The price of parts and where to buy

[devo]

T'other day (sat arvo) I went in to my local supercheap to pick up a couple of spark plugs for my bike.
Unfortuanately they only had the one so I went down the road to the local Repco.
Yup, they had a couple for me,$10.50 each thankyou.I politely told the seller they were only $6.90 at supercheap and would he adjust to suit and he refused.Needless to say I spun on my heel and used the door.
So today I walk in to BNT and buy a pair of the same plugs,$6.10 ea thank you.
I now know where I will be buying all my parts in the future and it certainly wont be Ripco. BNT if I can get there or Supercheap on a weekend.
If you still arnt convinced,a few months back I checked out prices for an oil filter for my beemer car.
Repco - Ryco $58.00
supercheap - Ryco $27.00.
local beemer workshop- (OEM part) $28.00

[SMOKEU]

REPCO - Ripping Every Poor Cunt Off.

[pzkpfw]

...
local beemer workshop- (OEM part) $28.00

That's what I found with my Toyota, getting brake pads and rotors.

I'd avoided the dealer as I expected outrageous prices. But then SuperCheap and Repco couldn't even find the correct parts for me (English assembled oddball) and I went to the dealer in desperation.

It turned out the dealer prices were just fine; not far off what one of the 3rd party suppliers would have charged *. Weird.

(* and they knew what parts to give me.)

[imdying]

That's what I found with my Toyota, getting brake pads and rotors.

I'd avoided the dealer as I expected outrageous prices. But then SuperCheap and Repco couldn't even find the correct parts for me (English assembled oddball) and I went to the dealer in desperation.

It turned out the dealer prices were just fine; not far off what one of the 3rd party suppliers would have charged *. Weird.

(* and they knew what parts to give me.)Yep, Toyota OEM parts aren't that badly priced, and I dare say you would have received a superior product that would have been worth any extra asking in any case.

Repco aren't a rip off... they're a mom and pa auto parts store with all of the resultant overheads that go with that. Good luck with getting parts from BNT on a Sunday.

[devo]

Repco aren't a rip off... they're a mom and pa auto parts store with all of the resultant overheads that go with that. Good luck with getting parts from BNT on a Sunday.
Sure, but 50 to 100% more than supercheap.

[neels]

Yep agree with all of the above.

Spark plugs for my bike $5.50 from the local suzuki dealer, must be damn close to cost price, $7-10 anywhere else.

Air filter for my vw golf around $50 from repco, if I bought the old one in to compare with the one they could get from auckland that *might* be the right one, they couldn't even cross reference the oem number on the old one. Rang the vw dealer, $22 ex australia.

Brake rotors for my son's merc $64 from BNT, $99 from repco.

Shop around and don't be afraid to ring the dealer....

[imdying]

Sure, but 50 to 100% more than supercheap.Sure... 100-200% mark up is absolutely nothing unusual in auto parts. 400-600% isn't that unusual either for that matter.

[devo]

Sure... 100-200% mark up is absolutely nothing unusual in auto parts. 400-600% isn't that unusual either for that matter.
I think you missed my point
I'm not complaining about the margins in the parts industry
I was pointing out there excessive mark up compared to other suppliers in the same industry.
And my intention was not to just grizzle, but to enlighten others who may not have thought to check around on price variations. I know that I for one use to just walk into repco and pay whatever the price. I now know better.

[Swoop]

Repco - Ryco $58.00
supercheap - Ryco $27.00.
local beemer workshop- (OEM part) $28.00
Did you try Appco? They are the "trade" outlet of Ripco.

[devo]

Did you try Appco? They are the "trade" outlet of Ripco.

Dont have one on the Kapiti coast unfortunately

[SMOKEU]

Repco aren't a rip off... they're a mom and pa auto parts store with all of the resultant overheads that go with that. Good luck with getting parts from BNT on a Sunday.

Have you been to Supercheap on Colombo St? They're quite cheap, they open on Sundays and their staff are very knowledgeable and helpful. If Supercheap Colombo St can do it, why can't Repco?

[devo]

Have you been to Supercheap on Colombo St? They're quite cheap, they open on Sundays and their staff are very knowledgeable and helpful. If Supercheap Colombo St can do it, why can't Repco?

Exactly my point.

[imdying]

Have you been to Supercheap on Colombo St? They're quite cheap, they open on Sundays and their staff are very knowledgeable and helpful. If Supercheap Colombo St can do it, why can't Repco?Gales? You're comparing Repco to them? They have basically no overheads... and no stock. If you can't answer that question for yourself, then you need to spend a few years learning about business! Repco can afford to have an employee spend 20 minutes attending to some grandma who only wants to buy wiper blades and have them fitted... providing that sort of service would put Gales out of business (that's not to say they wouldn't provide you good service, or fit your blades if you asked them nicely and they were quiet). The two business models are so far apart it is difficult to compare them. One thing I can tell you for certain is that Repco will still be in business next year, and can afford to lose employees (or rather the knowledge in their heads). If you want things cheaper at Repco, simply apply for a trade card.

[imdying]

I think you missed my pointNo I didnt... you implied that 50-100% was a lot... I'm telling you that in autoparts that sort of variation isn't unusual in the slightest as they have a huge margin in it. Repco is for the motoring public... the public expects sales for good discounting... they do that by having high retails. It's like buying at Briscoes... do you know anybody stupid enough to pay retail at Briscoes? Anybody?

[SMOKEU]

Gales? You're comparing Repco to them? They have basically no overheads... and no stock. If you can't answer that question for yourself, then you need to spend a few years learning about business! Repco can afford to have an employee spend 20 minutes attending to some grandma who only wants to buy wiper blades and have them fitted... providing that sort of service would put Gales out of business (that's not to say they wouldn't provide you good service, or fit your blades if you asked them nicely and they were quiet). The two business models are so far apart it is difficult to compare them. One thing I can tell you for certain is that Repco will still be in business next year, and can afford to lose employees (or rather the knowledge in their heads). If you want things cheaper at Repco, simply apply for a trade card.

The guys at Gales spend a lot more time helping me than those at Repco. I always get the feeling at Repco that they want to make a sale as quickly as possible and get me out of there ASAP, whereas at Gales they never do that. I always found Gales well stocked with all the items I needed.

[imdying]

The guys at Gales spend a lot more time helping me than those at Repco.When they can, they will, I said as much myself. But the simple economic reality is they do not have the number of staff required to faff about with every other person's bullshit to make $20; like all of their ilk they rely on a fine balance of margin and volumes.


I always get the feeling at Repco that they want to make a sale as quickly as possible and get me out of there ASAP, whereas at Gales they never do that.Not that you've noticed at least...


I always found Gales well stocked with all the items I needed.If you think that Gales have the stock level of even one Repco branch, then I can't help you.

[huff3r]

When they can, they will, I said as much myself. But the simple economic reality is they do not have the number of staff required to faff about with every other person's bullshit to make $20; like all of their ilk they rely on a fine balance of margin and volumes.

Not that you've noticed at least...

If you think that Gales have the stock level of even one Repco branch, then I can't help you.

You obviously don't get out much. Every Repco I've been too has had stuff all stock compared to Supercheap, and the staff have been nothing short of unhelpful.

I've heard REPCO like employing ex-supercheap employees because of the extra training supercheap gives to them. (Although many clearly don't retain any of it, when I worked there they had a CBT mechanics program that every employee did at least 1hr a week of.)