Gates Carquest 38103 Belt Tensioner Assembly GMC, Chevrolet 1996-2013
Ebay $ 47 US = $53.41 with Free Shipping to MI + $5 parcel pickup = $ 58.41 Cdn plus 13% HST = $ 66.00
Local Carquest.................................................................................... @ $ 53.95 Cdn + Tax = $ 60.96 (old Gates item in stock, made in Canada)
Local NAPA / UAP (with Dana $$)................................................................ @ $ 86.92 Cdn + Tax = $ 98.22 (Gates item in stock)
^^^^ Phoned NAPA/UAP and thought my discounted price was high...which the Ebay search would prove out.
So next a quick search on Ebay, and I don't like to see a CDN price approaching 2x higher than in the USA.
- 1.5x US$ to CDN conversion factor is more reasonable
So a minute on the phone with our local Carquest, and an after tax savings of $ 37.
Earlier this year, I needed a front brake job on the Jimmy.
Ebay $ 152 US plus $10 Shipping to MI + $5 parcel pickup + 13% Duty Charge = $ 192 (4 wheel kit with lifetime ceramic pads & premium drilled & slotted rotors)
4 wheel components from local NAPA / UAP (with Dana $$)............................. @ $ 700 Cdn
^^^^ $ 508 savings, just crossing the USA boarder at Port Huron MI...for parcel pickup...had the front breaks installed, and kept the rear brake kit as future spare, until needed.
Sometimes the local brick & mortar shops win, other times its a failure....there is too much $$ to be saved quickly, by making just a few phone calls & doing an internet search.
- a few hours shopping for a better price &/or improved quality, netted $1,145 total savings (in just 3 random examples, I've got loads of time for this)
Please feel free to share, other examples....consumers have far more resources at their finger tips, to save $$...it all adds up !!
- .gouging Canadians on many retail purchases, has become a broken price model
-- Edited by Beaumont67SD on Friday 28th of November 2014 12:30:57 PM
Yes I do, even though I work a parts counter. It's frustrating for me as a parts guy when people shove it in my face but I don't blame them in the least. The thing that really bothers me is not that people tell me nicely that they just can't afford to buy it from me when the difference is so huge. It's when they look at me and accuse me of ripping them off, overcharging them. I'm not doing that at all, I'm trying to make a fair markup on a part and still stay in business, and I'm marking up from my cost which in many cases is WAY more than their cost buying it off the internet. Do they honestly think I'm making three or four hundred percent on the parts I'm quoting them on???
And one more shameless plug for our sponsor here, NOS Reproductions. That is one thing I have found refreshing about them. I have bought items off them that were not only as good as US pricing, they've sometimes beaten the south of the border pricing.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
I buy as much local as I can, I do Price shop if I have the time...
I've been in the car fixin gig for 30 years,,, I had a charge account at one of the wholesalers, ..never even questioned the prices as a had jobber pricing.
the times have changed, recently.. I have found canadian tire to be the most price competitive locally...go figure...
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later...rog
AADD supporting member !!
I'm a collector...not a builder!!Located in sunny central Saskatchewan at the lakehead!
Yes Carl ^^^^ Agree it can be frustrating for staff behind the counter, and the front line still deserves the consumers respect & courtesy. - unfortunately the bid corporations, set the price
Even TARGET's move into Canada this year, hasn't work as planned: - Its not enough for many shoppers, who say they find lower prices in U.S. stores than Canadian stores on identical items - or cant find the same products at all. The letdown has prompted some to continue to zip down to Targets south of the border - or just ditch the retailer altogether
Last year we drywall our basement & went to the local Home Depot. I was talking to a department manager, told him I came to buy their own brand of light weight sheet rock, with the styrofoam impregnated beads. - especially good for use on ceilings, to help avoid sagging - I said the price seemed higher, but would buy anyway as I was after the premium product benefits
London Ontario manager went on to tell me, when the Home Depot / CGC 1/2" SHEETROCK UltraLight Drywall first came out...had a hefty price tag. - sold far cheaper in MI USA store than a Canadian one...while only made in a Quebec factory Since the QE factory wouldn't match USA pricing in Canada, the local manager got smart having tractor trailers, going to & from Port Huron daily: - he cancelled buying direct, from the Canadian factory Now he places his drywall order directly through one of their USA branches in MI & uses his own trucks to pickup bulk order South of the boarder.
Even some Canadian retailers are starting to pro-act (for once) and take the "bull$ by the horns". - nice to see, some local tactics on price competitiveness
-- Edited by Beaumont67SD on Friday 28th of November 2014 11:10:27 AM
I was faithful in dealing with local jobbers that i trusted for over 30 years but no more. I will only buy through E BAY now for one BIG obvious reason.............Money. Just as an example, i was in the market for ball joints for my 57 Pontiac just recently. I got a price with taxes for just over $400 (ouch!). I got on E BAY and i found the exact same MOOG ball joints for $107.........yes $107 delivered to my door. I should have done the E BAY thing years ago and i have been pissing money way, all these years. A couple of my closest friends, for years have been telling me about buying car parts through E BAY and i never listened. Now i am listening loud and clear. I feel sorry for the local guys that can not compete but i do not have Bill Gates money, so it is off to E BAY. George.
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1957 Pontiac Pathfinder Deluxe sedan restored 261 six
1974 Chevrolet Caprice Estate wagon low mileage original 400 V-8
As a citizen of sucker city west, where everything including the air I breathe is overpriced, I always shop around, interenet or otherwise. I would love to buy everything locally, but the inflated cost would make this hobby unviable. Lowest price including shipping always wins.
I have two answers to this depending on which car needs the part.
1. For my late model Cadillac DTS nothing but pure GM from City Cadillac here is Toronto, they give me 15% off as a loyal customer. For 73 LeMans I try to stay with OEM from whatever source I can find.
2. For 99 STS, 99 Suburban, 98 Olds its Ebay Amazon, dealer, jobber where ever I can get best price and qaulity I want. Never buy White Box junk no matter the price.
Yes I do, even though I work a parts counter. It's frustrating for me as a parts guy when people shove it in my face but I don't blame them in the least. The thing that really bothers me is not that people tell me nicely that they just can't afford to buy it from me when the difference is so huge. It's when they look at me and accuse me of ripping them off, overcharging them. I'm not doing that at all, I'm trying to make a fair markup on a part and still stay in business, and I'm marking up from my cost which in many cases is WAY more than their cost buying it off the internet. Do they honestly think I'm making three or four hundred percent on the parts I'm quoting them on???
And one more shameless plug for our sponsor here, NOS Reproductions. That is one thing I have found refreshing about them. I have bought items off them that were not only as good as US pricing, they've sometimes beaten the south of the border pricing.
Well the part cost recently for our Subaru Impreza wagon tuneup estimate at local Midas in their cpu was Iridium Sparkplug $32.00 each , I thought
of course he was talking about all 4. I priced them at Napa at $7.99 ea with discount, talk about a ripoff. Manager said " Just plugging part into
our system and that is what the price is " Brother in law used to work in the parts business, told me the Winnipeg Midas stores are owned by
a guy in Thunder Bay who is apparently known to be less than scrupulous. No Kidding. Just sayin....that's about 400% markup.
Yes, your brother in law would certainly know the business Les!
I have been amazed when I shop comparing apples to apples (same brand, same part number, everything)
I cornered a Canadian company's manufacturers rep at an automotive trade show a few years ago and told him it didn't make sense that I could buy his part cheaper out of the southern US than I could buy it in Canada. He was not allowed to tell me why, but acknowledged it to be true. And I am talking my rock bottom cost at work, from a supplier who sees at least $125,000 of business from us each year, vs. me buying it as a normal retail customer off an online supplier. Somebody is making too much money on that part, somewhere along the line.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
The price of spark plugs is all over the map. Last month I priced Cadillac Northstar AC Delco platinum at City Cadillac to be $15.95 each which I though was a bit much, that's over $130 for a set with tax. I found them in the US for $4.99 each, it was $60 all in delivered to my door with customs clearing for a set of 8, a nice AC Delco boxed set no less! The came from a jobber in Flint MI.
Some of the garages can be bandits (not all) - marking up the crap out of their parts, sourced after a one minute phone call.
Parts for my 1992 Chev. 4x4 truck...my steering box had excessive sector shaft play. - at tire/alignment shop = $915 + tax installed to just install a rebuilt steering box / $550 for part alone - my local NAPA/UAP price on steering box.......................................................... was $350 Then I just remembered I had bought a spare truck a year earlier to get a rebuilt 350-V8 and it came with a spare steering box. - my back yard mechanic buddy, put on the used part for $50 labor The $1,000 quoted job represented a $950 savings...so using one used part, I end up with a free FI 5.7L low mileage crate motor. - alignment shop had part marked up >$200 phoning jobber plus +$300 in extra labor hours
Few years ago, I need my front end checked out on my 1998 Chev. 3/4 ton 4x4, prior to a front end alignment. - go into a independent tire shop and they quoted me all white box crap parts, at a price higher than premium Moog at the local auto parts jobber So I gladly paid the shop for a 1/2 labor to diagnose parts needed. Went home, ordered the premium brand cheaper & had parts installed elsewhere...the tire shop got greedy, and lost a new costumer, on first visit.
My SIL works as a cleaner, in a factory. She got charged $300 at her local garage to replace only a thermostat, on a GM Sunbird. - almost one weeks take home pay, for a $15 part installed (yikes)
Being frugal sourcing parts is only half of the equation, got to be equally wise if paying for having them installed...luckily, my garage owner is happy to work with me.
-- Edited by Beaumont67SD on Saturday 29th of November 2014 07:03:28 AM
Yes I do, even though I work a parts counter. It's frustrating for me as a parts guy when people shove it in my face but I don't blame them in the least. The thing that really bothers me is not that people tell me nicely that they just can't afford to buy it from me when the difference is so huge. It's when they look at me and accuse me of ripping them off, overcharging them. I'm not doing that at all, I'm trying to make a fair markup on a part and still stay in business, and I'm marking up from my cost which in many cases is WAY more than their cost buying it off the internet. Do they honestly think I'm making three or four hundred percent on the parts I'm quoting them on???
Amen Brother, in my 40+ years have and still go through it, offer the best price I can with the best service and knowledge that I have, the world has shrunk tremendously in the past few years.
I need a window regulator for my Dodge mini van I get trade price at Car Quest 130.00 plus tax E-bay (same manufacturer) 45.00 and no tax and free shipping
Today need complete exhaust for 02 Camry Car Quest 798.00 E-bay same Walker numbers 699.00 so I bought locally
you have to look...... and be polite at the parts store(s)
you have to look...... and be polite at the parts store(s)
Thank you for stating that MOST important fact. I can totally take guys telling me that they just can't afford to pay the difference if there is a big difference. I DON'T appreciate if they treat me like crap, like I'm some kind of thief. And I can't help but chuckle if they will buy online to save 20 bucks on a purchase of a big sale, like a couple of hundred bucks or something.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
A good friend of mine bought a catylic converter for his Nissan through E BAY for less than half the cost of what local jobbers wanted. Delivered to his door for less than half............ now here is the hilarious part. The cat came from Barrie, Ontario.............. yes just up the road from Barrie, Ontario. There is something seriously wrong, when you can buy on E Bay for far less than buying local and that part is still coming from Canada. Like what gives there? I love our great country but this is the land of the rip off. We pay too much, get too little and our taxes are among the highest in the world. Americans in this regard are far better off than we are. George.
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1957 Pontiac Pathfinder Deluxe sedan restored 261 six
1974 Chevrolet Caprice Estate wagon low mileage original 400 V-8
I just bought Headers, oil pan, gasket, dipstick and tube and oil pump pickup for a 454 in an A body to my door for $100 more than I was quoted for just an oil pan from the local car quest and I deal there all the time with my daily drivers (need it, I buy it). When it came to a bunch of interior/rubber/misc parts for the Lemans, I didn't question the prices given by NOS as I've never heard of any problems buying there and I was very happy with their service/price/delivery/parts. When I did a cam/lifters in my GTO, I went to Rudy Helds in New Hamburg after 10min on the phone with him...because he spent ten minutes listening to what I needed not just throwing any cam at me (called 2 other speed shops first)! It was a bonus when he said my price was just about dead on with the US pricing I found. Now anytime I need performance stuff or better than stock they get the call first. All that being said, sometimes you have to look on ebay and have a friend like 427CARL order you something
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John
1972 Pontiac Lemans (daughter's car) 2005 Pontiac Grand Am 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
My friend has 2000 Chev. Z71 4x4 extended cab pickup, with a 5.3L-v8. - GM dealer wanted $900 + HST for a AC pump..........................................$1,017 Cdn - he got a new OEM pump off ebay, for $225 US$.........$225/0.8F..................$ 281 Cdn..................$736 Savings (1 item)
^^ Trip to Port Huron somewhat irrelevant, going down anyway.
- fill up your tank with cheap gas in MI, the round trip is only a cost of time
-- Edited by Beaumont67SD on Monday 24th of July 2017 03:02:26 PM
A lot of parts are sold here through an exclusive Cdn distributor who likes to make big bucks.
I got backing plates for my rear brakes on the 87 Dakota, over $400 locally at the dealer and no aftermarket supplier. Found them from a Dodge dealer in North Carolina, all in landed for $140.
Neighbor looking for a PW motor for a 91 Miata $350 from the dealer $150 landed from a supplier in ENGLAND.
I never abuse the local guy, it just puts his and my blood pressure up. I buy local all the time and price check on line for anything worth price checking.
I've found lots of things on Amazon.ca cheap and also very expensive. Lots of times its 3 or 4 times higher on amazon.ca than amazon.com- for the exact same part.
-- Edited by DonSSDD on Monday 24th of July 2017 03:53:05 PM
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63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
A lot of parts are sold here through an exclusive Cdn distributor who likes to make big bucks.
I got backing plates for my rear brakes on the 87 Dakota, over $400 locally at the dealer and no aftermarket supplier. Found them from a Dodge dealer in North Carolina, all in landed for $140. ............ ............ I've found lots of things on Amazon.ca cheap and also very expensive. Lots of times its 3 or 4 times higher on amazon.ca than amazon.com- for the exact same part.
Agree ^^ I've started to check both Amazon's...prices aren't even close some times, when both prices are compared in USfunds.
- wife looked at Amazon.ca for some hardwood floor cleaner...$95 / 2 pack
- she found it on the RONA website & one store in London carried it...$8 / spray bottle
Backing plates for both my 1998 Silverado & 2005 Jimmy, could not be sourced at NAPA/UAP...luckily Dealer was around $100 each.
Not auto parts but my wife and I have to drink decaf coffee and we love Folgers Hazelnut Decaf. Can't find it anywhere in stores. Go to Amazon.com, easy to find and most sellers have it for under $10 but one seller is at $32.10...
I've checked AC Delco stuff on Amazon and seen it many times where I sell it to a customer at my counter far cheaper than it's listed for on Amazon.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
I agree. You really have to do your homework with Amazon. I do find some great deals though. Household LED bulbs are much cheaper than the local stores and I order quite a few supplies for work from Amazon. We decided to sign up for Prime and like the free 2 day shipping. My wife and I have a few supplements we use and really like vitamart.ca. Free shipping on orders over $49 so we usually wait and do large orders. If we order on Monday it's here in PEI from Guelph by Thursday. For auto parts I try local and compare with online stores like Rock Auto.
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
I really like to buy local, but I ain't Bill Gates. Yes, I compare prices.
I was looking for a speedo gear to correct my speedo (700R4, went from 3.08 to 3.73 in the rear end - did the research & found I needed the grey gear, can't remember the number of teeth). I searched high and low, on-line and local parts places. Finally found it on-line through the USA for $4.97.
I stopped at a local transmission shop. He checked his books and apparently, it's not available - discontinued. So I told him about the place I found on-line. He checks it out, says he should order a half dozen. So I tell him I'll take one when it comes in. Saves me ordering, supports the local shop, classic win-win.
A week later, he calls, it's in. I stop to pick it up.
$85.00 plus taxes.
When I asked, "why so much?, he says they shipped it UPS and they charged him $50 (remember, he ordered 6 of them, so 6 x$5, plus $50 for shipping = $80, and the CDN dollar was over 90 cents US at the time).
I took it because I had told him I would, but I also told him I'd never be back.
