Best places to buy parts....

[swick]

Where and what are the best stores to buy parts like plugs, wires, gaskets, starters, etc? Are there stores like Advanced Auto for boats or do you buy everything online? Do you buy parts through dealerships?

 

[duff]

Re: Best places to buy parts....

I like to buy from local shops first helping with the local economy but with the prices online it is hard to beat most of the time unless i find a shop with military discounts!

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: Best places to buy parts....

on line is killing your local economy.....

 

[duff]

Re: Best places to buy parts....

I know that but when local price for something is $74 and online is $52 thats a day of fishing and launch on the lakes here in San Diego. $23 for 2 fishermen and a boat launch! so local will lose out unless the price is competitive! Or atleast offer military discount!

 

[swick]

Re: Best places to buy parts....

Not to get into an economical debate, but if real businesses cannot compete with online prices then they need to make some business adjustments. The www isn't stopping for anybody. And honestly local businesses do have licenses and discounts so they should be able to compete, afterall we aren't asking them to put walmart out of business, just asking them to compete in their respective industries. Competition is a good thing, it drives prices down. If the majority of the people are shopping online then local businesses need to reduce overhead if they can't compete. The web has been here for over 10 years now any good business should be able to compete.

All I am after is if it is fact or fiction that online is the best place to buy parts? I understand business very very well, however I am new to boating.

 

[duff]

Re: Best places to buy parts....

price wise you can hardly beat online!

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Best places to buy parts....

Where you buy depends on what you need. It makes no sense whatsoever to buy spark plugs on-line, wait for their arrival, and pay shipping when you can get them at any auto, farm, or discount store. If you are looking for more expensive or hard to find items like rebuilt engine blocks, carb rebuild kits, or lower units, then the web might be the place to go. I can buy a standard Merc prop at my local farm store for the same price or just marginally more than on-line and I don't have to wait for it. If I do need something special that is not readily available locally, I turn to iBoats.

 

[xxturbowesxx]

Re: Best places to buy parts....

I buy local as much as possible but an example would be Iboats selling rocker switches for $2 and local they were $12 .. I guess my point is I understand a small markup to stay in business but most places have good prices on common items and gouge on others.

 

[ShaneCarroll]

Re: Best places to buy parts....

Spark plugs I would absolutely pick up from a local Auto Zone or whatever. Now, the local MerCruiser service center wanted to charge me $125 for the gimbal bearing kit, so I bought it online and paid $90 with shipping. However, that same service center had the gasket set for $6, so I bought that there a couple weeks ago when I replaced my outdrive. I needed it that day, and with shipping and all, there would have been no way I could have found one cheaper online.

 

[Boss Hawg]

Re: Best places to buy parts....

on line is killing your local economy.....

Don't know about other locations but around my area local merchants with inflated prices are killing themselves along with their (our) local economy
Of course things like oil, plugs, & nic nak goodies i just get local
On real repair/replacement parts i ask prices at local dealers but so far seldom buy for price reasons

 

[dingbat]

Re: Best places to buy parts....

If I need something in a hurry I?ll buy locally unless the price difference is crazy. If something can wait, I shop around and buy at the best price I can find be it locally or on-line.

 

[nguoi_viet41]

Re: Best places to buy parts....

I try to buy battery today I call Jetski Parts local $100
Sear's $64
ebay battery $44 including shiping
Online Jetski Parts store $56 + shipping

I all way search for cheaper price and I allway found online cheeper.

 

[NW Redneck]

Re: Best places to buy parts....

I try to buy locally at either the marine shop or NAPA etc. Sometimes wallyworld for stuff like engine oil or small parts. Some things I buy online if they aren't available locally (eg: exh. manifold elbows).

One question about the difference between local stores and online shopping: I know that a brick-and-morter store is going to have higher overhead than an online mail-order place, but what would you consider a 'reasonable' ammount more? 5%? 10%? How much value do you place on the service that comes with the purchases at your local store? For me I try to support my local marine store as they have been great for advice on my '75 OMC. One of their mechanics has been turning wrenches since christ was a cowboy and has tons of training/experience with OMC as they were a dealer for many years and are still johnnyrude dealers. So at what point do you say 'that's too much' and go online?

 

[pmat1]

Re: Best places to buy parts....

I get parts from the repair shop down the road; it may be a few dollars more expensive than online, but i get everything the next morning and it supports the local economy

 

[Lion hunter]

Re: Best places to buy parts....

Local for me is usually driving 50 miles so I buy alot online. Plus with my old motors the locals guys just don't have much for parts. iboats gets quite a bit of my money, and they have very quick shipping.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Best places to buy parts....

One question about the difference between local stores and online shopping: I know that a brick-and-morter store is going to have higher overhead than an online mail-order place, but what would you consider a 'reasonable' ammount more? 5%? 10%? How much value do you place on the service that comes with the purchases at your local store?

I place next to no value on customer service at my local stores. Not only is it 45 miles each way but you walk in the door take a ticket and go stand at the back of the line. Get to the front of the line and get a "ya, what you need.... might be able to get you in 3 weeks from now....next.

At a couple places the prices are not too bad. But figure 2 hours of your time and $10 in gas to pickup a $3.49 item and it?s fruitless unless you need it yesterday. It's a lot cheaper and convenient to just point and click and have UPS drop it off at your front door in a day or two.

I shopped around for a GPS 2 years ago. Talked to my local dealer and did some looking around on-line. I ended up buying the unit on-line and saved almost 15% off on a $2K item. A warranty return gets sent to the manufacturer so what did I loose by not buying local?

 

[corm]

Re: Best places to buy parts....

Hi,

I buy locally because I see the people that are working in those stores shopping in my store. When they don't have a job and are not shopping in my store I am not going to needed in my store. Then I can get together with them and go fishing from the shore or oil our guns together if we did not have to sell them to eat. It is all pretty simple 6th grade math.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Best places to buy parts....

i buy most of my business parts locally, with a discount. which comes out cheaper than online. i also buy ebay, and iboats for personal stuff.

 

[triumphrick]

Re: Best places to buy parts....

on line is killing your local economy.....

I drove down to the local Worst Marine to buy a couple of stainless prop cotter pins. They were 32 miles one way from my house. They did not have any... I then went to my local dealer to pick four of them up(2 now and 2 spares) and was quoted $17 plus tax. I had to have them after my tuneups and the old ones were shot. I only bought two of them. Nowadays I try to make plans far in advance to keep from going to either West or my local stealership...
As several people have stated...if they want and need my business, then price your crap competitively and have what I want when i get there...God I feel better now..

 

[swick]

Re: Best places to buy parts....

The year is 2009, if businesses aren't used to the internet by now then they better adjust quick. If prices are that much cheaper online, and you do not have to be a dealer to get cheaper prices, then store front businesses better start offering something else, something that makes spending the big bucks a lot more valuable.