dealership parts prices?

[cobram at juno.com]

Brett Dikeman <quattro at frank.mercea.net> writes:

> dealer counter prices.  If you call CPE, you'll get dealer minus 
> about  10% or so (I think, I forget exactly). 
> CPE a good source for parts which don't carry 
> insane dealer prices.

Usually 20%, same discount they give area shops with medium volume.

>    Sometimes parts are available from Worldpac dealers for much 
> cheaper- for example one set (front or back, I don't remember) of brake
lines 
> were very cheap from Worldpac but CPE came very close for the other. 
> The CPE price on one set was almost 2x what worldpac wanted.
> Part of the reason I like CPE is that if I order before lunch, it's 
> there next day in most cases if it wasn't in stock, and they're less 
> than 30 minutes away. Great for if I'm in a pinch.

If you're on their delivery route, you can pay with a CC and meet the
Clair parts truck on his route to pick up your parts.  I have them
delivered to a nearby friends shop.  This is good and bad, as my friend
will inevitably sucker me into helping me with whatever's on the lift of
disemboweled in the shop at the time.  I have way too much first hand
experience with el-cheapo "heath kit" Ferrari electronics than anyone
whose never going to own one should.

I too always check with Mac last, he's been cheaper than WP on more than
one occasion, although it is the exception, not the rule.  For larger or
exotic parts, Northside Imports will usually blow Mac's prices
away......I know this because MAC is the one who recommended them when I
had to get Turbo for a friend with an S6.  Northside was a good $1500
cheaper, and had the part in stock.

> Do Mac a favor and try to do your best to get part numbers etc 
> before  you call...they're not -really- a retail operation.  A lot of
their 
> business is with area shops and other dealers who individually do a 
> lot  more business with CPE than probably the whole list put together,
if 
> you catch my drift...

I have known Mac personally for over 20 years, so I stayed out of this
thread because I am indeed biased.  He's a great guy personally, and will
go out of his way to an extent that you'd be hard pressed to find in the
OEM parts business.  And YES, your advise is VERY good about having you
ducks in a row before calling, he's a bit understaffed after his recent
move (they have been moved to the new Toyota building.)  But he still
finds the time to take care of us enthusiasts.  He also gives me a few
more off the usual 20% discount, as he knows my "frugal" ways.

I would also like to add that the other wholesale parts sellers around
here send the wrong parts out about 40% of the time, as does WorldPac. 
WorldPac has also had a few bad batches of labor intensive parts
recently, most notably a bad batch of Fuel Pumps, Water Pumps, and
hydraulic hoses  in the past few years.  


BCNU,
http://www.geocities.com/cobramsri/