08 Cobalt

[custodian]

My oldest granddaughter ran the 08 Cobalt over a large rock and left two holes in the oil pan.

I searched several auto stores and they wanted $250 for a Dorman pan. I found the exact same oil pan on Amazon for $80.

It amazes me the markup that the big auto stores are using. I also was going to get some oil resistant RTV and the auto stores wanted $14 a tube. I went to Walmart and bought three tubes for $21.

 

[fast 99]

Quit using local parts stores for the most part. Sometimes they need to think outside the box. Relying on what a computer spits out doesn't always work.

As you say, they are much more expensive than online.

Many of the experienced counter people I worked with have retired, replacements aren't up to the task.

 

[scrap--metal]

I had a similar scenario over the weekend. I was going to replace rear shoes and drums on my wife's Civic. Oreilly wanted $170 for the drums and shoes. I couldn't stomach that, and the shoes weren't quite done yet, so I put the drums back on and ordered parts online for <$70. That over a $100 difference! I'll replace the parts when they show up in the mail.

 

[Bextreme04]

Sometimes you CAN'T even use a parts store if you wanted to. It seems like if you don't know the specific application anymore, you are out of luck.

I was using a buddies trencher to cut some trenches for water and sewage lines to an RV pad. Its an old 70's or 80's unit and one of the belts broke. I had the part number right off the old belt(it was a gates timing belt style belt) and none of the parts stores could even look up a replacement belt by part number, only application. I ended up having to order one through ebay. NAPA was the only one that was actually able to order the belt by part number, but it was going to have to be a direct ship from Gates.

 

[custodian]

Sometimes you CAN'T even use a parts store if you wanted to. It seems like if you don't know the specific application anymore, you are out of luck.

I was using a buddies trencher to cut some trenches for water and sewage lines to an RV pad. Its an old 70's or 80's unit and one of the belts broke. I had the part number right off the old belt(it was a gates timing belt style belt) and none of the parts stores could even look up a replacement belt by part number, only application. I ended up having to order one through ebay. NAPA was the only one that was actually able to order the belt by part number, but it was going to have to be a direct ship from Gates.

No one at an auto parts store knows how to look up just numbers. All they know how to do is put specific info in the computer and say, "this will work".

 

[Bennyt]

I try and shop local but when it's a difference of 50% I end up going online.

I prefer Rockauto over Amazon. They have good prices, fair shipping charges, and they usually have a choice of 4-5 different brands. I've had some bad luck with Amazon parts not being quite what they advertise. It may have a Dorman part number, but it may not be a Dorman part.

Sometimes I order heavy parts from Summit as they have free shipping and it can be cheaper with parts like axles, drums, etc.

 

[Bennyt]

Sometimes you CAN'T even use a parts store if you wanted to. It seems like if you don't know the specific application anymore, you are out of luck.

I was using a buddies trencher to cut some trenches for water and sewage lines to an RV pad. Its an old 70's or 80's unit and one of the belts broke. I had the part number right off the old belt(it was a gates timing belt style belt) and none of the parts stores could even look up a replacement belt by part number, only application. I ended up having to order one through ebay. NAPA was the only one that was actually able to order the belt by part number, but it was going to have to be a direct ship from Gates.

I worked at an auto parts store as a teen and we had a tool that measured the belt and we had 100's v-belts hanging on hooks on the wall that you pulled down to match up. Quicker than a book and had pretty much every application.

 

[bucket]

I worked at an auto parts store as a teen and we had a tool that measured the belt and we had 100's v-belts hanging on hooks on the wall that you pulled down to match up. Quicker than a book and had pretty much every application.

Some of the chain stores still have the tool. Just not as many belts in stock these days.

 

[Bextreme04]

The big problem was it wasn't a V-belt. It was a toothed timing belt style belt.

 

[Ricko1966]

Funny I was thinking about this earlier. The stuff you see online vs. the stuff you actually receive,you really don't know if they are the same or not. I actually had a problem with a part purchased from Rockauto had a warranty problem,the warranty was denied,seems Rockauto isn't one of their vendors. So I either received a reboxed part,a counterfeit part ,a freight salvage part, doesn't mattet I didnt get the same part. My guess is counterfeit,because how can you get enough of a certain brand salvage to warant cataloging it. Doesn't matter I still got a defective part and couldn't go back in the store and exchange it. Now even if the.products are the same,how many people does O'Reilly have to hire and pay for delivery,stocking shelves,sweeping the floor , paying for the building,the whole deal. So you can walk in and usually get what you want the same day. Now how many auto.specific employees.do the mail order.places have to pay to be nationwide? How much does it cost Walmart to just pick and choose the easy stuff to add to their inventory. When we pick Wal Mart,and the internet as our primary supplier eventually they will be the only suppliers. Then what are you going to do when you need a fuel pump tonight to get to work tomorrow?O'Reilly and the like won't even be around to sell you fuel line, and guess what? Wal Mart doesn't carry fuel line. All the parts stores,that are truly brick and mortar parts stores have a way bigger cost to operate than mail order warehouses,or big box stores with . Seriously the parts store can't win,they can't compete.pricewise but if they.quit carrying silicone because you can.get it cheaper at walmart,you're going to be,who sells a water pump but no rtv. But no one questions who sells rtv,but no intake gaskets etc. They hire the cheapest labor they.can get in an effort to.keep the prices.down,thats why they don't have good parts guys. Keep using the parts stores last,soon there won't be any,and a whole lot of people will be.looking for new.jobs,maybe they'll want your job,and they'll do it for less. I cannot agree with the cheaper is better logic. Anyway Ive.said.my piece I worked at a great.mom and pop shop,employees that knew what they were doing and got.paid a fair wage,a full machine shop etc. guess what? They are gone!!! I can't hardly find a machine shop anymore. Even if the.boxes match,the Chineese can counterfeit anything,anytime I've bought something new on E.bay or Amazon I wonder is this the real deal? Or is this a copy?I'm sure I've been fooled before. Oh and FWIW I've worked at parts stores and the markup isn't anywhere near the example given somethings not right here somebody's getting a better WD price or selling overstock,blems,counterfeit somethings not right.

 

[custodian]

Funny I was thinking about this earlier. The stuff you see online vs. the stuff you actually receive,you really don't know if they are the same or not. I actually had a problem with a part purchased from Rockauto had a warranty problem,the warranty was denied,seems Rockauto isn't one of their vendors. So I either received a reboxed part,a counterfeit part ,a freight salvage part, doesn't mattet I didnt get the same part. My guess is counterfeit,because how can you get enough of a certain brand salvage to warant cataloging it. Doesn't matter I still got a defective part and couldn't go back in the store and exchange it. Now even if the.products are the same,how many people does O'Reilly have to hire and pay for delivery,stocking shelves,sweeping the floor , paying for the building,the whole deal. So you can walk in and usually get what you want the same day. Now how many auto.specific employees.do the mail order.places have to pay to be nationwide? How much does it cost Walmart to just pick and choose the easy stuff to add to their inventory. When we pick Wal Mart,and the internet as our primary supplier eventually they will be the only suppliers. Then what are you going to do when you need a fuel pump tonight to get to work tomorrow?O'Reilly and the like won't even be around to sell you fuel line, and guess what? Wal Mart doesn't carry fuel line. All the parts stores,that are truly brick and mortar parts stores have a way bigger cost to operate than mail order warehouses,or big box stores with . Seriously the parts store can't win,they can't compete.pricewise but if they.quit carrying silicone because you can.get it cheaper at walmart,you're going to be,who sells a water pump but no rtv. But no one questions who sells rtv,but no intake gaskets etc. They hire the cheapest labor they.can get in an effort to.keep the prices.down,thats why they don't have good parts guys. Keep using the parts stores last,soon there won't be any,and a whole lot of people will be.looking for new.jobs,maybe they'll want your job,and they'll do it for less. I cannot agree with the cheaper is better logic. Anyway Ive.said.my piece I worked at a great.mom and pop shop,employees that knew what they were doing and got.paid a fair wage,a full machine shop etc. guess what? They are gone!!! I can't hardly find a machine shop anymore. Even if the.boxes match,the Chineese can counterfeit anything,anytime I've bought something new on E.bay or Amazon I wonder is this the real deal? Or is this a copy?I'm sure I've been fooled before. Oh and FWIW I've worked at parts stores and the markup isn't anywhere near the example given somethings not right here somebody's getting a better WD price or selling overstock,blems,counterfeit somethings not right.

Here you go. Autozone price.

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[Ricko1966]

Doesn't prove its the same part. There you go. You don't think amazon,ebay,rockauto is full of Chineese counterfeits? There's been whole news coverages on knock off B.S. on Amazon. I am positive Rockauto sold me a junk knock off fuel pump. When I called Airtex they told me Rock is not one of their distributors,buy one from one of our vendors. Rockauto pump 2 weeks tops then dead,replacement pump from an Airtex vendor still going strongl years later. I bought my kid a 4 wheeler would have sworn it was a Polaris predator,no just a convincing clone.

 

[custodian]

Doesn't prove its the same part. There you go. You don't think amazon,ebay,rockauto is full of Chineese counterfeits? There's been whole news coverages on knock off B.S. on Amazon. I am positive Rockauto sold me a junk knock off fuel pump. When I called Airtex they told me Rock is not one of their distributors,buy one from one of our vendors. Rockauto pump 2 weeks tops then dead,replacement pump from an Airtex vendor still going strongl years later. I bought my kid a 4 wheeler would have sworn it was a Polaris predator,no just a convincing clone.

Here you go. I received my part today, already installed.

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[Ricko1966]

Good for you still don't know it's not a knock off,but anyway good for you hope it works out fine. Do you think counterfeit products come packaged in boxes that say counterfeit? And yes internet sources can sell for less for a lot of reasons,but when the local boys go out of business,we're screwed.

 

[Bennyt]

"...Oh and FWIW I've worked at parts stores and the markup isn't anywhere near the example given somethings not right here somebody's getting a better WD price or selling overstock,blems,counterfeit somethings not right."

I worked for PAW as a teen/ early 20's and they operated a few retail stores in SoCal. The markup on small service items like silicone, spark plugs, oil filters was huge. We used to sell a plastic pan for changing oil from Lisle for $2.50 and our cost was something like 30 cents. For a while I had a shop discount at Kragen/ O'Reilly's and the prices were comparable to online prices. WD price is always going to be better when buying at quantity levels.

I always try and buy local when I can but the selection is limited, parts have to be ordered in and half the time I can get it quicker online than they can to local store. If they matched prices, I'd spend a lot more and they would make up the margin on the quantity.

As far as counterfeits, I'm sure it happens occasionally but RA isn't going to grow as large as they are by knowingly selling them. I won't speak to other online marketplaces as I've rec'd some questionable items.