The future of spare parts

[FNQracing]

In a similar vain to the online tyre thread, I've lately been wondering about the future of spare parts shops like Repco and Auto1. Lately, I've been buying just about all my parts from ebay sellers, at ridiculously cheaper prices than the bricks and mortar stores. Simple stuff like brake rotors, hubs, bushes and even oil filters. Name brand or genuine parts, so apples for apples. I often get genuine parts cheaper than aftermarket. Nothing new there.

I'll be the first to cry when my local Repco shuts. And I really don't think its too far away before there is a major shakeup in that area.

I'd love to support the traditional stores, but the difference in price changes the equation. Its pretty crazy when I can get some brake rotors shipped interstate overnight right to my door at nearly half the price of SuperCheap. Who's ripping off who?

Also, given the wide variety of cars on the market these days, over the counter advice is getting much much harder. Gone are the days when 70% of all cars on the road were Falcons or Holdens. Too easy. I'd hate to be a parts guy at Repco today.

Who else get most of their stuff online these days? Do you feel a bit guilty? Would you mourn the loss of your local Repco?

[blackf6]

I try and support the local shops, even if I have to pay more for the privilege. Never know when you might need their help and advice.

[2011G6E]

Older cars are another question altogether. Especially if you're after performance bits.

I went into the Rockhampton Autobarn, and had to patiently explain to some slack jawed counter jumper exactly what a "Ram-Flow foam air cleaner element" was...my Celica has an old large sized triangular one, and finally I convinced Dudly Know-Nothing what they were, and to look up a few books. He found them, and seemed amazed...he'd never seen them before. He kept asking me "Do you mean an air pod?"...no, a foam element that goes inside a mesh housing. Still wouldn't click, even when he asked another salesman.
When I got home, I rang the Autobarn in Bundaberg where we used to live, and they had them in stock, no problem, knew exactly what I meant.

Some shops simply have no idea about older stuff, or anything a little bit out of the ordinary.

[GCRXR6]

Be very careful with non genuine parts these days. A mate put a new set of uni's on his Hilux (200 thou on the clock). Less than three months on ... they're stuffed. Back to Toyota for originals for old Reg. I'm not confident buying from fleabay ... How do we know the parts are genuine parts. Yep ... a genuine universal joint .....BUT what BRAND is it? Suspension and steering joints ... forget it ... go to the dealer for me.

[Road_Warrior]

If I need a part yesterday, screw the internet. I jump into my car and head for Repco, Malz or Supercheap. Sometimes I'm not prepared to wait for stuff bought off the net (especially if I need something on a weekend)

[blackf6]

Yeah I wouldn't be asking a pimply faced parts saleman all of 17 years old any advice, but the old blokes that run the parts shop is a different matter. Support the shops you want to be around in years time.

[GCRXR6]

Dudly Know-Nothing ... he he ... I think I met him at that shop once.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Perhaps it's an opportunity to diversify the shop front??

One big pain with online purchases is the whole postage / delivery situation and waiting for parts that could well be around the corner. Ie local vendors that 'don't allow local pickups'.

Do any of the auto parts stores have an online facility where you can search for a part's availability, buy and pay for it then just go an collect it?

Why would you do this? Perhaps get a 5-10% discount off RRP, seeing as you are not talking to a guy behind the counter wasting time trying to match the car to the part, and then lining up again to pay for the item at the till.

The flip side is that you can return it to the store in person for swaps / warranty etc rather than having to send it by post to the next suburb because the same online seller insists you cannot return a faulty item personally.

[FNQracing]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

If I need a part yesterday, screw the internet. I jump into my car and head for Repco, Malz or Supercheap. Sometimes I'm not prepared to wait for stuff bought off the net (especially if I need something on a weekend)

I find myself planning jobs these days, rather than waiting till I'm desperate. Ofcourse, stuff is still going to break, but more often than not you'll get a bit of warning that somethings up allowing you time to diagnose, order and wait.

Ebay sellers are really getting on top of their game and you'll have the parts at your doorstep within 3-4 days, so if you order Sunday night, you'll have your stuff for the weekend.

More often than not, when I do actually go to shop, its usually the same line "none in stock, I'll order them in for you". May as well just shop on the net in the first place.

[poppa smurf]

it may be branded as XXXXXX but brands are easily faked.

bricks and mortar for me thanks.......I support them, they support me......

never seen an Ebay item number as a logo on a kiddies soccer shirt yet......feedback on a screen doesn't mean much when the local footy team doesn't have a clubroom.

[FNQracing]

Originally Posted by GCRXR6

Be very careful with non genuine parts these days. A mate put a new set of uni's on his Hilux (200 thou on the clock). Less than three months on ... they're stuffed. Back to Toyota for originals for old Reg. I'm not confident buying from fleabay ... How do we know the parts are genuine parts. Yep ... a genuine universal joint .....BUT what BRAND is it? Suspension and steering joints ... forget it ... go to the dealer for me.

When I say genuine, I mean exactly the same part as I'll get over the counter at Ford.

When I do go non genuine, its a well known brand sold in real shops. I never get no name stuff.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by FNQracing

When I say genuine, I mean exactly the same part as I'll get over the counter at Ford.

When I do go non genuine, its a well known brand sold in real shops. I never get no name stuff.

I was trying to find some genuine parts for my Focus and emailed a chap in Adelaide.

Was a little shocked when he replied with 'we are a dealer' so have access to all parts.

I didn't follow up the purchase, but would be curious to see the difference in cost if I walked in to my local service department and asked for the same item over the counter.

[FNQracing]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

I was trying to find some genuine parts for my Focus and emailed a chap in Adelaide.

Was a little shocked when he replied with 'we are a dealer' so have access to all parts.

I didn't follow up the purchase, but would be curious to see the difference in cost if I walked in to my local service department and asked for the same item over the counter.

There seem to be quite a few "dealer based" parts shops online. I've probably bought quite a few from the same guy in Adelaide. Is it "adelaideparts"? They are great to deal with, and definitely sell genuine kit. I can recommend them.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by FNQracing

There seem to be quite a few "dealer based" parts shops online. I've probably bought quite a few from the same guy in Adelaide. Is it "adelaideparts"? They are great to deal with, and definitely sell genuine kit. I can recommend them.

Yup, that's who I was talking about.

[ratter]

some dealers are selling non genuine parts on line, trying to capture some of the market, and 1 dealer was actually caught a while back selling non gen parts as genuine, even had packaging made up to appear to be genuine

[Jason[98.EL]]

the local ( nth Geelong repco ) just opened a new massive store so cant be doing to bad

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Do any of the auto parts stores have an online facility where you can search for a part's availability, buy and pay for it then just go an collect it?

Supercheap does and we (Autobarn) aren't too far away from it from what we are told.

I work as a Spare Parts guy and have done so for the past 7 years, but I also freely admit I do buy parts online for the same reason others do - most is genuine stuff that I can't source through work and some is just plain cheaper!

The other side of it though is that people cannot get through their heads why I tell them to go jump when they come into my store and tell me how the part they bought online isn't quite right and now it's my job to get it to work for them. Well no - if you bought it from me in the first place it would be right, and if it wasn't I would replace it no questions asked - try getting that from Ebay.

Auto parts stores do have to change but in other ways they dont because they offer one thing a computer cant - experience and advice and the ability to get the part and go. The downside to 'em is that yes some guys who work in them are hopeless with no idea, but the rest of us (and yes I included myself in that!) do know what we are talking about and genuinely do want to help you out.

[Jastel]

I buy genuine in most cases for major parts when I can.
Disposables like Brake pads, oil, filters, discs etc I use local blokes and share the shopping around to see who has what at what price.

I should say I have taxis and buy a fair bit.

You can go to the store and get the guy that knows you and get good service and a decent price, or you can go there the next week and get a 17 year old and get crappy service, an argument that X product doesn't exist because the book says so and a crappy price.

I know what things are worth and just say leave it and go to the other place, I have met all the managers etc and arranged good terms but it hard to control what the employees do when the manager isn't there.

Next time I see the boss I say "You missed out on $X last week", and he gives me a better discount this time normally.

This applies from Ford, the Bursons/Repco's etc to the small local guy.

[FNQracing]

One other change thats been quietly going on is the exit of BigW and Kmart from selling parts. I remember buyng sparkplugs, filters even dizzy caps back in the day from Kmart. I guess now that there are so many makes and models out there there is no "Big 3" any more.... I remember when it was Commodore, Falcon, Corolla and the rest. Times are a changin.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by FNQracing

There seem to be quite a few "dealer based" parts shops online. I've probably bought quite a few from the same guy in Adelaide. Is it "adelaideparts"? They are great to deal with, and definitely sell genuine kit. I can recommend them.

They're fantastic to deal with, I got a lot from them for my EL Fairmont Ghia, all genuine stuff.

[Bossxr8]

Freight costs are usually the killer, when you add that to the purchase price the cost is very similar to buying over the counter, and it's a major hassle if it's the wrong part or faulty.

I'd rather buy it in person unless it's a well known brand and the price is extremely cheap online.

[302 XC]

I have a spare parts store that sells mostly on line, but I usually order and collect
Cash money over the counter is usually cheaper than their listed on line price
Got new brake pads for the patrol,exactly half price than supersheep or repco ,same brand and part number ....

[FNQracing]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Freight costs are usually the killer, when you add that to the purchase price the cost is very similar to buying over the counter, and it's a major hassle if it's the wrong part or faulty.

I'd rather buy it in person unless it's a well known brand and the price is extremely cheap online.

My most recent example were some DBA rotors. Supercheap $89.99 each and I had to go get them. Performance Brakes Online, $102 a pair delivered.

BF aftermarket hubs, $98 each from Repco (with discount). Online genuine Ford, $79 delivered.

[tezxr8man]

Originally Posted by teak81

I try and support the local shops, even if I have to pay more for the privilege. Never know when you might need their help and advice.

me too, better to keep the money in the local economy, keeps the circle going. and if you get the wrong parts there is no drama sorting it out for the right one. I have people coming in from time to time asking for help sorting out dramas coz ebay sellers have sold dodgy or wrong parts and won't rectify the situation. it is quite common

[XR Martin]

I doubt the home mechanic buying parts online is going to make much of an impact to Auto parts stores.
Keep in mind these stores would sell most of their parts to mechanical workshops, not individuals.

[BigCav]

i work for an auto 1, only weekends now as the money is terrible (anybody i considered a great parts interpreter has done the same) and knowing the pricing off the top of my head i know alot of stores are a rip off, alot of online stores are just as bad though, i will never shop at a burson or repco without atleast getting a major discount, even with a discount i know im getting ripped off.

but i find the biggest difference between an online store and a retail store is in the uniqueness of a part, an online store has generally the same markup across every part they sell where a retail store will raise or lower the markup depending on the value to the customer not the actual cost price

for instance i sell a specific cleveland thermostat for 12 dollars in my store, i needed one for myself desperatly but had sold out unfortunatly so wrang the local bursons who wanted 70 bucks trade and the local repco who wanted 80 retail. these things cost about the 7 dollar mark but because they are a weird specific part (looks different to your regular thermostat) they feel they can charge more as the customer will think its worth more

we try and keep a set markup accross all items to keep it fair but some brands are wrecking it for everyone and forcing people online, (where this thermostat is about 30 bucks lol)


oh and FNQracing, the babf wheel hubs i sell cost us more then what you can buy the ford hubs for online, interestingly enough the ford hubs cost me more with my major discount from ford then what there being sold for online so i dont exactly trust the seller online but when retail stores sell a good brand name unit for the 100 dollar mark there is next to no money in them

[99AUXR]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

I doubt the home mechanic buying parts online is going to make much of an impact to Auto parts stores.
Keep in mind these stores would sell most of their parts to mechanical workshops, not individuals.

This, the amount of business that repco etc get from trade accounts is far greater than sales from individuals anyway.

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by BigCav

oh and FNQracing, the babf wheel hubs i sell cost us more then what you can buy the ford hubs for online, interestingly enough the ford hubs cost me more with my major discount from ford then what there being sold for online so i dont exactly trust the seller online but when retail stores sell a good brand name unit for the 100 dollar mark there is next to no money in them

Difference is though that the online guys probably buy a couple of thousand of them whereas people like us only buy one or two at a time.

[Phildo]

Originally Posted by b2tf

Difference is though that the online guys probably buy a couple of thousand of them whereas people like us only buy one or two at a time.

Online shops don't have the real estate costs that retail places have. They don't need to pay out big money to have a big premises on a main road.

Online shops also don't have the staff costs - they don't have sales assistants spending time with customers. Get the order, pack it in a box and drop it off at the post office.

It can be something run from home, and orders are just forwarded on to a wholesale who then sends the item(s) to the end buyer.

Or, it can be something where a retail business already exists, but they trade online under a different name. Sell something for $X over the counter but $X - 20% via web site.

Obviously, I prefer to get something over the counter, but costs are important. A the moment I'm maintaining two taxis (mine and my girlfriend's) so the obsession is always about cost.

I either know exactly what I want, or research the hell out of it on the internet before leaving the house so that I then know what I want.

These days I keep a spreadsheet of part numbers - a result of it taking three attempts to get an air filter from a Ford dealer a while ago (ie three trips there, got the correct one on the third attempt). If I ask for the part number instead then I get the right part, and reduce the chance of the parts person giving me the wrong thing.

I recently discovered how good eBay is for getting pricing on genuine Ford parts. I recently drove a car from Sydney to Perth and it had some front bearing noise. I didn't want to get stuck on the Nullabor late at night (ie no tow trucks there) so stopped off in Victoria to buy a pair of bearing hubs.

Even trying the taxi discount, I was told on the phone "$120 to 140" from the local Ford dealer. I did a search for the part number on eBay (AU22B663B) and found a price of $82.45 at a place called Jefferson Ford in Melbourne.

Took the laptop with the Jefferson Ford price to the parts counter at the Ford dealer that had quoted $120-140 and asked why there was such a difference in price. "Yeah, that's where we get our stuff from as well." Confusion.

The guy offered me two genuine bearing hubs for $88 each. Sold.

That's a massive difference in price.

I'm doing this a lot these days - look up internet pricing and then take that to a local shop. On one hand they're ****ed off because they don't get full retail price, but at least I'm giving them the option of matching it.

I don't take up staff time. I know exactly that I'm after. Walk in, negotiate on price, pay for it, say thank you and leave (ie be cost-conscious, but polite). Don't ever haggle on price unless you're actually going to buy the item.

Everyone still wins - I get the item and the shop gets a sale. With a lower profit margin, but that's better than losing the sale entirely. That shop will do better out of me than with someone who takes up 20 minutes of staff time, still can't make a decision and then leaves without buying anything.

And if I get a good deal from somewhere, I tend to be a blabbermouth and tell everyone else to go there (but without necessarily saying what price I paid). I remember back in the 1990s when a mobile phone shop sold me a battery for a little bit below their cost price. I ended up telling everyone to go to that shop for the next couple of years (ie back when everyone was looking to buy their first mobile phone).

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by FNQracing

In a similar vain to the online tyre thread, I've lately been wondering about the future of spare parts shops like Repco and Auto1. Lately, I've been buying just about all my parts from ebay sellers, at ridiculously cheaper prices than the bricks and mortar stores. Simple stuff like brake rotors, hubs, bushes and even oil filters. Name brand or genuine parts, so apples for apples. I often get genuine parts cheaper than aftermarket. Nothing new there.

I'll be the first to cry when my local Repco shuts. And I really don't think its too far away before there is a major shakeup in that area.

I'd love to support the traditional stores, but the difference in price changes the equation. Its pretty crazy when I can get some brake rotors shipped interstate overnight right to my door at nearly half the price of SuperCheap. Who's ripping off who?

Also, given the wide variety of cars on the market these days, over the counter advice is getting much much harder. Gone are the days when 70% of all cars on the road were Falcons or Holdens. Too easy. I'd hate to be a parts guy at Repco today.

Who else get most of their stuff online these days? Do you feel a bit guilty? Would you mourn the loss of your local Repco?

Most times it will be cheaper but wait till they send wrong part or you order wrong part, warranty claims etc then see what it cost you to return & redeliver at your cost.
Some big sellers might absorb the cost but other won't.

PS: I like to see the actual product before I pay so Stores will do me, had been burnt buying online