Many people today that are any kind of car enthusiasts have bought parts from the local auto parts store. When purchasing parts at those stores, a common question that is asked by the person behind the counter is “do you want new or remanufactured?” On many of the common parts, both options are generally available. The new parts typically come at a higher price and most people have the notion that the new parts are better than the remanufactured parts.
Because this has been put in people’s heads over the years, we actually get that question at times when people are inquiring about a disc brake conversion system. Another question commonly asked of us but not as much in the local auto parts store is where are the parts made. People are usually trying to determine with this question if the parts are from an overseas source or manufactured in the US. This is also a commonly asked question of our sales reps.
The first part of this topic is very easy to answer and deal with. The answer to the question of new or remanufactured is a resounding NEW. At Master Power Brakes, we can say with 100% comfort that none of the parts that come out of this building are remanufactured. We only use parts that are manufactured as new pieces. Because some of the parts that we use are similar to ones that people have the option of at the parts store new or remanufactured, we certainly understand the question.
There may be times that a small amount of brake fluid might be visible in something like a master cylinder or caliper and that might put the thought out there of remanufactured but that is simply something that is leftover from our quality control procedures where we periodically check the function of the parts we receive that we don’t actually manufacture ourselves. Rest assured, new is the only way we will ship something.
The other part of the question regarding parts is where are they manufactured. Most people when they ask this question are simply wanting to know if everything comes from China. Valid question. Unfortunately, many of the components come from overseas sources. These parts are typically master cylinders, brake boosters, and calipers. We understand why people ask this question and have to explain that while there are things that come from China that are junk, there are many components that come from overseas that are made very well.
When we source parts from our partners overseas, we look for companies that manufacture like we would in this country. There are many places over there that produce brake parts one week and seemingly make Christmas ornaments the next week. We don’t do business with those companies. We deal with companies that are serious about what they manufacture. In fact, we have representatives of our company that are regularly in the factories verifying the products are what our customers’ expectations for quality.
We wish that we could purchase parts that are manufactured in the US but unfortunately, those places don’t exist anymore. Yes, it is a shame but that is what we have to deal with. One thing to remember however about Master Power Brakes versus some of the other options is the rest of the parts. Many companies source everything from overseas. We are different in that we only source large components overseas. All of the other parts like the various mounting brackets, for instance, are manufactured either by us directly or by companies located very near us in Mooresville, NC. That is something we are very proud of.
As usual, our customers have very good questions. Hopefully, this explanation of some of those questions is something that will help you when it comes to making a decision when you are looking to purchase a disc brake conversion kit or some other braking product. If we didn’t answer your questions here, we will gladly answer them in other ways. Simply reply to this blog post below or shoot us a phone call or an email. We will gladly help you out in whatever way we can.