Sourcing parts cheaply

[Simon2g]

What's your go to / cheapest source of spare parts?

Note I'm in Melbourne

Onlineautoparts.com.au seems to be the cheapest I've seen. They are fairly good.. 3-4 day delivery usually. The only down side is the shipping and perhaps extra day as they are in QLD sending it to Melbourne.

Any sites you guys use? Sometimes I've found depends on the part/timing Wether or not SCA or Repco work out to be cheapest or easiest option. Sometimes they can be cheaper and get it almost instantly over getting a shipped item. But usually OAP.com.au is cheapest. Interested to see if anyone else has a good source.

[Citroënbender]

Definitely NOT Sparesbox! A fourteen day timeframe became 73 days in my own recent experience.

[mad2]

Originally Posted by Simon2g

What's your go to / cheapest source of spare parts?

Note I'm in Melbourne

Onlineautoparts.com.au seems to be the cheapest I've seen. They are fairly good.. 3-4 day delivery usually. The only down side is the shipping and perhaps extra day as they are in QLD sending it to Melbourne.

Any sites you guys use? Sometimes I've found depends on the part/timing Wether or not SCA or Repco work out to be cheapest or easiest option. Sometimes they can be cheaper and get it almost instantly over getting a shipped item. But usually OAP.com.au is cheapest. Interested to see if anyone else has a good source.

yeah .... shipping it would be a downside . . . . wouldn't be quicker by post? i mean what port is it going via?.
ebay can be cheaper .... but not always altho their postage can be good.

what domain are you buying Simon??

[Simon2g]

Interesting to hear about your experience with sparesbox. What else can you tell me about your experience their, this bad one and others? How long had you bought from there

[arm79]

Onlineautoparts has a mixture of cheap no name brand stuff and brand stuff. The no name stuff I've gotten from them has been questionable and didn't last too long. I'm still pi$$ed off about the window motors only making it to 14 months before snapping the cable.

Contrary to CB I've always had an excellent experience with Sparesbox. I had one hiccup ages ago when I first used them, but their response to and solution was more than acceptable.

Since then I've only bought stuff through eBay from them, whether that makes a difference. Their prices are almost unbeatable when they put their stuff on special.

Repco and Supercrap have their place, but 95% of the time only when they have sales on. Even then it can still be found slightly cheaper elsewhere. The Nulon 5W/30 synthetic oil in a Supercrap exclusive 6l size is excellent buying when its 50% off.

Any special orders parts via Supercrap website when directed to pickup from store arrive very quickly. 3 to 4 business days at worst. When you ask them to mail and Auspost gets involved can be 7 to 10 days.

I seriously recommend stumping up the $50 for an eBay plus membership. As stupid an idea as I thought they were, mine pays it back 10 times over year after year.

Most of the big parts sellers online offer free express post for ebay plus members. Plus you get offered parts on sale more often and special extra discounts above normal sales. My account says I've saved $330 so far this year, which I assume is based on express post upgrades. I think it might be closer to $500 when you consider the extra and bigger discounts that are offered.

Sometimes you have no choice to goto a specialist. Consolidated Bearing seems to sell OEM and brand name drive shaft and bearings at very good prices online. Normally I goto Hardy Spicer in Darra Qld for driveshaft parts, they just seem to sell them pretty cheap and shipping is always overnight on Toll... For $20 usually.

Then there is Motospecs, Repcos warehouse. They sell direct to the public at very good prices, trade like prices. Whenever I buy stuff off them the invoice has a 20% discount over their RRP, which is already a massive discount over the Repco RRP. And I never ask for any discounts, but just seem to get them. Maybe they think I'm special or just feel sorry for me. I suspect it might be the latter.

[Simon2g]

I had the same problem.with a window motor I bought from there aswell. It still works but is temperamental.

Got me a little worried you religiously referring to SCA as Supercrap Co spidering I've just invested into.their 3T ToolPro jack and $379 Tool Pro Kit cut to $179 lmao

Do you have a few eBay stores you rely on, or do you just search your part and get the cheapest. I'll consider eBay plus if I can find a good source. You've never had problems with parts not matching etc? That's the only thing I've ever worried about buying online over SCA/Repco. Although OAU I seem to have built a bit of trust for but know.their products can be of cheap quality.

You get what you pay for.

[Citroënbender]

One of my more recent spends with Online AutoParts was a timing belt kit, their Matsumoto house brand. The parts inside were recognisable OEM and aftermarket items, the belt being the same brand as that it was replacing at no less than 60% over recommended service age! So it was great value.

Sparesbox appear under-resourced in customer support and those staff can’t tell you anything off-script. In the last eighteen months I had one order delayed to the point where I replicated it buying over the counter at Repco - all I could get was scripted platitudes, no accurate ETA. Another order of Aerotwin wiper blades, four of one type and one of another - they sent 2+1 and it took over a week to rectify. Another time within the last eight months, I enquired early in the day, stating I needed an answer by COB on shelf stock. It took five days for their response and I had already bought the item elsewhere.

…Then the famous RDA discs and pads saga as mentioned earlier, a 14 day window for items implicitly in stock became 73 days. The prices at Sparesbox look good but their commitment is worth 4/5 of nothing.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Simon2g

I

Got me a little worried you religiously referring to SCA as Supercrap Co spidering I've just invested into.their 3T ToolPro jack and $379 Tool Pro Kit cut to $179 lmao

You get what you pay for.

That jack works great, see picture in your own thread regarding cradle stands you posted on its toughness.

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by Simon2g

I had the same problem.with a window motor I bought from there aswell. It still works but is temperamental.

Got me a little worried you religiously referring to SCA as Supercrap Co spidering I've just invested into.their 3T ToolPro jack and $379 Tool Pro Kit cut to $179 lmao

Do you have a few eBay stores you rely on, or do you just search your part and get the cheapest. I'll consider eBay plus if I can find a good source. You've never had problems with parts not matching etc? That's the only thing I've ever worried about buying online over SCA/Repco. Although OAU I seem to have built a bit of trust for but know.their products can be of cheap quality.

You get what you pay for.

Obviously people have good and bad experiences no matter what type of business you do business with.
SCA in the early days was very cheap in tools etc but they lifted their game long ago.
No diff to most Trade/Retail outlets nowadays having Good Better Best stratergy.
IMO buying online is great for some due to savings but nothing beats buying online ala SCA and the likes that you can at least call them if an issue or otherwise like a WTY.......that beats any saving getting some customer service that is lacking bigtime today.

[Simon2g]

Originally Posted by FTE217

Obviously people have good and bad experiences no matter what type of business you do business with.
SCA in the early days was very cheap in tools etc but they lifted their game long ago.
No diff to most Trade/Retail outlets nowadays having Good Better Best stratergy.
IMO buying online is great for some due to savings but nothing beats buying online ala SCA and the likes that you can at least call them if an issue or otherwise like a WTY.......that beats any saving getting some customer service that is lacking bigtime today.

I feel like this last point you made is exactly worth the money. Is SCA customer.service that great though? I know.repco is but yet to see if SCA is.

[arm79]

Don't stress, Supercrap is just my pet name for them. I have SCA stands and tools and they are just fine.

Once upon a time when they first opened they were very much like a self serve Repco or Bursons. Automotive parts and accessories galore, for all different makes and models.

Then their business model changed and they added camping stuff, garden tools, hoses, sprinklers and toys. You can buy backyard firepits and shovels from them.

https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p-...ce/622535.html

Hence the suffix "crap". If I wanted that stuff I'd go to BCF (yes I know BCF and SCA are owned by the same company), Bunnings or Kmart.

As for ebay stores I mostly buy from Sparesbox, Rolan Australia, Supercheap or Zivor Automotive. Kmal9112 is a suspension shop on the Gold Coast that sell Superpro suspension stuff at good prices too. All 4 of them often have decent discounts going. Plus there always a myriad of other smaller sellers you find good deals at the time from.

I ALWAYS look up the part number on the manufacturer catalogue first and search by that, rather than just a general "front bushes for BF Falcon". You tend to get more results and sometimes cheaper options because someone has described the part for a different or less popular vehicle. I've never had a mismatch. Plus the bonus is if you search by part and you order XYZ and they send ABC they don't have a leg to stand on and worse case ebay will force a return. Yes I know doesn't help when you've got the car torn apart, but I just plan my stuff ahead and don't start till I have everything in front of me.

If you want genuine parts, just type a general description with the word genuine in it and it will bring up the dealers first. Then you can get the Ford part number and do specific searches from that.

I've bought genuine stuff through dealers like Bayfords and Jeffersons and its turned up damaged. Quick call to their ebay team and they sent out a new one express post with a bag to return the dud one. Couldn't complain about the service.

[arm79]

Originally Posted by Simon2g

I feel like this last point you made is exactly worth the money. Is SCA customer.service that great though? I know.repco is but yet to see if SCA is.

That entirely depends what you expect out of the retailer.

I rarely find someone at SCA that's anymore than a shelf stocker or checkout person. They don't have any automotive experience. Whereas Burson and Repco are far better in that regard.

Back in the day I had a friend who was a manager of a couple of Repco stores. I'd buy all my stuff from him and he'd sell it at staff price, which was typically 50% off RRP. Which as it turns out they still had a 10 to 20% margin over cost for staff purchases. They truly lived up to their acronym.

You might have heard of MSY computers. Many people hate them with a passion, but I truly LOVE them.

They barely offer any service at all to customers, pre or post sale and operate out of dodgy looking store fronts. You walk in and say "I want a 2Tb WD X model Hard Drive. If not, this Seagate one" or "I need a second monitor for my laptop to for word or Excel, whats the cheapest" and they say "X or Y" and you choose, pay and walk out. If they have to spend more than 5 mins selling something to you they get all sh*tty. I watched a sales person walk away from a customer once because he felt the customer was being difficult and the sale was wasting his time. The shouting match after was epic.

But the bonus is a general saving in the 20% range over major retailers who will dote over you to make the sale.

If this is your first foray into the DIY car repairs, then I can understand the trepidation and need for certainty. If that's what your after, then big chain stores are the way to go, just be prepared to pay the extra... Until you get more comfortable and confident. Until then there are plenty here who will help and offer advice. Just a matter of putting up a post.

https://www.repco.com.au/en/parts-se...28k/p/A9681629

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/313465166298

$50 is alot of coin for wanting to be to collect it at a store. Unless you want it there and then, then you have no choice.

Supercrap sell their own Calibre version for $99. Bought one recently, wasn't impressed with the quality or fit of parts.

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by arm79

That entirely depends what you expect out of the retailer.

I rarely find someone at SCA that's anymore than a shelf stocker or checkout person. They don't have any automotive experience. Whereas Burson and Repco are far better in that regard.

Back in the day I had a friend who was a manager of a couple of Repco stores. I'd buy all my stuff from him and he'd sell it at staff price, which was typically 50% off RRP. Which as it turns out they still had a 10 to 20% margin over cost for staff purchases. They truly lived up to their acronym.

You might have heard of MSY computers. Many people hate them with a passion, but I truly LOVE them.

They barely offer any service at all to customers, pre or post sale and operate out of dodgy looking store fronts. You walk in and say "I want a 2Tb WD X model Hard Drive. If not, this Seagate one" or "I need a second monitor for my laptop to for word or Excel, whats the cheapest" and they say "X or Y" and you choose, pay and walk out. If they have to spend more than 5 mins selling something to you they get all sh*tty. I watched a sales person walk away from a customer once because he felt the customer was being difficult and the sale was wasting his time. The shouting match after was epic.

But the bonus is a general saving in the 20% range over major retailers who will dote over you to make the sale.

If this is your first foray into the DIY car repairs, then I can understand the trepidation and need for certainty. If that's what your after, then big chain stores are the way to go, just be prepared to pay the extra... Until you get more comfortable and confident. Until then there are plenty here who will help and offer advice. Just a matter of putting up a post.

https://www.repco.com.au/en/parts-se...28k/p/A9681629

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/313465166298

$50 is alot of coin for wanting to be to collect it at a store. Unless you want it there and then, then you have no choice.

Supercrap sell their own Calibre version for $99. Bought one recently, wasn't impressed with the quality or fit of parts.

in bold pretty obvious 2 differing company backgrounds going to market.
Rep the obvious long time Trade supplier, Bursons came later as known.
Trade is their DNA - as time goes by now though they will have less and less trade experience for young un's with car passion are not attracted to the industry, worse more and more new employees at management levels are young grads or OE types the dna will change and more so due to tech advancements in time :(
SCA have always been a Retailer, employed experienced retailers to their management and hence look where they are.
They learnt they needed some experience at Trade levels, there is alot of ex Rep or name any other Reseller staff working in SCA nowadays but their core is young staff, less wage but again thats their DNA no diff to Bunnings.
Obviously they had to learn what works what not, introducing their own brands no diff to the others they have got burnt and not.
Calibre varies, alot of success depends the catergry.
Rep had to follow the Retail directive and have failed alot over the the last decade or 2.
Lets see where they all end up in years to come but I feel I know which ends up ahead being more open minded.
Every company has their "specials" a win for consumers, its just the timing when in need.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by arm79

That entirely depends what you expect out of the retailer.

I rarely find someone at SCA that's anymore than a shelf stocker or checkout person. They don't have any automotive experience. Whereas Burson and Repco are far better in that regard.

Back in the day I had a friend who was a manager of a couple of Repco stores. I'd buy all my stuff from him and he'd sell it at staff price, which was typically 50% off RRP. Which as it turns out they still had a 10 to 20% margin over cost for staff purchases. They truly lived up to their acronym.

You might have heard of MSY computers. Many people hate them with a passion, but I truly LOVE them.

They barely offer any service at all to customers, pre or post sale and operate out of dodgy looking store fronts. You walk in and say "I want a 2Tb WD X model Hard Drive. If not, this Seagate one" or "I need a second monitor for my laptop to for word or Excel, whats the cheapest" and they say "X or Y" and you choose, pay and walk out. If they have to spend more than 5 mins selling something to you they get all sh*tty. I watched a sales person walk away from a customer once because he felt the customer was being difficult and the sale was wasting his time. The shouting match after was epic.

But the bonus is a general saving in the 20% range over major retailers who will dote over you to make the sale.

If this is your first foray into the DIY car repairs, then I can understand the trepidation and need for certainty. If that's what your after, then big chain stores are the way to go, just be prepared to pay the extra... Until you get more comfortable and confident. Until then there are plenty here who will help and offer advice. Just a matter of putting up a post.

https://www.repco.com.au/en/parts-se...28k/p/A9681629

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/313465166298

$50 is alot of coin for wanting to be to collect it at a store. Unless you want it there and then, then you have no choice.

Supercrap sell their own Calibre version for $99. Bought one recently, wasn't impressed with the quality or fit of parts.

I must be very lucky. In defence of SCA, the 2 stores I deal with around here are all manned (and one woman) by old car huts. The staff carpark you'll usually see a 71 HQ wagon, a lowered stock looking HZ Statesman, a few of X series Falcons and find they're plenty savvy on tracking parts quickly.
My local Ford dealer has an older guy must have part numbers etched into his memory Auto8 bricks and mortar store around the corner and Global Trim just up the road in Wodonga.

Going into Repco on the other hand is like what's a Panel Van. Bursons here is OK for some parts and tools.

Edit PS I've never gone out to buy a part based on its price.

[arm79]

Originally Posted by FTE217

in bold pretty obvious 2 differing company backgrounds going to market.
Rep the obvious long time Trade supplier, Bursons came later as known.
Trade is their DNA -

I'm assuming its along the same lines as a discussion I had with a friend who is a long time manager at various Reece stores. I was having a dig at their pricing, much like Repco, and he explained they did it on purpose to protect their trade customers.

Their retail prices are set so high it gives the DIY market reason and stop and say "maybe it's worth getting a plumber to do it. Might be cheaper and it gets done right for only a few $$$ more". But it means a very large proportion of the population like me avoid them at all costs.

Originally Posted by roKWiz

I must be very lucky. In defence of SCA, the 2 stores I deal with around here are all manned (and one woman) by old car huts.

Going into Repco on the other hand is like what's a Panel Van. Bursons here is OK for some parts and tools.

I know this comes down to personal experience and its different everywhere. The SCAs that I've experienced are basically supermarkets and the best you can get out of the staff is to be pointed in the right direction or they search the catalogue at the shelf for you. Although staff that stay at a store long term get to know things.

Whereas the Repco here are exceptional. The store is run by 3 ladies who know their sh*t. It's just their prices I cant stomach.

I remember once i bought on of those shifter cable replacement bushes from them. Part was $35, tad more pricey than normal, but only a tad and they had it on hand. Next time I need another 3 months later I was told HO realised these little bushes were good sellers and the new RRP was $80. Cha-Ching!!!

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Auto8 bricks and mortar store around the corner and Global Trim just up the road in Wodonga.

I'd bought a few things from Auto8 online in the past. They had lots of NOS genuine and brand name stock at good prices, so they were my first port of call for lots of things. Turns out they are scummy a$$holes who don't like honouring warranties though. Make up every excuse in the book to avoid them and burnt me twice. Reviews say I'm not alone. Which is a shame because they were otherwise a good business, but I won't touch them again.

Could say they are my version of what Sparesbox is to CB.

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Edit PS I've never gone out to buy a part based on its price.

So you never check to see if the price you are paying for the same part is considerably more than the business next door or across town? Your pockets are deeper than mine then.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by arm79

I'm assuming its along the same lines as a discussion I had with a friend who is a long time manager at various Reece stores. I was having a dig at their pricing, much like Repco, and he explained they did it on purpose to protect their trade customers.

Their retail prices are set so high it gives the DIY market reason and stop and say "maybe it's worth getting a plumber to do it. Might be cheaper and it gets done right for only a few $$$ more". But it means a very large proportion of the population like me avoid them at all costs.



I know this comes down to personal experience and its different everywhere. The SCAs that I've experienced are basically supermarkets and the best you can get out of the staff is to be pointed in the right direction or they search the catalogue at the shelf for you. Although staff that stay at a store long term get to know things.

Whereas the Repco here are exceptional. The store is run by 3 ladies who know their sh*t. It's just their prices I cant stomach.

I remember once i bought on of those shifter cable replacement bushes from them. Part was $35, tad more pricey than normal, but only a tad and they had it on hand. Next time I need another 3 months later I was told HO realised these little bushes were good sellers and the new RRP was $80. Cha-Ching!!!



I'd bought a few things from Auto8 online in the past. They had lots of NOS genuine and brand name stock at good prices, so they were my first port of call for lots of things. Turns out they are scummy a$$holes who don't like honouring warranties though. Make up every excuse in the book to avoid them and burnt me twice. Reviews say I'm not alone. Which is a shame because they were otherwise a good business, but I won't touch them again.

Could say they are my version of what Sparesbox is to CB.



So you never check to see if the price you are paying for the same part is considerably more than the business next door or across town? Your pockets are deeper than mine then.

FFS, I ain't stupid and know what things cost. Considering I deal only with these places in person so don't get burned (as you say) online.

[mad2]

Originally Posted by arm79

I'd bought a few things from Auto8 online in the past. They had lots of NOS genuine and brand name stock at good prices, so they were my first port of call for lots of things. Turns out they are scummy a$$holes who don't like honouring warranties though. Make up every excuse in the book to avoid them and burnt me twice. Reviews say I'm not alone. Which is a shame because they were otherwise a good business, but I won't touch them again.

Could say they are my version of what Sparesbox is to CB.

well i best stay away from em then

Originally Posted by arm79

If this is your first foray into the DIY car repairs, then I can understand the trepidation and need for certainty. If that's what your after, then big chain stores are the way to go, just be prepared to pay the extra... Until you get more comfortable and confident. Until then there are plenty here who will help and offer advice. Just a matter of putting up a post.

https://www.repco.com.au/en/parts-se...28k/p/A9681629

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/313465166298

$50 is alot of coin for wanting to be to collect it at a store. Unless you want it there and then, then you have no choice.

Supercrap sell their own Calibre version for $99. Bought one recently, wasn't impressed with the quality or fit of parts.

what about OLAP

[arm79]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

FFS, I ain't stupid and know what things cost. Considering I deal only with these places in person so don't get burned (as you say) online.

So you do buy stuff based on price? Or am I missing something?

Auto8 were listing warranty periods on their listings that they wouldn't acknowledge or honour when it came round to providing the warranty.

Originally Posted by mad2

what about OLAP

Haven't tried their brand gaskets. The 2 valve covers I've done recently were a spur of the moment thing, so took what I could get locally. Have a preference for Permaseal stuff as I suspect they made it for Ford in the first place.

Couldn't be worse that the Calibre stuff I suppose. The throttle body gasket was so thin I couldn't get it to seal properly. And the rocker cover gasket itself was slightly too small and too thin, so it wouldn't properly stay in place unless I used alot more silicone than I usually do.

If I think of doing one ahead of time I'd probably give one a crack. The Tora boot struts are good value. I've bought a few tools off them that have been decent quality. Wasn't impressed with their window regs though, or the aftermarket ones in general. Don't seem to last.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by arm79

You might have heard of MSY computers. Many people hate them with a passion, but I truly LOVE them.

They barely offer any service at all to customers, pre or post sale and operate out of dodgy looking store fronts. You walk in and say "I want a 2Tb WD X model Hard Drive. If not, this Seagate one" or "I need a second monitor for my laptop to for word or Excel, whats the cheapest" and they say "X or Y" and you choose, pay and walk out. If they have to spend more than 5 mins selling something to you they get all sh*tty. I watched a sales person walk away from a customer once because he felt the customer was being difficult and the sale was wasting his time. The shouting match after was epic.

But the bonus is a general saving in the 20% range over major retailers who will dote over you to make the sale.

MSY in Pascoe Vale was epic, it was this dodgy shop front in a ****ty old building with computer parts stacked up to the ceiling and people would line up around the corner before they opened.

Their website was just text and a price list and that was it - this was what it looked like:



It was THE place to go to if you knew what you wanted.

[arm79]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

MSY in Pascoe Vale was epic, it was this dodgy shop front in a ****ty old building with computer parts stacked up to the ceiling and people would line up around the corner before they opened.

Their website was just text and a price list and that was it - this was what it looked like:

image

It was THE place to go to if you knew what you wanted.

They are legendary, still legendary to some extent.

I was very happy when they opened a store in Altona North. Saved me from travelling to North Melbourne for stuff. I very rarely went to Pascoe Vale as they were always sold out of stuff the day the container came in. You couldn't beat their version of the Myer stocktake sale lines.

Not as big as they once were anymore. Number of shops have halved. Probably have to do with getting stung by the ACCC a couple of times and the nearly $1m in fines they had to pay.

But the parts price list PDF hasn't changed in over a decade. Bless them for keeping some things the same for us old timers.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by arm79

I'm assuming its along the same lines as a discussion I had with a friend who is a long time manager at various Reece stores. I was having a dig at their pricing, much like Repco, and he explained they did it on purpose to protect their trade customers.

Their retail prices are set so high it gives the DIY market reason and stop and say "maybe it's worth getting a plumber to do it. Might be cheaper and it gets done right for only a few $$$ more". But it means a very large proportion of the population like me avoid them at all costs.

Yeah it works on a price matrix which is usually RRP - a discount percentage, but it also depends on the market for that product taking into account the competition.

To put it into perspective our price matrix consisted of the following:

OEM (contracted pricing)
Retail
Cash Trade
Trade Workshop
- Small
- Medium
- Large
Reseller
- Small
- Medium
- Large
Wholesale Distributor
- Small
- Medium
- Large
Fleet
- Small
- Medium
- Large

Thats 15 different pricing structures.

So of those 15 different pricing structures there was 8 different product categories that all 15 of those pricing structures had varying levels of discounts from each other depending on the market.

If you're buying at the retail, cash trade or trade workshop pricing structure then you're getting screwed.

From my perspective, I'd rather sell volume to 10-20 various reseller customers at lower prices than 1000 trade customers at a higher margin having to deal with their phone calls.

Over the counter can get ****ed, so they paid RRP + 20%.

Dealing with people over the counter is a waste of resources from a managers perspective, you invest so much time into them, in that time they could have processed so many emails/online orders rather than just one person standing in front of them.

[Captain Stubing]

With the cars I’ve been playing with, I’ve almost exclusively used Rockauto in the USA for parts. From my Sierra (former Merkur XR4Ti, the cheap Jeep Grand Cherokee (XR6T manual utes can’t tow 2T)

My last order was for the F150, working on the back end I ordered 2x Gas-Magnum heavy duty shock absorbers, and a kit for the roll bar rubbers and drop links. With $60 postage it came to $195.

Then fitting the sway bay, I broke the diff mounted Speedo sensor, and found the drop links were bent, so another $90 was spent and it’s in transit.
Delivery is usually between 6-8 days.

My wife works at a new car dealership, her daughter has a VW Tiguan, we got a cheap quote for $680 for an air pump that was leaking oil. I got it for $150 shipped from California.

[Simon2g]

Originally Posted by Captain Stubing

With the cars I’ve been playing with, I’ve almost exclusively used Rockauto in the USA for parts. From my Sierra (former Merkur XR4Ti, the cheap Jeep Grand Cherokee (XR6T manual utes can’t tow 2T)

My last order was for the F150, working on the back end I ordered 2x Gas-Magnum heavy duty shock absorbers, and a kit for the roll bar rubbers and drop links. With $60 postage it came to $195.

Then fitting the sway bay, I broke the diff mounted Speedo sensor, and found the drop links were bent, so another $90 was spent and it’s in transit.
Delivery is usually between 6-8 days.

My wife works at a new car dealership, her daughter has a VW Tiguan, we got a cheap quote for $680 for an air pump that was leaking oil. I got it for $150 shipped from California.

Amazing. 6-8 days from America? Wow.

[Captain Stubing]

Originally Posted by Simon2g

Amazing. 6-8 days from America? Wow.

They use FedEx, Rockauto is like an Aussie Repco, but cheaper. If you can get the parts from the west coast you save a day or two. Parts get moved to the west coast, from where ever they originated, then stopover in Hawaii, then to Sydney, then to whatever area in Aus you are in.


Another trick I found, I needed drop links plus a speed sensor. I add a heap of different examples to my cart, then on checkout I look for the two coming from the same origin, then remove the rest. Cuts down on shipping charges if the whole order comes from one place, rather than two, three or more.

[Citroënbender]

I had a RockAuto order arrive super fast on standard/economy freight yesterday. Ordered ~11PM Thursday last, delivered 10AM Monday. It came via FDX75, the weekend freight hop, not the weekday FDX77 which is even more direct.

[malbaby]

Fedex from the USA is much quicker than USPS.

[Franco Cozzo]

UPS (not USPS) also deliver to Australia in a very quick time frame too ex USA.

Fedex and both UPS really have their service sorted to Australian customers, does anyone use Summit Racing at all? Was buying stuff at retail pricing from them cheaper than our own Singapore based supplier.

If anyone is keen on oldskool Stewart Warner instrumentation, Summit Racing has a whole heap of it real cheap too.

[arm79]

Powerbulbs in the UK are brilliant. Usually Half price or better compared to local prices for same bulb. Delivery time is quoted at 7 to 10 business days but they normally turn up in 5 to 7.

It's frustrating that it takes longer to get sent something from Melb to Qld than it does half way around the world.

If LED globes are your thing I've found LED Shop Online in Qld to have great quality stuff at really good prices. Their H4 LED headlight bulb is exceptional.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by arm79

Powerbulbs in the UK are brilliant. Usually Half price or better compared to local prices for same bulb. Delivery time is quoted at 7 to 10 business days but they normally turn up in 5 to 7.

It's frustrating that it takes longer to get sent something from Melb to Qld than it does half way around the world.

If LED globes are your thing I've found LED Shop Online in Qld to have great quality stuff at really good prices. Their H4 LED headlight bulb is exceptional.

I believe PowerBulbs like some other online overseas sellers will have a distributor warehouse located in Australia hence the reason of quick delivery.

[arm79]

Originally Posted by Itsme

I believe PowerBulbs like some other online overseas sellers will have a distributor warehouse located in Australia hence the reason of quick delivery.

If they do its something recent.

All the stuff I've ordered comes ex-UK via Royal Mail and is labelled as such.