fed up with poor quality products at top prices!

[baycrazy]

Well! Where do i begin!! Yet again i have stripped out the van to fit parts (this time opening 1/4 seals) brought as a kit from justkampers and paid extra to get genuine VW door seals( the light grey powdered kind) to find i haven't got a chance in hell of fitting the new seals as not even remotely close to the original seal, i.e to long, to fat, moulded bends to short to reach corners, hole/bottom pivet doesn't line up.
After cross referencing the part number i have found these are in fact supplied by VW Heritages/justkampers and Status VW. It really peeves me that these companies can get away with supplying parts "by saying German best quality" when clearly they are only fit for the rubbish bin. I have spent a lot of money with VW Heritage/JustKampers and find myself continually disappointed with their products but I could go on forever. Most parts supplied have a story.

I'm sorry this seems like such a long rant but i am fed up with feeling ripped off, I'd be interested to see if anyone else has got these to fit and has /or not been able to fit them. I am also hoping that someone can offer me some advice on a company that do sell decent fitting seals as currently i have no choice but to fit the worn 38 year old seals back in. The seals i am after are opening 1/4 light window seals / slim profile (68-72) deluxe side and rear window seals.

My advise would be when making purchases is to avoid Mail order and only purchase items you can see and feel (Trust No-one).

Cheers Paul

 

[T2-Nate]

I can't agree more.
This leads us to another side of the medallion, availability.
Does VW germany still make those seals?
I wouldn't know....
All I can say is I'm another victim of wanting and needing only the best so I'm in for a lot of dissapointment.
I do think Volkswarenhaus in Germany offer premium quality goods, also secondhand parts that 've been cleaned up.

 

[AxlFoley]

yeah i hate shit parts, I did hear though the grape vine though that VW are thinking of making parts for bugs and busses again, as there is such a big market for them!! watch this space.....

 

[robins]

i used status deluxe window seals they were fine,and cost a shit load

rich

 

[rustydiver]

Not the only one who is fed up with fitting new bits and finding that they dont fit propper :evil:

 

[buddysbuddy]

There are simply loads of examples of this....18 months ago I naively bought JK front door seals and I still can't shut the f**kin door!!!!

Thankfully, bus goes for ground up resto in September, but now I have no idea where to buy new seals from..... any ideas?

 

[chrisby]

Yep totally agree ,whats needed is recommended buys section.Would it be possible to set one up,being computer illiterate I havnt got a clue.

 

[scott wilson]

ha ha the old i/4 light seals ey? it took me 2 hours messing around with one seal without the proper tools before i threw the window on the florr and jumped up and down on it then burnt the seal :!: :mrgreen:
No seriously you`ll need the right tool for the job and as horrible as it sounds you`ll need a needle sharp hooked bradle type implement and a serious amount of lubricant( i used fairy but you really shouldn`t but it was for my bus and was the only thing i had to hand). Armed with the correct tools this very same rubber went in in ten minutes flat and fits perfectly

 

[cotswoldiver]

Hear what you say about being able to see and touch the product. I was speaking with Barclay from Status earlier this week and he was telling me they will be moving a few hundred miles in the very near future into premises with a shop front and display area, so they won't just be mail order and shows. Pretty certain he said it will be Warwickshire. From my limited experience really rate their seals and approach to customer service

 

[easy]

Hear what you say about being able to see and touch the product. I was speaking with Barclay from Status earlier this week and he was telling me they will be moving a few hundred miles in the very near future into premises with a shop front and display area, so they won't just be mail order and shows. Pretty certain he said it will be Warwickshire. From my limited experience really rate their seals and approach to customer service

+1 always had good stuff from them :mrgreen:

 

[baycrazy]

Thanks for the responses guys. Its interesting to hear that people rate Status VW seals( i have heard this before) but my concern is that the Status seals has the same reference number as the VW Heritages ones. VW Heritage as far as i'm aware are the only company that sell the slimmer profile (68-72) side window seals. I fitted one of these its a perfect fit and the glass sits as it should, i have also fitted 2 of their Deluxe window seals(same part number as Status) these fall in no effort at all, the glass sits 1/4 inch further out and when you push on the window its goes in 1/4 inch. This is the same for the rear window seal. VW Heritage very misleading and should state clearly that the Deluxe window seals only fit 73 onwards bays. Same goes for Status that list Deluxe side window seals 68-79 this is impossible as the recess is different on 68-72 bays so one seal can't fit 2 different profile window recesses.

With reference to Scott's reply when you did manage to get the 1/4 light seals to fit do the windows shut nicely and keep the rain out? and if so would you be interested in fitting a pair?

Also totally agree with the post that their should be a thread of do's and don'ts regarding parts it would be useful to know before purchasing bits you end up being disappointed with.

Cheers Paul

 

[Clem]

I :heart: Status seals and use them whenever, especially after trying to use some of the trash from JK in the past.
But they do have two qualities available, and the price difference isnt insignificant ... make sure you get the best quality versions each time, it makes a mega difference.

 

[martyboy]

bought seals from status ,top quality great fit ,ring them great service

 

[WOLFSBURG-WERKS]

This is exactly why I have all my seals hand made, I use a company that have been in the business for 3 generations, they have never let me down, I give them the original rubber and they return it, with a brand new exact copy, and the rubber is 100% top quality. anyone who knows me, knows I would not use rubbish, Baycrazy if you want to give me a call I can help, number is on my website. http://WWW.WOLFSBURG-WERKS.CO.UK

Also, it does not matter where you buy panels, rubbers, floors, etc from it ALL comes from one company. Heritage. their buying power is very strong, and I do not know of anyone, other than Heritage that has a contract with VW Brazil. So you see all your "shopping around" has done you no good. Heritage are only supplying folk that want to buy that stuff, if you did not buy it, they could not sell it!

Of course price plays a factor in all of this, but if you buy cheap then please do not expect it to fit exactly, nor be of good quality. now the other side of this coin is, the more folk buying these cheap parts the more the price will rise, so the cheap parts, are no longer that cheap, simple as.

Stop being creature of habits, ask us restorers what we use.

Danny.

 

[baycrazy]

I have always brought the best quality products i can and paid the extra to ensure this and do not feel i have ever brought cheap products as my bay is my pride and joy i just wish that the "best quality/ genuine German parts actually fitted as they should for the money. If hand made seals are the only way forward then there is no hope of ever getting the van completed.

Thanks for all the input.

 

[vwvanman0]

hi,

The heritage and status seals having the same part number could be because that number is the vw part number for that item.

i discovered this whilst looking for rear wheel bearings,heritage copies and other suppliers genuine brazil vw,and the original german vw ones i got from a swapmeet were all the same part number.

ive decided that nos or secondhand german vw parts are the only thing going on my van from now on,even though my van isnt anything special,repro parts are just too much hassle.

 

[Guest]

i have a source for most rubber seals and might be able to sort you out with some, afaik he supplies most of the big shops with the good seals.

need to get the westy inners sorted first.