AC Delco copycat?

Hello all,

First time poster, I did a search and could not find the answer I was looking for, and I couldn’t find a topic I wanted to bring back from the dead… So… I hope I don’t step on anyone’s toes by asking this question here.

I own a 1990 Chevrolet C-1500 350 (Love the truck, she is my baby)

I am about to due a tune up, but I heard the AC Delco Auto Zone, and Kragen Carriers isn’t the same as the dealers… It’s an off brand (this is a rumor I have heard) Is it true, or no?

I have my heart set on AC Delco for this truck (All I have put in it since. Well, except an O2 Sensor, when Bosh on that) I used NGK for my Mitsu, Japanese for a Japanese car, American for an American car. That’s my rule of thumb at least.

Thanks for all the help you guys can give! I hope I can help in return.

Well I can tell you this much at least. I know countermen at all 4 of our local Autozones, and frequently "talk shop" with them ( I used to work at auto supply stores in the past.) On the subject of spark plugs, the AC Delcos come highly reccomended as an OEM replacement for Chevy trucks. Numerous stories have been told about customers coming in and buying an alternate brand ( Splitfire, Bosch0, only to return a short time later with plug related problems. After AC was put in the problems were resolved. I'll have to ask these guys about your question. I'm not sure how it is now, but back 15-20 years ago our AC Delco parts came from the GM suppliers and were the same. We had a GM rep tell us one time that it would be foolish to use other brands when GM spends millions of dollars in research for their products to work with their vehicles. I know the industry as a whole has undergone changes since then, that's why I'm going to ask them how it is now. It's kind of like the same rumour that the wholesale clubs ( B.J's Sams, Costco,) sell the reject tires from the manufacturer, which they do not. What occurs though is that the tire manufacturer may be under contract with a certain vendor to produce a specific tire to be sold expressly at the vendor's place of business. That is becoming more common in the retail world as companies try to gain an advantage over their competition.

The only thing that makes me even wonder that it could be true. Is that the spark gap is Grosely over sized on these plugs when you get them from Autozone, you have to beat the tip down and regap it to the propper size.

THANK YOU TALL for starting this...I questioned this 2 days ago buying my fuel pump. Here how I became VERY skeptical............

I'm @ home for lunch Tuesday when my fuel pump goes out...Since I was stuck @ home and waiting for a ride back to work, I called O'rielys-quoted $274.xx. My neighbor pulls up I'm outside waiting for my ride so I tell him about my pump. I told him O'rielys price and said I was gonna call dealer when I get back to work. I'm with 97ventureowner about OEM vs. aftermarket but called O'rielys as a back-up. Neighbor mentions Autozone (who I have hated with a passion ever since they hired the dumbest idiots to work there) now sells AC Delco. My ride to work shows up and we cut conversation short. Back at work, I call our GM parts dealer who gives our shop 25% off list. The list he told me was $550 range and he gave me bigger discount since this was for me personaly. My "special" quote was $350-delivered. Told him I'd call back when I decided what I was gonna do. Still curious about Autozone's ability to sell AC Delco, I call and get quoted $269-aftermarket and $300-AC Delco. WOW! How in the world can Autozone sell me OEM for LESS THAN our shops price AND my "special" price?? Now the average Joe can get the OEM parts cheaper than shops can from dealers, something ain't right I thought.

At home, still debating and contemplating, I call different dealership for part # (after acting like avg Joe calling!) My thaught was go to Autozone and see whats up. Well, the AC Delco part # was different but appeared to be in legit packaging and part looked OEM built (quality). Since the different part #s made me more skeptical, I bought aftermarket due to lifetime warranty and I'm keeping my truck a looooooong time!! So now next time it goes it,s paid for. Still wondering if I made bad choice. I know there is no substitute for quality. Hell, it took me longer to price parts, look @ parts, and make my decision than it did to remove my bed, replace fuel pump, and put bed back on. And yes.....that is definantly easier than dropping your tank!!

I really wonder how it is possible that Autozone has been given permission to sell AC to averafe Joe for LESS than shops discount. My neighbor told me he also heard this was something being tested and they are about to quit carrying AC due to many problems. He didn't know what problems have stemmed but we imagine the point I was making is part of it.

Keep the comments coming, we wanna know.....what's the deal yo.....................

I have been in the wholsale/retail business over 20 years, and from what I have seen, the industry has changed a great deal in that time. AC is probably trying to reach more customers, so they are packaging their products for places like AutoZone to get to them . Retail chain autoparts stores can buy in huge quantites, so they can get a price break. This is not only occuring in the autoparts business, but other types of businesses as well. where name brand merchandise , only available at certain places in the past is now becoming widely available through other channels. I also have been involved in the small engine ( lawn mowers, weedeaters,etc.) business . I have seen products available only to specific dealers , now being made available to everyone through mass merchandisers. Lawn Boy , and Ariens come to mind. 15 years ago you pretty much could only get them at dealers, now they can be purchased at Wal Mart, Home Depot,etc. Many of these companies have either merged, been bought out (some near bankruptcy) or changed hands, and the new owners looked at ways to increase visibility of their products. The items we buy, and where we buy them has undergone many changes in the last 15 years, some of it was done to survive, some to increase visibility, and all was to increase profits. Now you throw the internet into the mix and you will see even more changes in the years to come,in how and where you can buy your parts.

I understand retailers buy in bulk and therefore can pass savings on to consumers. However, I don't think OEM parts were ever available anywhere else but dealership. I've worked w/wholesale guys in few dealerships delivering parts to shops and currently I work in a P & B shop and helping out w/parts is one of my duties. Having seen both sides of the fence, and having seen the brilliant customers that walk into shops with there 2 cents of " really don't know crap but wanna sound like I do so you don't try to rip me off," I can now understand why OEM parts have been only available from dealerships. I don't really know what I was trying to say hear so I will now shut up!!!

I hear ya! I was always amazed at some of the customers I dealt with that knew nothing about their vehicles. I got a call one day from someone looking for a part for their car. I asked them the usual questions- What year make, model, and engine size is it? And there was a silence at the other end for a moment, and then the person said, "I don't know. But I do know the car is red!" To me, what it all boils down to is everybody's out there trying to make an extra buck or two, and if that means selling your product through more channels to get that profit, then that's what you do.I still think there are certain parts you can only get at dealers, or specified parts suppliers, but more and more parts are being made available to us through other means, and I would expect that to continue into the future as GM and it's suppliers look to maximize their profits.

OK but why all the sudden, after all these years of having it the way it was? Also, what about Motorcraft or Mopar? why haven't they followed suit? Still think somethings up w/ the AC parts at Autozone. Was thinking the other day maybe they are "refurbished" parts. Not saying rebuilt or reman, but refurbished. As in oparts coming off the assembly line that initially didn't pass QC (Quality Control) for whatever reason, and maybe these reject parts get sold to Company X who then refurbishes the parts to the condition QC was looking for. Not sure if anyone else has heard of Fry's electronics but they sell stuff like that all the time

Maybe GM was tired with the "way it was" and wanted to change it to add to their bottom line and profits. Somebody over there at GM probably came up with that idea to get certain parts into the hands of GM owners, especially the DIYers, so they wouldn't lose market share to the likes of the other aftermarket companies who produce similar parts. It could also be what I like to refer it to as a "natural progression of business practices." With all of the consolidation within GM over the last decade or so,meaning fewer dealerships,(and fewer places to get AC parts,) the next logical step would be to open up the market and have other businesses sell your parts. I just read somewheres within the past few days that Chrysler is kind of going through a similar situation now. There are fewer dealers selling their products due in part to retirements,buyouts by competing dealers, and deaths of dealer owners and no one in family is interested in assuming ownership of business. As a result, Chrysler is approaching other branded dealers in an attempt to have them carry their product as well. They are especially targeting already existing multi-line dealerships. They are hoping that this attempt will increase their sales and market share. As for the point of why hasn't Ford or Mopar done the same thing, I think in the near future you might start seeing that occur. I think the others were waiting for someone to start it and to see how sucessful it would become before they commit themselves to doing it. There are many auto parts stores (at least in my area,) that sell the Mopar or Motorcraft line to the general public and the dealerships as well. These are not national chains though, and I have worked for a store that sold the Motorcraft line. I believe that this part of the industry is still in it's infancy, and will eventually take off like it did with the small engine industry back in the late '80s-early '90s.