Napa cheap radiator is junk

Vash · 11-23-2008, 11:47 AM

Well I should of known you get what you pay for. I picked up a radiator for my 2000 4.3 and NAPA was cheapest. $150. Well both sides where out of angle. So the cooler lines to tranny and oil would not mate up.

Just a heads up. I knew I should of stuck with Auto Zone there is $220 and probably not a POS.

1fast4by · 11-23-2008, 11:55 AM

I stay as far away from Autoshit as possible, their parts are absolute shit. Id take the NAPA one back, and get another.

Vash · 11-23-2008, 01:46 PM

It's a crap shoot. But I have had tons of stuff from Autozone with no problems. But I won't buy there low end line Valuecraft (Valuecrap).

It's more a thing to avoid the radiator from NAPA than to say NAPA is not good. This particular part probably just a supplier issue. I'll take it monday and am sure they will order another. Will follow up if that one is defective.

91sonomast · 11-24-2008, 07:08 PM

shoulda got a Modine

1/4milecrazy · 11-24-2008, 07:14 PM

i have a napa rad in my truck and it fit and works great. but then again i didnt have any lines that needed to be hooked up.

I would rather have NAPA parts than any other supplier, besides acdelco

87V8S10 · 11-24-2008, 07:43 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by 91sonomast

shoulda got a Modine

Modine was bought out about a year and a half ago. I work for a parts store and trust me there are better radiator companys out there. I have a Proliance that I bought for my V8 swap and it looks better then most of the other shit that I have seen out there. I found that if you go to a radiator repair shop you may get a better quality part.

To address Autozone, all the lines that they sell are all shit if you want it to last buy it from NAPA, CQ or AI on the east coast. I admit I do shop there but not for anything that I want to last, chemicals is about all that I buy there, maybe an odd and end. There brake pads even the good ones they buy for pennies on the dollar and sell for 20$+, there pads have high amounts of resin in them which is why there is so much brake dust after a brake job. Valuecrap would be better used as a boat anchor, that is all its good for, 90% of that shit is just recycled parts that came from other junk. The return rate on there electrical has always been high and that says more then enough about the quality of there parts. You may ask how I know all this, I was one of the monkeys behind the desk for a while. Sorry for the rant.

96blazer · 11-24-2008, 07:49 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Vash

It's a crap shoot. But I have had tons of stuff from Autozone with no problems. But I won't buy there low end line Valuecraft (Valuecrap).

Same here, except for their batteries.

jtcfanof3 · 11-24-2008, 07:58 PM

www.radiatorbarn.com FTW

MikeInCtown · 11-25-2008, 09:00 AM

All parts stores will have lines that may not be as good as we think they should be and they all have issues with returns. I have a radiator in my truck from Autozone and it's been in there for three years now without issue. I also have an Autozone starter that I got from a boneyard for $10 and again have no issues. Have bought brakes, bearings, shocks, and tons of other parts over the years from Autozone and most never gave me a problem. I worked for many years for parts store chains and can say in all honesty that they all have one top of the line product and then lower tiers of that same product from that high end company.

ShortyzKustomz · 11-27-2008, 10:10 PM

I work at Autozone now(2nd job), I worked in a Federated Auto parts warehouse before, When it comes to Radiators, 90% are made by the same companies. At autozone there are usually 2-3 different radiator brand to choose from, When I worked in the Federated warehose, we'd get parts in Napa boxes and Advance boxes etc. Alot of its the same brand, Alot of the stuff at Autozone is pretty good, and we can also get better stuff (you'd be surpsied)I just got my MSD wires for my Yota through Autozone for $10 more then reg wires , Just stay away from Valuecrap

purplepassion · 11-27-2008, 10:13 PM

cheap, and it's junk? NO WAI!

Vash · 12-04-2008, 06:36 PM

Ok just to follow up. Got a Delphi from thepartsladi and it's perfect.

Installed with no problems. The alignment was perfect. The tranny cooler looks a LOT more advanced than the NAPA clunker.

11-23-2008, 11:47 AM	#1
Vash Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 262 Location: User is: OffLine	Napa cheap radiator is junk Well I should of known you get what you pay for. I picked up a radiator for my 2000 4.3 and NAPA was cheapest. $150. Well both sides where out of angle. So the cooler lines to tranny and oil would not mate up. Just a heads up. I knew I should of stuck with Auto Zone there is $220 and probably not a POS.
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-23-2008, 11:55 AM	#2
1fast4by I'll need human lives... Age: 26 Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 10,379 Location: Green Hills/Nashville User is: OffLine	Re: Napa cheap radiator is junk I stay as far away from Autoshit as possible, their parts are absolute shit. Id take the NAPA one back, and get another.
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-23-2008, 01:46 PM	#3
Vash Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 262 Location: User is: OffLine	Re: Napa cheap radiator is junk It's a crap shoot. But I have had tons of stuff from Autozone with no problems. But I won't buy there low end line Valuecraft (Valuecrap). It's more a thing to avoid the radiator from NAPA than to say NAPA is not good. This particular part probably just a supplier issue. I'll take it monday and am sure they will order another. Will follow up if that one is defective.
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-24-2008, 07:08 PM	#4
91sonomast Good Bye SonomaST Age: 25 Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 6,193 Location: Murray, KY User is: OffLine	Re: Napa cheap radiator is junk shoulda got a Modine
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-24-2008, 07:14 PM	#5
1/4milecrazy good bye red, it was fun Age: 33 Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 4,883 Location: New Jersey User is: OffLine	Re: Napa cheap radiator is junk i have a napa rad in my truck and it fit and works great. but then again i didnt have any lines that needed to be hooked up. I would rather have NAPA parts than any other supplier, besides acdelco
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-24-2008, 07:43 PM	#6
87V8S10 Registered User Age: 27 Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 148 Location: User is: OffLine	Re: Napa cheap radiator is junk Quote: Originally Posted by 91sonomast shoulda got a Modine Modine was bought out about a year and a half ago. I work for a parts store and trust me there are better radiator companys out there. I have a Proliance that I bought for my V8 swap and it looks better then most of the other shit that I have seen out there. I found that if you go to a radiator repair shop you may get a better quality part. To address Autozone, all the lines that they sell are all shit if you want it to last buy it from NAPA, CQ or AI on the east coast. I admit I do shop there but not for anything that I want to last, chemicals is about all that I buy there, maybe an odd and end. There brake pads even the good ones they buy for pennies on the dollar and sell for 20$+, there pads have high amounts of resin in them which is why there is so much brake dust after a brake job. Valuecrap would be better used as a boat anchor, that is all its good for, 90% of that shit is just recycled parts that came from other junk. The return rate on there electrical has always been high and that says more then enough about the quality of there parts. You may ask how I know all this, I was one of the monkeys behind the desk for a while. Sorry for the rant.
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-24-2008, 07:49 PM	#7
96blazer """"""""""""""""""""""""" Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 28,564 Location: ? User is: OffLine	Re: Napa cheap radiator is junk Quote: Originally Posted by Vash It's a crap shoot. But I have had tons of stuff from Autozone with no problems. But I won't buy there low end line Valuecraft (Valuecrap). Same here, except for their batteries.
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-24-2008, 07:58 PM	#8
jtcfanof3 ConvincedEVERYONEisondope Age: 34 Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 5,801 Location: barack hussein obama mmm mmm mmm User is: OffLine	Re: Napa cheap radiator is junk www.radiatorbarn.com FTW
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-25-2008, 09:00 AM	#9
MikeInCtown Registered User Age: 35 Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 927 Location: User is: OffLine	Re: Napa cheap radiator is junk All parts stores will have lines that may not be as good as we think they should be and they all have issues with returns. I have a radiator in my truck from Autozone and it's been in there for three years now without issue. I also have an Autozone starter that I got from a boneyard for $10 and again have no issues. Have bought brakes, bearings, shocks, and tons of other parts over the years from Autozone and most never gave me a problem. I worked for many years for parts store chains and can say in all honesty that they all have one top of the line product and then lower tiers of that same product from that high end company.
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-27-2008, 10:10 PM	#10
ShortyzKustomz YAY for Primer! Age: 24 Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 218 Location: Central Va. User is: OffLine	Re: Napa cheap radiator is junk I work at Autozone now(2nd job), I worked in a Federated Auto parts warehouse before, When it comes to Radiators, 90% are made by the same companies. At autozone there are usually 2-3 different radiator brand to choose from, When I worked in the Federated warehose, we'd get parts in Napa boxes and Advance boxes etc. Alot of its the same brand, Alot of the stuff at Autozone is pretty good, and we can also get better stuff (you'd be surpsied)I just got my MSD wires for my Yota through Autozone for $10 more then reg wires , Just stay away from Valuecrap
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-27-2008, 10:13 PM	#11
purplepassion wtf is eltrice? Age: 21 Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 10,892 Location: Mt. Washington, KY User is: OffLine	Re: Napa cheap radiator is junk cheap, and it's junk? NO WAI!
	[Reply w/Quote]

12-04-2008, 06:36 PM	#12
Vash Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 262 Location: User is: OffLine	Re: Napa cheap radiator is junk Ok just to follow up. Got a Delphi from thepartsladi and it's perfect. Installed with no problems. The alignment was perfect. The tranny cooler looks a LOT more advanced than the NAPA clunker.
	[Reply w/Quote]