What to Send for an Accurate Wiring Harness Quote
"Do you make the harness for a 2015 truck?" gets no reply from any factory — not because we don't want the order, but because there is nothing to quote. This page shows the five levels of information buyers send us, and exactly how fast and how precise each one gets.
"Why didn't the factory reply to my enquiry?"
The most common complaint on sourcing forums: enquiries sent, silence returned. Factories triage hundreds of enquiries, and ones with no technical content cannot be priced, so they sink. An enquiry that takes one day to prepare properly gets answered in hours; one sentence without a part number, a photo or a quantity often never gets answered at all.
You do not need a drawing to start. You need enough for us to know what circuit is involved, what it connects, and how many you need. Here is what each level of input gets.
The five levels of RFQ information
Every level below gets a quote. The difference is precision and time.
| What you send | Quote accuracy | Typical response |
|---|---|---|
| Original OEM drawing + BOM | Firm price, exact lead time | Within 24 hours |
| The old harness itself, or the label photo + clear photos of both ends | Firm price range; drawing rebuilt for your approval in 3 days | Within 24 hours |
| VIN or year/make/model + which circuits are affected | Ballpark price, confirmed after reverse-engineering | Within 24 hours |
| Hand sketch with wire colors, lengths and connector types | Usable quote; drawing drafted for approval | 1–2 days |
| Photo of the installed harness location + a list of what must connect | Scoping first, then the same path as above | 1–2 days |
Level 2 — the label photo plus both connector ends — is how most replacement orders start. We rebuild the full drawing from the sample, you approve it, and that drawing becomes the manufacturing standard for every reorder.
What photos are actually useful?
Three photos beat ten blurry ones: the label or part number stamped on the harness, one photo per connector end showing the keying and pin count, and one overview showing the branch layout with a tape measure or ruler in frame. If wires are cut or burned, photograph the damage too — it changes the repair-versus-replace advice we give you.
- Label / part number close-up
- Each connector end, in focus, showing the locking clip
- Overall layout with something for scale
- Any damage, melted sections or previous repairs
- The vehicle's year, make, model and engine variant
What happens after you send it?
Within 24 hours you get a quote with unit price at your quantity, tooling if any, sample cost, and a sample date. If a drawing must be rebuilt, you approve it before anything is made — the drawing we produce becomes the master for every future order, so the fifth order quotes as fast as the first.
Sample lead time is 7–10 days from drawing approval. Production runs ship in 25–30 days. Every unit passes continuity, short-circuit and pinout testing against the approved drawing; high-voltage assemblies additionally get a 3000 V AC hipot test.
Common RFQ mistakes that slow everything down
None of these are fatal — they just cost you days.
- Asking for 'a price list' — harnesses are quoted per drawing, not from a catalogue
- No quantity: 12 sets and 1,200 sets price completely differently
- Omitting the vehicle market — a US-spec and EU-spec loom differ in connectors and emissions-related circuits
- Withholding the deadline — if you need air freight to hit a launch date, we need to know before quoting sea freight
- Changing connector requirements after the drawing is approved — the revision restarts the sample clock
Questions buyers actually ask
Can you quote from just a photo of my old harness?
Yes. A label close-up plus clear photos of each connector end is enough for a firm price range within 24 hours. Sending the physical sample lets us rebuild the full drawing, which you approve before production.
Do I need a CAD drawing to get a quote?
No. We work from original OEM drawings when you have them, and reverse-engineer the drawing from a sample when you don't. Either way you approve the drawing before anything is built.
How fast is a quote?
Within 24 hours of receiving usable information — part number, photos and quantity. Drawings for reverse-engineered harnesses follow in about 3 days for your approval.
Is there a cost for the drawing and sample?
Sample and drawing costs are quoted upfront and are typically credited against your first production order. You keep the drawing — it becomes the master for all reorders.
Send the drawing. Get a quote and a sample date inside 24 hours.
Email a photo of the OEM label, a pin-out or the old loom itself. Our engineers will confirm fitment, circuit count and connector family, then send a quote and a sample date within 24 hours. Samples ship in 7–10 days; production takes 25–30 days.