potential 1-800-RADIATOR customers toward them
or away from them, as my experience was essentially neutral. I think I
got what I paid for, no more and no less. But I do feel their exhaulted
status which I encountered repeatedly on websites and in newsgroups was
entirely unwarranted. I read a post from as recent as October of 2003
claiming that they'd ship overnight or 2nd day without any additional cost
tacked on to the price of the radiator, which was entirely false. Also,
many people spoke of receiving radiators manufactured by Modine from them,
which mine was not. Granted, 1-800-RADIATOR sells products manufactured
by many different vendors; in my case, the radiator was made by CSF (an
import vehicle parts company, and yet it's a part for a domestic vehicle,
which seemed odd), and apparently put together in Indonesia. Let's hope
the hands of all those underpaid child workers are nimble enough to make a
leak-free radiator.

Given all the hype, I AM disappointed that the first radiator they offered
me was a no-name model made in China. That seems to be contrary to what
information is listed on their website about the products they sell. So,
in all, a lukewarm experience. I'm sure I'll feel a great deal more
burned if the radiator leaks any time soon (pun intended). But until
then, I'd say the only thing others thinking about purchasing from
1-800-RADIATOR should do is ask lots of questions. Who makes the
radiator, where is it made, is shipping included, etc. Basically
questions anyone should ask if such things matter to them. It seems that
1-800-RADIATOR can deliver the goods properly, which is a definite point
in their favor, but the main question becomes what those goods are exactly
and whether or not they are legitimately "good." Other companies online
look to be able to beat their prices quite readily, and possibly for the
exact same level of quality.

 

In rec.autos.makers.jeep+****** Childfree Scott <scott_z500@my-deja.com> wrote:

> I would have kept looking until I found a domestic one.

Had I the money and the time available, I probably would have done just
that. But the radiator needed replacing, and I'm running short on time
and funds for this project. Besides, I'm not sure where I'd even find
such a beast at a reasonable price... all the dealers/auto parts stores
were out of my price range (though NAPA would have fit, but the person at
the store expressed a great doubt in her ability to get the needed part
shipped there in any reasonable amount of time), and all the cheaper
places seem to only stock Chinese/Taiwanese/Indonesian/etc. parts. Maybe
Quadratec's radiator would have been of a better reputation, but for the
price I doubt it. And besides, calling and asking doesn't guarantee the
part to be what I want, it just gives me a reason to return it if it
isn't, which would only add headache, lost time, and cost.

> Indonesia is probably worse than China.

Possibly, but truth be told even a marking of "Made in the USA" isn't any
sort of guarantee about the quality of the item anymore. I do it more out
of interest in keeping as much money in the states as possible, though
it's also possible that the radiator would be ASSEMBLED in the USA, using
foreign components, which in the end doesn't help much.

Still, I hold out hope that this radiator is sufficient. It looks
reasonably stout, and the lifetime warranty does ease my concerns a bit.
But the main thing is I just don't see what all the hooplah over
1-800-RADIATOR was about after doing business with them, which is why I
posted my experience. Maybe they underwent some changes recently or
something, but whatever the case may be they seemed to be basically just
like every other bargain radiator shop online. Caveat emptor, I guess. I
would neither steer other potential 1-800-RADIATOR customers toward them
or away from them, as my experience was essentially neutral. I think I
got what I paid for, no more and no less. But I do feel their exhaulted
status which I encountered repeatedly on websites and in newsgroups was
entirely unwarranted. I read a post from as recent as October of 2003
claiming that they'd ship overnight or 2nd day without any additional cost
tacked on to the price of the radiator, which was entirely false. Also,
many people spoke of receiving radiators manufactured by Modine from them,
which mine was not. Granted, 1-800-RADIATOR sells products manufactured
by many different vendors; in my case, the radiator was made by CSF (an
import vehicle parts company, and yet it's a part for a domestic vehicle,
which seemed odd), and apparently put together in Indonesia. Let's hope
the hands of all those underpaid child workers are nimble enough to make a
leak-free radiator.

Given all the hype, I AM disappointed that the first radiator they offered
me was a no-name model made in China. That seems to be contrary to what
information is listed on their website about the products they sell. So,
in all, a lukewarm experience. I'm sure I'll feel a great deal more
burned if the radiator leaks any time soon (pun intended). But until
then, I'd say the only thing others thinking about purchasing from
1-800-RADIATOR should do is ask lots of questions. Who makes the
radiator, where is it made, is shipping included, etc. Basically
questions anyone should ask if such things matter to them. It seems that
1-800-RADIATOR can deliver the goods properly, which is a definite point
in their favor, but the main question becomes what those goods are exactly
and whether or not they are legitimately "good." Other companies online
look to be able to beat their prices quite readily, and possibly for the
exact same level of quality.

 

In rec.autos.makers.jeep+****** Childfree Scott <scott_z500@my-deja.com> wrote:

> I would have kept looking until I found a domestic one.

Had I the money and the time available, I probably would have done just
that. But the radiator needed replacing, and I'm running short on time
and funds for this project. Besides, I'm not sure where I'd even find
such a beast at a reasonable price... all the dealers/auto parts stores
were out of my price range (though NAPA would have fit, but the person at
the store expressed a great doubt in her ability to get the needed part
shipped there in any reasonable amount of time), and all the cheaper
places seem to only stock Chinese/Taiwanese/Indonesian/etc. parts. Maybe
Quadratec's radiator would have been of a better reputation, but for the
price I doubt it. And besides, calling and asking doesn't guarantee the
part to be what I want, it just gives me a reason to return it if it
isn't, which would only add headache, lost time, and cost.

> Indonesia is probably worse than China.

Possibly, but truth be told even a marking of "Made in the USA" isn't any
sort of guarantee about the quality of the item anymore. I do it more out
of interest in keeping as much money in the states as possible, though
it's also possible that the radiator would be ASSEMBLED in the USA, using
foreign components, which in the end doesn't help much.

Still, I hold out hope that this radiator is sufficient. It looks
reasonably stout, and the lifetime warranty does ease my concerns a bit.
But the main thing is I just don't see what all the hooplah over
1-800-RADIATOR was about after doing business with them, which is why I
posted my experience. Maybe they underwent some changes recently or
something, but whatever the case may be they seemed to be basically just
like every other bargain radiator shop online. Caveat emptor, I guess. I
would neither steer other potential 1-800-RADIATOR customers toward them
or away from them, as my experience was essentially neutral. I think I
got what I paid for, no more and no less. But I do feel their exhaulted
status which I encountered repeatedly on websites and in newsgroups was
entirely unwarranted. I read a post from as recent as October of 2003
claiming that they'd ship overnight or 2nd day without any additional cost
tacked on to the price of the radiator, which was entirely false. Also,
many people spoke of receiving radiators manufactured by Modine from them,
which mine was not. Granted, 1-800-RADIATOR sells products manufactured
by many different vendors; in my case, the radiator was made by CSF (an
import vehicle parts company, and yet it's a part for a domestic vehicle,
which seemed odd), and apparently put together in Indonesia. Let's hope
the hands of all those underpaid child workers are nimble enough to make a
leak-free radiator.

Given all the hype, I AM disappointed that the first radiator they offered
me was a no-name model made in China. That seems to be contrary to what
information is listed on their website about the products they sell. So,
in all, a lukewarm experience. I'm sure I'll feel a great deal more
burned if the radiator leaks any time soon (pun intended). But until
then, I'd say the only thing others thinking about purchasing from
1-800-RADIATOR should do is ask lots of questions. Who makes the
radiator, where is it made, is shipping included, etc. Basically
questions anyone should ask if such things matter to them. It seems that
1-800-RADIATOR can deliver the goods properly, which is a definite point
in their favor, but the main question becomes what those goods are exactly
and whether or not they are legitimately "good." Other companies online
look to be able to beat their prices quite readily, and possibly for the
exact same level of quality.