Buying parts

[gav]

If you buy parts over the counter, naturally you expect them to be right. But do you check them? Say you bought 4 spark plugs, 3 supplied are correct, one isnt. Would you notice? Is it reasonable to expect someone would notice? Do you check? Just curious....

[Bonez]

If you buy parts over the counter, naturally you expect them to be right. But do you check them? Say you bought 4 spark plugs, 3 supplied are correct, one isnt. Would you notice? Is it reasonable to expect someone would notice? Do you check? Just curious....

Generally yes. Normally have a gander at the box markings for the type of plug. Doesn't mean the contents of the boxes are correct though. If I got the incorrect item it's easy enough to return it for a replacement.

[Colapop]

Consumer protection act says you have 7 days to either return the product for a full refund or replacement of incorrect or faulty parts. And you do not have to accept store credit.

[gav]

What if fitting the wrong part resulted in engine damage? Say one plug was longer reach than the others?

[Colapop]

Then that would be the purchasers fault. You have the obligation to check the part prior to fitting it. If you continue to fit it or use it then you have acknowledged that it is the correct part for the job.

[Bonez]

What if fitting the wrong part resulted in engine damage? Say one plug was longer reach than the others?

Sounds like lawyer territory. The person who fitted the plugs should have made sure the correct ones where fitted. I generaly take all mine out, lay them on the bench double check the numbers, inspect for damage and correctly set that plug gap. Now, I'm not a mechanic just a hobbiest.

[paturoa]

Consumer protection act says you have 7 days to either return the product for a full refund or replacement of incorrect or faulty parts. And you do not have to accept store credit.

no / not quite

have a read here
http://www.consumeraffairs.govt.nz/c...ultygoods.html

better still print it out and take it with you if you are having an arguement

basically have to be..

-> fit for purpose
-> match the description (ie if they sold you plug type xxx, then have to supply that - so take it back if it isnt)

If you fitted the plug and done damage then have a browse at the bottom of the page (clear as mud) link called consequential damage. Basically you would loose based on the "reasonable steps" bit, ie did you eyeball the plug b4 you installed it?

[Motu]

What if fitting the wrong part resulted in engine damage? Say one plug was longer reach than the others?

If a mechanic did that to your bike you could rightly abuse him.....if you did it yourself,likewise.

[lukelin250]

for some reason holeshot in takapuna always give me the wrong bike parts i ask for,like oil filter and light bulbs and that kind of stuff. when i had a gn250 and was replacing parts with the general maintenance of things i once had to go back three times cause of the wrong light bulb or being sold a faulty one. but i am partly to blame as i never checked inside the box untill i got home which would have solved the problem straight away. just thought such a basic bike it wouldnt have been to hard getting correct parts.

[imdying]

Something that's clearly marked, like a spark plug, I'd check the box and the new unit, and then I'd check them against what came out. Something not marked (like a brake pad), I would eye ball and measure as appropriate. I try not to fit parts that are incorrect... it amazes me how many people try to fit a square peg into a round hole.

[Skunk]

...it amazes me how many people try to fit a square peg into a round hole.

Everything can be made to fit with a FBH (Fucking Big Hammer).

Why you asking Gav? Do you check them?

[Motu]

I buy parts for cars all day,and nearly every day we have a problem.Wrong parts have many causes - incorrect model identification,either from my end or the parts supplier,often parts cateloges have incorrect information.Sometimes parts are picked wrong by the warehouse staff,numbers close together,dislexic,or parts being put in the wrong bin....and sometimes even incorrectly packaged parts.Sometimes a simple part for a common car can be a nightmare,sometimes what I thought might be a problem is no trouble at all.

But the most important thing is that we don't fit the wrong part! I try and drum into my guys not to fit a part before they are sure it's correct,and also not to destroy boxes as sometimes they won't accept a return if it's been fitted and packaging destroyed.It's our reponsability to ensure the correct item is sent.They will fix the muck up their end,we also have to make sure we don't stuff up our end.

[Flyingpony]

I double check everything (items & receipts) before leaving the shop (that might explain why it sometimes takes ages).
But that still doesn't explain why one day I walked out with oil when I wanted a spark plug!! The looks and laughter when I returned it ... priceless

Then when at home, I compare new part with the old part and make sure they're identical. If they're not identical then I won't use it and take it back, unless of course, the change was my own explicit doing but then I'd still use caution.

Sounds like you've had some fun with spark plugs, but not quite the same way that Sniper did.

[vifferman]

I generaly take all mine out, lay them on the bench double check the numbers, inspect for damage and correctly set that plug gap.

The new plugs (like the teeeny-tiny ones on the VFR) come with the gap preset. They're really easy to fuck up if you try to re-gap them, as the centre electrode is just a tiny pricky thing.
Prolly harvested from platinum-quilled hedgehogs.

[gav]

OK, what happened is customer bought 8 spark plugs for his V8, 7 short reach, 1 long reach supplied in error. Wasnt noticed when charged out but customer didnt notice when fitting. On start up, one piston made contact with spark plug errr, you can guess the rest....
Genuine error in supplying I guess, one rouge plug in parts bin, but hell of a suprised he didnt notice one plug was different.
We apologised that we supplied wrong part but pointed out we didnt fit the wrong part. Customer has to take responsibilty to check he's fitting the right parts. I'd be gutted if it happened to me, but would like to think I'd notice the difference. What do you reckon?