[DML] Re: Brake Master Cylinder Interchange

["Dave Stragand" <dave.stragand@xxxx>]

"DMC Joe" wrote:

> The Girling factory replacement, which by the way, has an extremely
low
> failure rate is available from your favorite DeLorean parts supplier
for
> around $260. You say the Duralast replacement from Pep Boys is $275
and the
> identical unit from AutoZone is $71. Could this be a deal that is too
good
> to be true ?

(For reference - the Pep Boys part is new Girling, so the price is
actually higher than the D suppliers)

My m/c was damaged by 10 years of improper storage off of the car. The
reservoir had a material in it that resembled green cream cheese.
Pumping the shaft, it spit out rusty orange goo. There was no doubt of
the need for replacement. The new m/c -is- a Girling. The name is cast
right into the cylinder, as well as the identical casting number.

I'll defend rebuilt parts at this point only by saying that they are
indeed only as good as the remanufacturer. Any part rebuilt -poorly-
will fail. Any part rebuilt -well- should be as reliable as an
original. At this point in time, I'd trust a freshly rebuilt m/c over a
20 year old original.

The question here is not one of interchange of a 'similar' part; it's
the SAME part. Would a m/c rebuilt by any PJ Grady be any less
reliable? Would a D totally restored by DMC Houston be any less
reliable than an unrestored, all-original D? It totally depends on the
remanufacturer. As for the reputation of DuraLast, I have a DuraLast
m/c on my Chevy that I put on in 1986. 150k miles later, it's still
just fine.

> Not knowing the reputation of these after market parts is OK if you
are a
> short term owner. If you intend on keeping your DeLorean for the long
run
> and are concerned about supporting the DeLorean parts network why
gamble.

Sorry Joe, but this is I'll have to disagree with you on this point.
Every time someone can't afford to pay three times the aftermarket part
price for a 20 year old original part, they are accused of not
supporting the D parts network. I very much do support them. In fact,
I send half of my paycheck to them every month! (I'm not kidding) =)

I'm not saying the D parts dealers have unfair pricing. In fact, when
one keeps in mind the rarity of many of these parts, the cost of
long-term storage, and the FANTASTIC support & help they provide, the
prices are VERY reasonable indeed. But I can't, and won't, pay them
$200 more for an identical part that's available at my local store.

However, for many folks, the option is simply not available to buy every
single part from a D parts dealer. Is it a gamble? In my opinion,
absolutely not. Every time you drive a car that isn't completely, 100%
brand new, you are depending on used parts. A quality remanufactured
part is just as dependable as a quality new part.

-Dave Stragand