The Miller catalytic converter armor I ordered looks used and returned...

I ordered the catalytic converter shield from MilllerCat. There are greasy fingerprints all over it and it has some scratches.

I don't know if this is this is from production or did someone return this thing. Here are some photos...

 

I understand that it is destined to get banged up, but when I pay $400, I expect it to look new out of the box.

 

You paid $400?

I paid $300 plus tax on Friday.

 

Must be the same people buying the $700 camping table…just kidding Call them up and ask about it.

 

Easy man... take a deep breath and let it out slowly... I'm not complaining.

But Miller Cat doesn't know how the part is being used. What if it were a show car?

I would expect the part to be offered at a discounted price as it appears to be an "open box" item.

 

Thanks. Yes, I have reached out to them. I sent pictures. They said they would look at the pics and work something out.

 

It’s from the manufacturing process. The stainless one I installed a couple weeks ago looked the same when I got it.

 

That is going under their 4Runner.

 

here you are complaining about spending $40 and your getting mad at a guy who spent $400 who expects quality received for their product that they just purchased. does not make sense.

Thats like buying a set of $1500 golf clubs with the face of the golf club is scratched.

 

May be its just me, If I pay even 50 bucks for a new item I would expect it to be new looking. Doesn't matter if it goes under the 4Runner or not. I just like a new item to be new. If I buy "blemished" condition I would expect that. Again just how I feel about my money spent.

 

I thought it might be. Thats why I posted pics and asked. Thank you!

 

Nope.

 

Don't have a good pic of underside.

 

Looks like the sheet was dragged on/off the laser/plasma table or the already cut parts were stacked and dragged against each other before the edges were deburred. I think it is poor material handling rather than used.

I see this all the time at my work when people are lazy or careless handling stainless sheets.

 

The only way to know if it was used is the mounting points. If the mounting points have mars or compression marks, then yes, its used. The scuffs you see are simply are result of it having NO FINISH to protect it. If you were expecting a pretty finish, you bought the wrong thing.

Clearly you've been living in or are closely associated with people in the ricer world where everything comes with pretty colors and NOS stickers.

 

If he can make iron oxide from aluminum I'll be impressed!

 

I would have let it pass since it's under the vehicle. I just bought full skids instead of a cat protector.

 

Pretty sure OP stated he bought SS, aluminum was cheaper. I have full Al skids for mine for weight savings and corrosion resistance. Not a terrible choice for the right reasons - if I were a serious crawler I'd have bought a cheap jeep with SFA.

As far as OP original questions, I'd agree with WarTurtle357. I worked in manufacturing as well and those scratches on bare metal are most likely from the original sheet getting scratched while being dragged off another, dragged and dropping off the shear, dragged off the CNC machine that cut it, dragged off the press brake that bent it, or dragged off the stack of completed or in progress parts that were being made in whatever batch size they were running (if any welds, add dragging across weld table). Most operators don't care because they think it will be painted or don't see the final product. Sometimes it's just the fact that metal scratches easily during the manufacturing process - you just don't see it because powder coat hides it.

I also agree with Overland WT about checking mounting points to see if it was actually used but I doubt it from pics.

Manufacturer may offer small discount for blemishes - I'd call that a win. I personally think it's normal and would just rattle can it and bolt it up (although opinions are like buttholes...)

 

If they give you some credit or partial refund I'd have it powder coated.

 

Did you mean bare steel instead of "bare metal"? Because Aluminum is metal and gets installed bare all the time.

 

UPDATE:

I heard back from Miller Cat. They assured me that the part is new and that the scratches and finger prints are the result of the way materials are handled during manufacture.

 

WoW, that's complete BS. And poor customer service.

 

Dude?! Nevin, you are not helping his confidence here. With all fairness though, I received cargo shipment of my CBI bare Aluminum skid plates on the pallet and none of the large plates had any scratches or tool marks on it.

 

My comments had nothing to do with his initial frustration with how the product was delivered/handled.

 

Are you ill? Have a fever?

Its RAW material! It has NO PROTECTIVE coating like paint, polish and seal, powdercoating, anodizing, NOTHING. When you powdercoat, etc, this is what the raw material looks like. It is prepped appropriate to whatever finish it is going to get and then, coated/painted/etc. This is stone cold normal. Go to Home Depot and look in the machined metals section with C channel, angle iron, etcc. Thats all raw material too.

Like I said... too many forum members watching too many F&F movies. NOS NOS baby.

 

I having better quality experience with companies like RCI skids with Raw Metal finish vs this Miller Cat product "new condition, raw finish" something new to me. Good learning. I will keep that kind of companies out of my list and if I order something from a different company I can ask before hand is the finish would have dirt and scratches like Miller Cat products have even though its new condition, not blemished condition.

 

For 400 bucks it could easily had a plastic protective film at least during fab and shipping. All I'm saying.

 

Judging by those scratches, I don't think PVC film would have helped at all.