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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / Maintenance and Repair / December 2005Who is cheaper fior small parts and accessories? Kragen, Pep Boys or Autozone
Which one of these stores is cheaper in general to buy stuff like small parts, cleaners, accessories like mirrors, eletric stuff, etc..? Is there a fourth or fith company I am forgetting here? Thanks so much They all pretty much suck. They peddle house brands and have long delivery times on orders that are completely unnecessary. Most ONLY sell from their own warehouse. System don't got it, F.U. We ain't got and ain't gettin' it. I willingly pay more to buy parts from independents-but there are no more independents in many places. As the desk skills of countermen have deteriorated i have learned to be my own counterman. I ante'd up for a Hollander library and got a sub to a couple of the car mechanic trade journals (Hi Mitch-ya PUNK!). I have figured out how to buy just as if I were a shop and get the part UPS in many cases faster than the Stealer. My test for parts places-I go in there and ask for Aeroshell. I know they don't have it even though more goes into Harleys, VWs and Corvairs than in aircraft. Can they get it? Of course-if they look. If they won't, I use them only in desperation. And usually I'll call them for a snipe hunt a couple weeks later for good measure. Bretm thanks. But I meant more small parts, accessories, not really the important stuff. >Bretm thanks. But I meant more small parts, accessories, not really the >important stuff. In my experience, Pepboys has the most versatile selection, but maybe not the lowest prices. In my area. Lg South Side Chicago > Which one of these stores is cheaper in general to buy stuff like small > parts, cleaners, accessories like mirrors, eletric stuff, etc..? > > Is there a fourth or fith company I am forgetting here? > > Thanks so much Wal-Mart skuba <snowbrasil@gmail.com> wrote in article <1134595279.117673.315210@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>... > Which one of these stores is cheaper in general to buy stuff like small > parts, cleaners, accessories like mirrors, eletric stuff, etc..? > > Is there a fourth or fith company I am forgetting here? > > Thanks so much There isn't ANYTHING that some coniving manufacturer cannot make a little cheaper by sacrificing a bit of quality. People who buy on price alone become the victims of these scammers.....many of whom manufacture fro less, yet still charge the same price. > Which one of these stores is cheaper in general to buy stuff like small > parts, cleaners, accessories like mirrors, eletric stuff, etc..? Here in Phoenix, AutoZone used to be slightly cheaper, but recently Pep Boys has averaged a bit less, but generally for chemicals Wal-mart is cheaper, and a lot of times repair parts cost less at Car Quest, BAP (foreign car parts) or other "real" parts stores that aren't NAPA. I once needed spade and eyelet crimp connectors and found they were a lot less at Fry's than any auto parts store. For specialty tools, Harbor Freight and J.C. Whitney (mail order) have been the cheapest for me, but a lot of Harbor Freight tools are junk quality. larry moe 'n curly <larrymoencurly@my-deja.com> wrote in article <1134814856.451511.293770@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com>... > For specialty tools, Harbor > Freight and J.C. Whitney (mail order) have been the cheapest for me, > but a lot of Harbor Freight tools are junk quality. It is often the frugal man who pays the most.......... >larry moe 'n curly <larrymoencurly@my-deja.com> wrote in article ><1134814856.451511.293770@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com>... [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > >It is often the frugal man who pays the most.......... Often *name brand* is just junk dressed up in a 3 piece suit. Much of this generic stuff is relabeled/rebranded/reboxed before resale, but is is essentially the same product in a different box with a different price. I buy all my air tools from Harbor Freight now. They're no worse than the Sears stuff and cost a heck of a lot less. Lg > Often *name brand* is just junk dressed up in a 3 piece suit. Much of > this generic stuff is relabeled/rebranded/reboxed before resale, but > is is essentially the same product in a different box with a different > price. I buy all my air tools from Harbor Freight now. They're no > worse than the Sears stuff and cost a heck of a lot less. Someone here who said his friend was in the tool import business told him that all their air tools were the same, and his company simply stuck different brand labels on them before shipping them to Harbor Freight, Sears, and even Ingorsoll-Rand. OTOH I once bought a hand plane from Harbor Freight and thought that at worst I'd have to sharpen the blade or buy a new blade, but I had to return it because the thing was beyond hope. The bottom was warped, but I couldn't grind it flat because it was made of thin stamped metal. And the car coil spring compressor I bought from them didn't look as good as the one I got from J.C. Whitney. >> Often *name brand* is just junk dressed up in a 3 piece suit. Much of >> this generic stuff is relabeled/rebranded/reboxed before resale, but [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > And the car coil spring compressor I bought from them didn't look as >good as the one I got from J.C. Whitney. There is the rub. *Some* of Harbor Freight stuff is inexcusably beyond hope. =Other= of their offerings are a value, IF you know what you are looking for an are an informed consumer. That means you know ahead of time about air compressors before you go to Harbor Freight looking for a new one. I ran into a couple last time I was at HF and they didn't have a clue, so I had to spend about 30 minutes giving them the lowdown on air compressors. They were unhappy with their previous purchase there and wanted to *upgrade* to something better ( for painting ). I didn't stay around long enough to find out what they did, but the lesson is clear. Don't depend on the STORE, whatever it may be, to give you the straight skinny on what's up. They may give you good advice, or just sell you a POS to move inventory that has been sitting on the shelves too long. An informed consumer is the best consumer. I know I haven't been disappointed with any of the purchases I have made at Harbor Freight, but then again, it is easy for me to sort out the sh.t from the shinola. Lg >OTOH I once bought a hand plane from Harbor Freight and thought that at >worst I'd have to sharpen the blade or buy a new blade, but I had to >return it because the thing was beyond hope. The bottom was warped, >but I couldn't grind it flat because it was made of thin stamped metal. > And the car coil spring compressor I bought from them didn't look as >good as the one I got from J.C. Whitney. That's nothing. I bought an anvil from Harbor Freight because they were offering free shipping. I figured, "how can you mess up an anvil?" Then I used it. And it broke, due to a casting defect. It turns out you _can_ mess up an anvil. --scott  Signature"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." >>OTOH I once bought a hand plane from Harbor Freight and thought that at >>worst I'd have to sharpen the blade or buy a new blade, but I had to [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >you _can_ mess up an anvil. >--scott That's pretty funny, but sorry about your lost cash for the item ;-\ You know my friend and Spiritual Advisor aarcuda, showed me about a week ago an incredible deal on a refractometer for testing battery electrolyte and antifreeze. I said yah, when I get some bucks. So today I am going to Harbor Freight to get this item: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=90716 Now if that isn't a DEAL I don't know what is. I just hope they have it in stock in the store. And a *tip.*... if you print out the *Special Price* from the Internet, and bring that to the store, they give you that special price in the store, without having to buy it over the internet. Lg > You know my friend and Spiritual Advisor aarcuda, Damn Lawrence, now I gotta buy you a beer. >> You know my friend and Spiritual Advisor aarcuda, > >Damn Lawrence, now I gotta buy you a beer. No, I don't drink alcoholic beverages. Maybe a cuppa Joe ;-) Lg > Which one of these stores is cheaper in general to buy stuff like small > parts, cleaners, accessories like mirrors, eletric stuff, etc..? > > Is there a fourth or fith company I am forgetting here? > > Thanks so much The answer is yes. |
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