Weatherstrips-anyone recommend this vendor?

[Timbuick]

Buick Regal Weatherstrip Special

Looking for good quality (but can't afford GM) weatherstripping and these guys ship worldwide. Has anyone had a good experience with this companies products?
Need to get rid of that wind noise!

 

[steraj]

Buy from Kirban.com

 

[Bruce Urie]

Buick Regal Weatherstrip Special

Looking for good quality (but can't afford GM) weatherstripping and these guys ship worldwide. Has anyone had a good experience with this companies products?
Need to get rid of that wind noise!

From my experience with aftermarket weatherstrips, you are way ahead of the game by sticking only with GM weatherstripping...I know, I know, they are expensive, but they are worth it as they fit perfectly on your car, no fitment problems caused like the aftermarkets. I'm speaking only from a few years ago with my own experience, so there may be some improvement in aftermarket weatherstrip fitment...I know Dennis would know the answer to this, I don't. But I've seen and heard so many others here having fitting problems with aftermarket kits...doors not shutting properly, windows not lining up, air leaks, pieces popping up, etc. Others here, it seems, had no problems and I do applaud them for that. So, I can't really give you an unbiased opinion here. You can't go wrong with GM weatherstrips, and it seems IN THE LONG RUN, they will pay off. All my GM weatherstripping worked great with no problems at all. Expensive, yes, but bought quite a while ago when they were just barely affordable for me. Yes, I ate beans for about a month, but had plenty of gas for trips. Takes patience and self confidence but you can do it. Just take your time...follow the directions of one member on this board who wrote an article on T-Top weatherstrip replacement. Just take your time, though. Just my honest opinion from past experience...Dennis Kirban is in the midst of all the technological advancements to our cars and would know for sure if any aftermarket sets are good or not. He would never give you false or misleading information on this. I'd go by what he would say on this situation. But I'm sure you've heard the ol' saying "You get what you pay for." Well, I've found this to be true so many times in my life. So I'm passing this off to you. Talk to Dennis Kirban or Brian Weaver at GBodyParts and I'm very sure they'll be able to guide you in the right direction. No more two honest guys in the world.

Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[ryan319]

kirbans and nos4gn sell aftermarket window sweeps at pretty good prices. i don't recall seeing t-top or door seals on their website though. i've been shopping for weatherstripping too and $400+ for GM t-top replacements is crazy.

that website you linked has really good prices, $59 for a pair of doors seals. GM pieces are $200+ for a set. see if you can find a review online. or just buy them, maybe something small, and let us know how they work. you can always send them back of they look really bad.

 

[Timbuick]

OK guys, thanks for the full feedback. I've had really good service from Kirban, but just thought i'd check. Some companies specialise in certain products/services and do well with them
Ive read good reports on A1 products, i'll keep looking for a while longer before buying. After all, I only want to do the job once.

 

[christian237]

call and ask if they provide some warranty if it rips within a a yr or something

 

[DailyDrifter]

From my experience with aftermarket weatherstrips, you are way ahead of the game by sticking only with GM weatherstripping...I know, I know, they are expensive, but they are worth it as they fit perfectly on your car, no fitment problems caused like the aftermarkets. I'm speaking only from a few years ago with my own experience, so there may be some improvement in aftermarket weatherstrip fitment...I know Dennis would know the answer to this, I don't. But I've seen and heard so many others here having fitting problems with aftermarket kits...doors not shutting properly, windows not lining up, air leaks, pieces popping up, etc. Others here, it seems, had no problems and I do applaud them for that. So, I can't really give you an unbiased opinion here. You can't go wrong with GM weatherstrips, and it seems IN THE LONG RUN, they will pay off. All my GM weatherstripping worked great with no problems at all. Expensive, yes, but bought quite a while ago when they were just barely affordable for me. Yes, I ate beans for about a month, but had plenty of gas for trips. Takes patience and self confidence but you can do it. Just take your time...follow the directions of one member on this board who wrote an article on T-Top weatherstrip replacement. Just take your time, though. Just my honest opinion from past experience...Dennis Kirban is in the midst of all the technological advancements to our cars and would know for sure if any aftermarket sets are good or not. He would never give you false or misleading information on this. I'd go by what he would say on this situation. But I'm sure you've heard the ol' saying "You get what you pay for." Well, I've found this to be true so many times in my life. So I'm passing this off to you. Talk to Dennis Kirban or Brian Weaver at GBodyParts and I'm very sure they'll be able to guide you in the right direction. No more two honest guys in the world.

Bruce '87 Grand National

+1

You get what you pay for. And now for some shameless plugs for Gbody GBodyParts.com Online GBodyParts.com Online . If you do buy weather stripping from the other site you were looking at, Chances are you'll be buying some better stuff in the future. I would save up and do it right the first time

 

[Bruce Urie]

+1

You get what you pay for. And now for some shameless plugs for Gbody GBodyParts.com Online GBodyParts.com Online . If you do buy weather stripping from the other site you were looking at, Chances are you'll be buying some better stuff in the future. I would save up and do it right the first time

+2

Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[turbo39151]

I've purchased both kinds. I bought my OEM GM stuff from Kirban. It cost me a kidney. But, it's 100%-no issues.

I also bought a set from some other company that sold Softseal. It was super cheap (maybe $100 for everything except the trunk) and was actually pretty well made. The ONLY gripe I had, and it was a minot gripe, was that in the ends of the GM stuff there is a piece of plastic molded inside the rubber. That is to ensure that the screws hold the rubber and don't rip anything.

On the softseal stuff the ends were just plain rubber and eventually the holes ripped away from the screws. Not a huge dilemma but worth noting. I'm sure some creative person could get around this.

Nevertheless, both weatherstrips fit well and both required multiple adjustments so the windows to get them right and honsetly after fighting with the adjustments I called it good and left the windows alone. I still get wind noise but it's minor. Hard to hear it over the engine.

 

[Yedi]

I am also looking for weatherstriping, 7 years ago I bought a kit from Metro. Fitment was nothiong to brag about. took a long time for the doors to shut half way descent. GM weatherstrip is crazy priced. I would REALLY like to hear Kirbans or Brian Weaver's input on this subject..

 

[DailyDrifter]

I talked to Bweavy about this issue, he said that the aftermarket strips dont have the hard plastic peices that the screws go through, therefore they tear after a while. The OEM stripping has lasted 22 years and new OEM stripping will probably last the same amount of time. If it was my car I would get the good stuff the first time and be done with it.

 

[Bruce Urie]

I talked to Bweavy about this issue, he said that the aftermarket strips dont have the hard plastic peices that the screws go through, therefore they tear after a while. The OEM stripping has lasted 22 years and new OEM stripping will probably last the same amount of time. If it was my car I would get the good stuff the first time and be done with it.

+1 what DailyDrifter says. He has an excellent point. Big money spent now on weatherstrip will seem cheap in the future, and it's worth it for lasting a long time. Listen to this man, he knows what he's talking about. I'm sure from experience, too.:wink:


Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[Yedi]

$$$

I just did some browsing..were talking like damn near $700 just for the door openings (around door, and around glass) on a hard top car..

I dont know, I need so many other little things for my car. we'll see. little pieces of plastic in it or not, it's still just rubber...

 

[DailyDrifter]

Why not just get the ones around the glass first? Save up, then buy the ones for the door. I'm sure you wouldnt buy cheap condoms, I know there just rubber, until one breaks (this is probably a bad anology )

 

[Yedi]

DailyDrifter, nice... omg:biggrin:

not to hijack the thread, but instead of starting a new thread thats the same, I figured I'd chime in here...

I need both, upper and lower. I like to do everything @ once, I mean I'm getting all worried about this, and my car isnt anywhere near being ready for weatherstrip, I mean I just got it all detrimmed..

I just have that weird feeling that if ya snooze ya loose, so I'd rather get my stuff now, then wait later when the supply runs out, or the prices go through the roof..


So where's MR. Kirban??????

 

[Yedi]

.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

I have the same problems w/ the aftermkt seals for early Chebbies..
In my case, a 55.
Many folks have bought the "econo priced" seals.. Didn't fit worth a damn, were harder than the back of Superman's head, and created problems w/ door fit.
CARS, T&N, and Sofseal were found to be the best choices.
I think CARS sells the T&N product. [T&N is a major mfgr of such stuff]
The offshore stuff was found to be the worst....
FWIW< here's a link to a website, post about seals..
http://forum.doityourself.com/archive/index.php/t-320824.html

 

[Bruce Urie]

I just did some browsing.

I dont know, I need so many other little things for my car. we'll see. little pieces of plastic in it or not, it's still just rubber...

And money is still "just paper":biggrin: Sorry, buddy, I feel your pain here but just couldn't help myself.:wink: Forgive. I know this stuff is expensive. We told you TuboRegals are HIGH MAINTINANCE....like a good lay.:tongue:

Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[Bweavy]

I am also looking for weatherstriping, 7 years ago I bought a kit from Metro. Fitment was nothiong to brag about. took a long time for the doors to shut half way descent. GM weatherstrip is crazy priced. I would REALLY like to hear Kirbans or Brian Weaver's input on this subject..

The main problem I found out a few years ago when the prices really started going up was that the seals didn't last. Fitment wasn't perfect but you could make it work. The problem was after about 6 months the seals would tear. I didn't ever want to offer them because the suppliers really wouldn't give a warranty.

The t-top seals we sell now held up pretty good so far. Think we have carried them just over 2 years. No complaints at all.

Bottom line you have to look at. Is my car worth $700 worth of seals? If I put that much into it will I recover the $ if I decide to sell. If you plan on keeping it just spend the $ & get another 20+ years out of it.
Didn't even go into the labor factor yet. Do it once or do it twice.

 

[HI85WH1]

The main problem I found out a few years ago when the prices really started going up was that the seals didn't last. Fitment wasn't perfect but you could make it work. The problem was after about 6 months the seals would tear. I didn't ever want to offer them because the suppliers really wouldn't give a warranty.

The t-top seals we sell now held up pretty good so far. Think we have carried them just over 2 years. No complaints at all.

Bottom line you have to look at. Is my car worth $700 worth of seals? If I put that much into it will I recover the $ if I decide to sell. If you plan on keeping it just spend the $ & get another 20+ years out of it.
Didn't even go into the labor factor yet. Do it once or do it twice.

Brian makes a good point...

When I did my MCSS back in '03, I used some aftermarket weatherstrip around the doors... the pieces had plastic at the ends, but didnt fit properly in the corners (I think it was from bethels goat farm aka weatherstrip special... ) I've put MAYBE 3K miles on the car since then,but every time I open the door and look at the corner fitment, I'm not 100% happy... nothing beats the OE stuff.....