Dealer prices too high?

[D2Cat]

Needed a fuel element, 15521-43160 Kubota part number.

Looked it up online at Coleman Implement. $3.48 but I need it now and don't want to drive.

Call local O'Reilly Auto and ask them. "Need a fuel filter for a Kubota L3250 tractor", I say. They want to know what year. I say, "Will it help if I give you the Kubota part number? Can you cross reference it?"

They finally get it located. $17.49, and in stock. That was last night. I called again today to get a different person and start over. Same price today!! For an off the wall imitation fuel element, not genuine Kubota only similar.

I had to make a run to a town 20 miles away that also had a Kubota dealer right by the road I was on. Stopped in there, in stock $4.05.

Don't always think the Dealer is higher then everyone else.

 

[1970cs]

Amen to that! I work for a dealer. Some times there are cheaper priced units out there on line but some are not O.E.

And if you and other people stop using your local dealer for buying stuff. You run the risk of that dealer going out and then when you need them, it will cost you more time and money to go another 1/2 hour or more to the next.

Now I do understand that some, may have had a fallout with the local dealer due to various reasons.

FYI if a O.E. replacement part fails and takes out other pieces, most manufacturers will pay for parts and labor by parts warranty. Try that with aftermarket.

We also sell aftermarket and yes 98% they are good. Just had an instance in the last week. A water pump the pulley had lip on the back side 5 times thicker than the O.E. and they did not press the pulley on flush with the end of the bearing shaft. Customer stated that the belt would run partially on that lip and squeal!

We had to take it apart and press that pulley so close to the housing, you might have gotten .020 shim in between.

And as side note the shaft size on the O.E. piece was 1" and aftermarket was .75"

I had an instance with my old car for parts, looked on line for a very supportive restoration parts supplier price was $130.00 plus another $20.00 for shipping for a Moog centerlink .

I looked online with the local NAPA they had the same part number from Moog for $26.99 in stock.

Your money is green and can be spent any place you like, just do your homework and bare in mind some of the things that I had mentioned above.

Pat

 

[MadMax31]

I try to buy everything else from my Dealer. Yes, Barlow sold me my tractor, but if I need real help Ill have some relationship with the faces behind the counter.

Im at 46 hours now, and I know theres a debate on the Facebook BX page but Im changing all fluids and filters. Just need the UDT2 from the Dealer and a free Saturday to get it done.

 

[RCW]

'Cat -

While not entirely analogous to your situation, I've found most of the "typical" stuff is cheaper at the local dealer than Messicks or Coleman due to shipping.

In my case, the local guy is 5 minutes from work - stop at lunchtime.....about as convenient as it gets!

I have bought some from Messicks and Coleman when they had stuff in stock that local dealer didn't have - and they turn it around faster. That's only been a couple occasions.

 

[D2Cat]

'Cat -

While not entirely analogous to your situation, I've found most of the "typical" stuff is cheaper at the local dealer than Messicks or Coleman due to shipping.

In my case, the local guy is 5 minutes from work - stop at lunchtime.....about as convenient as it gets!

I have bought some from Messicks and Coleman when they had stuff in stock that local dealer didn't have - and they turn it around faster. That's only been a couple occasions.

I agree, shipping is a factor in any purchase.

Coleman is local to me (40 min.) and their prices are usually just a tad bit lower the two other dealers that are 22 miles East and West of me. Coleman also has a HUGE inventory, gets items from the warehouse quickly, and extremely knowledgeable personnel.

 

[lugbolt]

Autozone, Oreilly, Advance/Kragen/Parts America are all doomed, IMO. Prices are higher than a cat's back. They all sell the exact same parts (same brands even), they all have mostly the same parts in stock, others have to be ordered and their warehouses mostly have the same stuff in stock. But get this-the ONLY difference between those major chains is the warranty, their rewards program, and which side of the street they're on. Poor marketing, in my opinion.

I shop oreilly locally because the autozone store employees are allowed to smoke inside the building, and I'm real sensitive. Also illegal, but apparently they don't care. Local Oreilly is a little more professional in that sense. But 20 min away, just the opposite-less professional than Autozone is, and a WHOLE lot less professional than NAPA. At least the napa guys and gals know what part is what instead of giving you the "uhhhh" look when you tell 'em what you need. But get this. There's 3 locations for the 3 big names (autozone, advance, oreilly). All 3 are within a block of each other at those 3 locations, so there's 9 stores in a town of 70,000, not counting bumper-to-bumper, napa, and the one independent store. They all compete with each other but the price doesn't show competition.

I always try to buy online if possible. Usually stock up on a few filters and some fluids if I have the space to keep them. Rockauto blows the parts store chain prices away even with shipping.

What gets me is used to online retailers for Kubota parts were really reasonable. Not so much anymore. Prices at the dealer I used to work at are about the same, within a buck or two in most cases, then Messick's. Same for Kawasaki, Honda, and to an extent Yamaha-that I know of. Haven't messed with suzuki in ages.

 

[BAP]

Autozone, Oreilly, Advance/Kragen/Parts America are all doomed, IMO. Prices are higher than a cat's back. They all sell the exact same parts (same brands even), they all have mostly the same parts in stock, others have to be ordered and their warehouses mostly have the same stuff in stock. But get this-the ONLY difference between those major chains is the warranty, their rewards program, and which side of the street they're on. Poor marketing, in my opinion.

I shop oreilly locally because the autozone store employees are allowed to smoke inside the building, and I'm real sensitive. Also illegal, but apparently they don't care. Local Oreilly is a little more professional in that sense. But 20 min away, just the opposite-less professional than Autozone is, and a WHOLE lot less professional than NAPA. At least the napa guys and gals know what part is what instead of giving you the "uhhhh" look when you tell 'em what you need. But get this. There's 3 locations for the 3 big names (autozone, advance, oreilly). All 3 are within a block of each other at those 3 locations, so there's 9 stores in a town of 70,000, not counting bumper-to-bumper, napa, and the one independent store. They all compete with each other but the price doesn't show competition.

I always try to buy online if possible. Usually stock up on a few filters and some fluids if I have the space to keep them. Rockauto blows the parts store chain prices away even with shipping.

What gets me is used to online retailers for Kubota parts were really reasonable. Not so much anymore. Prices at the dealer I used to work at are about the same, within a buck or two in most cases, then Messick's. Same for Kawasaki, Honda, and to an extent Yamaha-that I know of. Haven't messed with suzuki in ages.

That's funny, I always found Rockauto to much more expensive than the local places.

 

[D2Cat]

I find Rockauto always competitive with what I find in local stores. Their a family owned business.

In their recent newsletter had an article about a supplier who was telling them what they had to sell their goods for. Don't remember the name, but it was a major supplier. They quit handling that brand, but said they would honor warranty on sold items.

I appreciate them not falling under that kind of control.

Here's a link. https://www.rockauto.com/Newsletter/