when you need parts, it sure pays to shop around!

[dan filipi]

My sister just bought a 2000 Saturn.
Nice car.

It needs a window regulator.
Dealer, $250, online $100 shipped!

Front struts, installed at Firestone $660.
Installed at a garage I used once before $380.
AutoZone, $140 for both and free spring compressor loan.

Looks like a good opportunity for to get me a new floor jack!

 

[AApple]

You'll need a front end alignment after replacing the struts...didja add the cost of that in? :laptop:

Also, be vewy VEWY carefull removing/installing the springs. Even on good compressors, they CAN slip off, and hurt something/someone. :shock:

 

[dan filipi]

Yeah, know what you mean about the compressor.
I've done them before. Even did them once by making my own compressor with steel strut and all thread.

 

[joedrum]

hmmm it rediclueless the money these manufactures charge for there junk parts ....glad you found a better way dan

 

[bronzestarvue]

You are absolutely right that it pays to shop around! I recently picked up a 1996 Jaguar XJ6 (always wanted an XJ6), and got one of these instead of a series III, because IMO they ('95-'97) were the last of the "true" Jags, with the Jag 4.0 straight 6, but with dual overhead cams and much better reliability due to Ford's multibillion dollar investment. Mine is British Racing Green (is there any other color for a Jag?!) with the biscuit leather interior, dimple mag wheels, really good shape, 94K miles.

Anyway, car runs great, but has some usual Jag quirks, like the radio/cassette unit having a mind of its own. Mine isn't the Vanden Plas (VDP) model, so it doesn't have the fold-down wooden trays behind the front seats, or the pin-stripes around the wood trim on the inside, or the wood trim piece that's up on the overhead console. So I was at the local pick and pull about a month ago, mainly there to look for some trim pieces for my '91 Saab 900 turbo convertible, when low and behold, there's a VDP the same year as mine! Someone had already removed the front and back seats, so the wooden trays were gone. However, the wood trim on the doors, dash, and overhead console was still there. I was tempted to remove all the wood trim, and that's when I noticed the VDP models had pinstriping on them. I looked at the wood piece that was on the overhead console, and it didn't have any pinstriping, and said to myself, "self, that sure would look better than the putty-colored plastic piece that's on mine"! So I removed the console, turned it over so I had an idea of how it was attached, then gently removed it, all it one piece. Took it up to the counter, and they only charged me $5 for it. Got it home, swapped the putty-colored piece for this nice burlwood piece, and was quite proud of myself for having scored it!

Now having read this thread, curiousity got the better of me, so I did a quick search, so see how much money I saved myself by snagging that particular piece of wood trim from the pick and pull. Good thing I was sitting down! On this diagram, it's part #3:

https://www.jaguarmerriamparts.com/parts ... mCallOut=1

MSRP $660, online $540, pick and pull $5...yeah, I scored like a big dawg!

So yes, it DEFINITELY pays to shop/look around, not only like what the original poster mentioned, but even on Craig's List and salvage yards!

 

[dan filipi]

I should add though, be careful of these online dealers (especially on ebay) shipping from China and even NOT from China on stuff that is just dirt cheap compared to local places.
I see especially with electronical stuff like USB cables, phone chargers, phone batteries, VERY low priced as in $1.99 including shipping! My son and I joke about it all the time.
Others are in the $25 PLUS shipping range and local retailers in the $30 and up range.
I ordered a memory stick reader to fit a 3 inch bay on the computer. Something like $3.99 incl shipping.
Very cheap quality and finicky. My last computer wouldn't even see it.

Another buy was a battery case for my HTC phone. Darn pins don't even line up.
That was about $20 incl shipping. Phone store is over $60 but it WILL work.

Gotta be a smart shopper and watch out for these crappy products.

On the same note, my son bought a studio quality microphone online for $40 shipped thru Amazon. The same model is well over $100 at other places.

I've had good luck with most of the "cheap" "Too good to be true" Ebay sellers products and honoring returns, so far.
Knock on wood.

 

[backlander]

There's some bargains if your careful and look close. I just bought a new Blackberry brand battery and home phone charger for my cell phone, received them in factory package in three days, both work perfect, for 10.50 which included shipping thru Amazon.com. The dang charger is 14.00 at Walmart.

 

[Placerville]

My wife and I just purchased a 2013 Subaru Outback. During our 'pre-purchase' research, our local dealer said that, because the car was just released, the best they could do was $500 over dealer invoice AND that was contingent upon us joining Costco and using a purchase plan they had with their dealership. So, at the time, $500 over dealer invoice for a 'just released' model seemed to be reasonable.

My wife then goes on-line and visits Consumer Reports where she finds a CR offer for new car buyers. For $14, CR will tell you what a dealer paid for the car (of your choice), they'll provide a 'Good', 'Better' and 'Best' purchase price for the vehicle and (with your permission) will send your request for a price quote to dealers in your area. For the price, it seemed like an easy exercise so, we went for it.

Within only a couple of hours we received five offers from dealers within a 250 mile radius. Regrettably, four of the five offers were so flawed that we tossed them but, the fifth offer was an eye-opener. A dealer located 200 miles away called us (and sent an email at the same time) and said they would sell us the vehicle we'd selected for $1,700 under dealer invoice AND include the first ten oil changes for free. No haggling, it was their best price. We were very impressed.

Rather than travel 200 miles to make the deal, we took their deal (in writing) to our local "Get a Costco membership" dealer, showed it to them, and said, "We buy it from them or we buy it from you....your choice. We actually saw the Sales Managers face turn white. After a few "hem's and haw's, they said, "OK."

Doing your homework pays off.

 

[riff raff]

Hate to say it, but it's just common sense to study up, or shop around before ya buy. But in some cases, if ya have to ask how much to maintain an exotic or an older european, ya probably got no business having it. There's just no cheap way out for somethings! :doh:

 

[OldWrench]

That is some good advice Dan, one thing to remember not all parts are of equal quality, especially remanufactured parts such as starters, and alternators. I deal constantly with parts suppliers and some are just down right crooks. Example I needed an air governor for a truck compressor, one supplier wanted $56.00 for it, got it from Napa for $12.00.

Where we really get taken is OEM parts that we can’t get from anyone but the dealers. I buy very little for our local truck dealers and actually purchase many of my Peterbuilt parts from an out of state dealer that give us a decent discount.

The other thing I have seen people get taken on is parts salesmen so called advice. I have heard second hand some ridiculous advice given by parts people in some of the auto supply stores.

The internet has given us so many great forums such as this where we can share and learn from each other, I have gained so much from this and other forums.

 

[bronzestarvue]

"...The internet has given us so many great forums such as this where we can share and learn from each other, I have gained so much from this and other forums."

But on the flipside, the internet has also given us the means to start or perpetuate a lot of "urban legends" when it comes to parts and maintenance (left-handed crescent wrench, bucket of prop wash, yard of flight line, you know the kind!). I used to have a 1978 Moto Guzzi V50, which is a 500cc Italian v-twin motorcycle. I found that it was actually cheaper for me to order parts from Italy than to get them here in the States. Plus, my source in Italy had lots of parts that were unobtainable here.

Also, I've learned that depending on the vehicle, it's worth spending the extra money to get an OEM part versus after-market. For example, on my daughter's '98 Subaru Outback, I'd much rather spend the extra $10 and get a genuine Subaru thermostat than an aftermarket one, especially since the t-stat is on the bottom instead of the top, and in light of the fact that I recently spent $2400 on replacing the headgaskets on her car. And there is a noticeable difference between a Subaru t-stat and an after-market one, so the extra money, IMO, is worth it. Would probably do the same thing with my '96 Jag XJ6 and the wife's '92 MBZ 400SE, only challenge would be finding a good source for OEM parts. But for my other daughter's '98 GMC Sonoma, an after-market t-stat would probably be just fine.

 

[OldWrench]

only challenge would be finding a good source for OEM parts.

What I found was by calling around and just being straight up with the dealer some will work with you, others won't. For the average person repairing their own vehicles it isn't worth the time and frustration in most cases. However when someone is buying thirty to forty thousand dollars in parts each month then a savings of 10 to 20 percent really adds up.

I do agree in many cases it is better to go OEM that reman or aftermarket. Speaking of that I go OEM on oil filters because warrenties have been denied due to inferior oil filters.

 

[bronzestarvue]

only challenge would be finding a good source for OEM parts.

"...Speaking of that I go OEM on oil filters because warrenties have been denied due to inferior oil filters.

Using an after-market oil filter versus OEM, in and of itself, should not void any warranty. I'm pretty sure the manufacturer would have to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the use of said after-market filter was the sole cause of whatever damage occurred. Isn't that what the Magnuson-Moss Act is all about?

 

[OldWrench]

Isn't that what the Magnuson-Moss Act is all about?

You are right, it just eliminates any arguments that warranty people may provide. Reality is there are only so many filter manufactures. It also makes my shop idiot proof as possible considering most filters are replaced by our apprentices, but that is a completely different issue.
In a busy shop environment I have found people do not take the same pride in workmanship they would if they were working on their own vehicles. Also the last thing I want is rework and a truck driver broke down in the middle of no where because of a faulty part that we installed.