My guide to sourcing a high-quality repo part versus a low-quality one, since this distinction matters more than people realize.

The baseline: look for parts made in the USA or in Taiwan from established suppliers, not unbranded parts from wholesale distributors with no listed country of manufacture. For rubber parts — weatherstripping, grommets, seals — material quality is critical and visible: good rubber has consistent color and flexibility; cheap rubber is often too rigid or too soft.

For metal parts — brackets, trim pieces, structural components — look at the metal gauge, the finish quality, and whether the mounting holes line up correctly. Reputable suppliers have put bad batches into the catalog before and then corrected them. Ask in the community if a specific part from a specific supplier has had quality issues.