A tip - Warning - Amazon/1800 series

[ClassicVolvoShop]

Last weekend I was attending a huge car meeting in Vallåkra, Sweden.

The history (in short) of the meet is, that it started out being for costumized Volvo's - today there's tons of other makes - but still with a basic red line of Volvo's..

Anyway:

All years Volvo used to have a HUGE aeroplane hangar filled with all sorts of accessories and clean-out/left overs - and amazing good prices on brake/service items for the public. Oh, yes - it used to reasemple nothing else than a womens clothing sale!!...

This year for some very strange reason Volvo didn't participate and instead SKANDIX (German aftermarket retailer on Volvo parts) had occupied the hangar.

And now for the WARNING!

SKANDIX had a huge pallet of clutch master cylinders (for Amazon/1800 series) for sale at bare SEK 99 (apr. GBP 10) a piece! What a bargain, yes?

- there was also a pallet of rubber molds for the trunk/luggage compartment (Amazon's) at silly SEK 49 a piece!! GREAT PRICES! YEAH! Yahoo!

Well.. cheap price?.. Depends! - see, both parts are second hand sort of a failured production - so master cylinders have casting faults! - rubber mold too (and not even long enough!)

The SKANDIX people said that it was just a minor % of the pallet where the faults actually have influence on performance/usability - but in my World - that is totally otterly CRAP and BS!..

I'm sorry for the rant in this - but I'm just so sick and tired of BS in the business - so now I start my WARNING-notes of WHY you should stick to the original suppliers and never go for the cheap solutions.

By the way.. They also sold reproduction alloy valve/rocker covers - at bare SEK 249 (GBP 25) - AGAIN: With faults from casting - wont fit!!!

In Sweden there are allready auctions and adds for "NOS master cylinders" etc. etc.

Now you are all warned...

The way to reconise the items:

Master cylinder comes in a heat sealed plastic bag - has a black lid.... and rubber mold in likewise heat sealed plastic bag - valve/rocker cover comes in raw unfinished surface. (See pictures)

OH!.. And do not forget to be courteous with the new casted copy's of all sorts of indicator's, rear taillights's for all Volvo models. These replicas are casted out of poor and cheap plastic that will NOT last a typical British or Scandinavian summer - the plastic is NOT UV light safe, so they brittle and loses color and fade..

[jakobandhismakarov]

That's some shocking news you have there.

SKANDIX should be ashamed of themselves. I've bought items off them in the past, and now I don't think I'll bother in the future.

[classicswede]

That is going to cost a lot in repuation. Just mope no one buys those cylinders are has a nasty accident because of it.

[Blue 8]

This is such a great thread in so many ways warning for people thinking of buying cheaper parts from Ebay IE you really don't know what your getting Oh i could go on with other ways why this is such a great insight but Im sure your all see your own reasons

Well posted CVS :thumbs_up:

[jimbo1593]

I think this needs to be viewed a little more objectively than is presented.

The suggestion here is than SKANDIX are selling, in the case of MCs, potentially dangerous parts is potentially libellous.

Presumeably SKANDIX were very free with the information regarding the source of the parts and the reasons for cheap sale. I am surprised that if these MCs are not fit for purpose that they actually made it out of the factory, nevermind onto a stand for sale to the general public. Is there actually evidence that these items are not fit for purpose? If they are fit for purpose is it not a reflection on the high QC that SKANDIX have that they are not prepared to sell them for full price? If they are genuinely not fit for purpose then call trading standards!

I have bought items from Skandix in the past and found them to be a throughly professional outfit.

[ClassicVolvoShop]

jimbo1593,

I'm honestly a little unsure of what you are implying.

But if anyone has any daubts in what I state - fine, OK - if you want links to swedish pages talking about the exact same thing - I can for instance direct you to the Swedish Amazon club's forum.

I would never make such a statement unless I was absolutely sure - and please - if you didn't get it first time: I was there! OK? I talked to the SKANDIX people.

Casting quality of the MC's was NOT at all OK - the casting itself and the quality of the material was not up to standard - and they even have faults that makes them out of specification - My wonder is: Which SERIOUS reproducer/retailer will throw parts on the market, that are NOT OK and in quality that they can not guaranty?.. They said it straight forward: The MC's are out of spec and they may not last!

Well - of course I really think that it put's SKANDIX in a totally bad position as a trust worthy supplier - But if you re-read my original post - my warning was, for not being attempted to bid high on a low-starting auctions or similar.

There's nothing in the World I would love more than to promote good things done with the heart in the right place - but BS-business is something I really don't like - and I honestly drive Volvo because of exactly the same reason!

SKANDIX is trying to establish themselfes in the market - but if we don't react to the decay of the (Volvo) quality we all (?) have chosen very specificly - then it will only be worse in time.

They sold the MC's and other trash-parts on a market - at a meet - You don't see them listing these fantastic offers on their website - so I ask: Was that on purpose? - an icecold calculation? - Exactly how many swedes/danes will take their non-working MC's (1-2-3 months later) and send them to SKANDIX Germany for an exchange on the guaranty?..
I say it's this kind of business that you can't do to a narrow community - because a narrow community will react very fast and strong towards such a "thread" - but again - that's my personal opinion.

Again - back on track - I warn you against those who try to make an easy profit by selling "NOS" master cylinders for the 120/1800 series - beware: They might be from a trashed batch that a mindless retailer threw on the market!

[austingipsy]

I wouldn't read these comments as libelous at all, simply stating facts. I think it's poor judgement to unload products with casting imperfections at an event like this, better to chuck them back in the melting pot and try again. Discerning customers, as volvo owners tend to be ,are hardly likely to pounce on these dubious bargains. The main point was about these items finding there way onto ebay, without any caveat from skandix and this could indeed lead to a nasty surprise for someone.
This is exactly what the forum is for, good call sir !

[jimbo1593]

Thanks, as I have the ability to read, and to quote, I did get that you were there first time...OK?

Presumeably you have contacted the Scandinavian equivalent of Trading Standards? If these items are dangerous and not fit for purpose this becomes a legal matter and should be taken well beyond a posting on a message board.

Call me a born cynic but before I consider a company or individual to be guilty of a crime, you are afterall categorically stating that SKANDIX are selling dangerous parts not fit for purpose, which is criminal, I like to see hard evidence. Too many opinions in this world, especially on the internet, are based upon subjective views and one person's word against another.

Austingipsy's reply is a classic example of what i mean. The orginal post does not state fact at all, only the opinion, no matter how well meaning, of an individual.

Until someone can post some evidence that trading standards are investigating the selling of dangerous car parts by SKANDIX, then i will continue to recomend them based upon my personal experience of purchasing from the company.

If a similar charge was made against Brookhouse, for example, I suspect people would be more than happy to jump to their defense as we have all had extensive dealing with that company and trust them implicitly.

[austingipsy]

Jimbo, the only thing my post is likely to be a classic example of is bad spelling !
Fact, as in first hand account of conversation with supplier who states a percentage of castings are out of true. bubbles, warped who knows but useless for anything other than remelting i'd imagine. It's clutch master cylinders not brake cylinders we are talking about. I don't think for a second any manufacturer would risk reputation or lives selling duff brake parts. The point is anyone at the meet with some ready cash could have bought a pallet load of useless parts and then sold them on ebay as nos, minus any warning from skandix.
That is a valid point to warn fellow forum members about and it is in no way libelous.

[ClassicVolvoShop]

austingipsy; Thanks for understanding! - Appearently I have difficulties making the point clear - you did very well!

[jimbo1593]

Classic if you have a comment to make about my understanding, please be quite overt, rather than making underhand cowardly comments. It is such a shame that you are unable to defend your stance without resorting to petty and childish personal insults, exacerbated by the fact you don't have he courage to directly call me stupid or illiterate.

Again, all Classic has posted is his opinion/conversation with a representative of SKANDIX. I doubt that the SKANDIX rep inferred that these parts were not fit for resale at all. The point gipsy makes is fair regarding resale, but that is not the point that Classic makes.

Once again, I ask has SKANDIX been reported to Trading Standards? Classic, you are vociferous in your accusations against SKANDIX and your inferred insults to my understanding of English yet, you do not comment as to whether your public mindedness has stretched to reporting them to Trading Standards.

Libellous may be spelt either way.

I find it particularly interesting that Classic was quite disparaging about the quality of SKANDIX's replacement lighting lenses. Interesting because Classic also seems to be a retailer of lighting lenses...so completely objective then. lol.

[ClassicVolvoShop]

jimbo,

I'm not a retailer of any kind - you have that misunderstood.

The rest of your post serves no response - I'll let others do their own judgement - you strike me as being bored or a troll - waste of time appearently.

A wish you a nice weekend! :)

[jimbo1593]

Have you reported SKANDIX to trading standards? You evade this question repeatedly.

If yes, well done you, pat on back

If not then I don't think it is appropriate that you infer the company is letting down the classic volvo community.

By the way on your website you clearly sell light lenses so it is entirely fair to question your objectivity in your assessment of SKANDIX lenses.

You may think I am bored or indeed a Troll, however just as I ignore the buzzing of an irrelevant insect I will now choose to ignore you. Dialogue closed.

[ClassicVolvoShop]

OK - I admit, you are right.. I haven't answered your non-thought-trough question of wheather I have reported SKANDIX to the "trading standards" or not.

First and foremost - I'm not sure that a report to Trading Standards Institute, UK - will do any help what so ever on a German retailer/manufacturer - not the least - on his business done in Sweden. OK?

Secondly, you really still haven't got it - My warning is for people not to be all exited over an auction or add for "NOS clutch master cylinders" - because it might be the perhaps-non-functional/lasting ones from SKANDIX.
I'm sure that anybody else who reads this thread allready do understand, so I won't waste more time on trying to explain it to you.

Whatever relation you/others have with SKANDIX - is irrelevant and not my concern.

I'm not sure of what website you refer to - and I'll gladly help out if you have a problem finding mine? - all lenses I see on my website is a used set of US sidemarkers - so sorry jimbo, you got something wrong there.
And please do note that my comment on lenses was in general - but, yes - SKANDIX also sell the crappy reproduced ones.

jimbo - In your personal settings for this forum, you can activate to ignore specific user's post's - a function you might find usefull.

Oh, BTW - if you actually where there and bought a box full of those MC's - then remember that you are in EU and may be able to retract you buy!