Original v's N.O.S. v's Repo

[ozbox]

cost in buying quality should never be a factor because in the long run it WILL cost you more unless you can repair the second hand stuff that needs work which 90% of car restorers cannot..
ill take nos first ..
then good quality reproduction second..
and then original second hand..
even some of the not so good reproduction is better than chasing your arse across the country looking for elusive second hand ..
when it comes down to it the repro has a slight difference that most people will not know unless they get in your car and examine it with a magnifying glass..
most peoples perception of reproduction...[heres that 90% again]...is not from first hand experience,it is from what they have read on internet forums about non fitment or quality..
the 90%ers generally are good at pulling shit apart and never put them back together..
the 90%ers are also the people that for some reason influence there friends with there mechanical wisdom and this is generally where the misconception of reproduction parts being crap come from...END RANT...

--- Updated ---

Reproduction is at the bottom of my list unless it is Australian made, then I will give it a higher consideration if I can't find nice used.
The problem is knowing what is made here and what is not.

My van was mostly made in Australia, I would like to keep it that way as much as I can.

i would dearly love to buy oz made products but its NOT possible..

if a reproduction product is contracted to be made by an australian for an australian market with quality in mind then its going to be better than its comparable original item and it will be affordable ...in the end it doesnt matter where its made as long as its good and affordable..

btw...if you really research your vans oem parts you may be very surprised to discover that more of it is offshore production than you think..