part store prices

[Lloyd Smale]

I like to by local but just couldnt see it this time. The boots on both of my front driveshafts were ripped so I first priced boot repair kits locally and they were about 35 bucks each. New shafts were 150 bucks a piece. Kind of decided with 80k on it that i might as well just replace them. I got looking on ebay and found the exact same brand the part store had for 50 bucks a piece with free shipping. You think that parts store isnt making some money!!!

[Larry L]

Having a cousin in the parts/machine shop business I can tell you he marks his stuff up about 30%. He also has an electric bill, water bill, property to maintain, insurance to pay, employees to pay and hopefully go home with a paycheck himself. The guy on Ebay has...... I hope you get a quality part. There's a lot of cheap crap being sold on Ebay as OEM parts. At Ebay, it's a buyer beware.

[Lloyd Smale]

I know what you mean larry but ive bought some ckeap junk parts at the parts stores too. When i bought these cv shafts i had looked at a pair laying on the floor at the local mechanics shop and saw the brand. I looked on ebay for the same brand and found them. they sure looked like a good quality unit when we put them on. Time will only tell i guess if they really are any good. I dont mind a 30 percent markup. I realize a bussiness has to pay all the overhead and employs local people but in the case of these the markup over what i payed was a 150 percent! thats a bit rediculous. I dont mind paying for a couple lbs of burger to feed his family but im not buying him a escalade!!

[Ranger99]

the thing to beware of buying things online
versus at a store is that sometimes you may
have no recourse if things don't work out,
defective merchandise, part not quite right,
part may be an upgraded item that doesn't
look the same or has a different installation
procedure than the original, there is shipping to
pay both ways, they may just flat blow you off,
they may say there is no warranty, etc.


i've had folks try to return stuff to me they've
bought online and saying that the guy on the
phone said to bring it to the dealer and we
would have to replace it.
buy something online and you are gambling
that all will be ok.


i hope it works out for you, but you do take
a chance when buying parts that way.

[SHOOTALL]

some smaller stores order from the same online source you do.

[briarpatch]

I got all those bills to pay also and as Shootall said the small store owner will get his parts from the cheapest place which is many times China. I go with what will put money in my pocket just like they do.


If I need the part now I shop around among the parts stores local and purchase. If it can wait I will order online usually from Rockauto.com. So far no problems with parts.
I did call around on a part and was quoted a price from advance auto parts and was going to buy there. The price quoted included a life time warenty on the part. I ask if the part goes bad in two years can I get a new one. He said "at managers discrestion".
I went to Autozone.

[Lloyd Smale]

ya that part was a bit nerve wracking as i cant recall all the times ive came home from the parts store with the wrong parts. At least it was a quick ride to town to straighten it out. But in this case it worked out fine. the shafts are on the truck and working fine.

the thing to beware of buying things online
versus at a store is that sometimes you may
have no recourse if things don't work out,
defective merchandise, part not quite right,
part may be an upgraded item that doesn't
look the same or has a different installation
procedure than the original, there is shipping to
pay both ways, they may just flat blow you off,
they may say there is no warranty, etc.


i've had folks try to return stuff to me they've
bought online and saying that the guy on the
phone said to bring it to the dealer and we
would have to replace it.
buy something online and you are gambling
that all will be ok.


i hope it works out for you, but you do take
a chance when buying parts that way.

[spruce]

The only way you can be 99.9% sure the parts will fit properly is to go to the dealer and buy OEM parts.  The problem is you pay a premium price for this luxury!
 
Getting the correct parts from an aftermarket supplier can be a challenge.  The obstacles can be a counter man with limited mechanical knowledge, or who just doesn't give a rip, certain parts may be slightly different due to other optional equipment on the vehicle, there may have been a mid-year change in specs, etc.  And depending on how the computer program is set up some of these differences may not be broke down the same way as the dealer's listings.
 
Nowadays almost all aftermarket parts (except for a few premium lines) are made in somewhere outside the U.S.  The part you buy at NAPA, Carquest, Autozone, online, etc might have all been made in the same factory - or not.  And they all change suppliers, so the part you buy today at your favorite store may have been made in China, and if you go back next week or next year and buy the same part it may have been made in Taiwan or Mexico.
 
It's kind of a crapshoot so if you get a good part that fits properly at a good price count your blessings!

[SHOOTALL]

Look at a new American made vehicle and note where the parts came from. 

[spruce]

Yes, they incorporate parts made outside of the U.S.  The only point I was trying to make is that an OEM part is made to exactly the same specs as the one you just took off - aftermarket parts may or may not be.
 
I'm not saying aftermarket parts are no good.  Often times they are a good bargain and will work just as well as OEM - sometimes not. 

[Lloyd Smale]

oem parts are a bit to expensive for my buget. I also need to do back brakes and priced drums pads and rebuild spring kits and for the price of everything for both sides i can buy one Gm oem drum. No thanks.