Folks Of Interest Hot Rod Parts & Free Shipping

Ordered more parts for the next roadster today from a regular supplier of mine. I googled the same parts and they came up as available at Speedway. Couple thousand dollars worth of parts and Speedway would have them drop shipped from the factory freight free. I'll stick with my guy even though it'll cost me shipping. I live within spitting distance (100 miles) from Speedway but continue to buy from the smaller hot rod parts vendors. We need to support these smaller hot rod parts vendors so they'll always be here to give us the individual service we need. Some day if we're not careful a few companies like Speedway, Summit, Jeg's will control the industry and it will change how we buy our parts. If anyone doubts the power of one large company to screw up and industry think HOLLEY

 

Here in Memphis we used to have 3 speed shops and Early Ford Parts which is where I used to work at in my teens. Now they have all closed and Holley owns RHS, Comp Cams, TCI and Lunati. All local players that I could just walk in and get whatever I needed custom ground, built or machined, but not anymore….

 

It seems like everything comes full circle, including vendors who supply parts.
Every business started small and if small businesses are absorbed by larger businesses, customer service can sometimes
suffer in the process.
There is no such thing as “ free shipping “.
Someone has to pay for it.
Good for you for supporting small business.

Jim

 

Gary, having been in business myself I believe in supporting local business, I took may be able to save a few bucks dealing with the big box stores but the locals need support, Brendas Flower shop is a family owned business and she tries hard that the big guys, she stays late all the time to help out her customers, she has even went to the shop on Sunday if it's necessary. HRP

 

LeBaron Bonney is the best example of one large company screwing up an entire supply of parts

 

Gary, that’s a fact. Worse than the Mr Gasket disaster a few decades ago

 

I'm a cautionary tale. Last local Mom and Pop parts place closed years ago. All chain garbage, still a few a couple of cities over. The other downside is A LOT of new parts also **** no matter who sells them.

 

My local auto parts store isn't mom and pop but its not a big box chain either. I buy all my filters and fluids from them even though I could get them a bit cheaper at Wallyworld or Rock Auto. I buy almost all my hard parts from them as well. They pull out the old catalogues to find the odd ball old stuff I regularly deal with. The way I look at it if people continue to shun the little guy to save a few pennies then eventually the little guy will be gone. And then you'll have to order a 59 cent O ring on line and pay $10.00 shipping because the auto parts store who used to have it in stock is now a Dollar General Store. JMO

 

I quit doing mail order ever since they stopped C.O.D. That’s how traditional I am , 3 “ cuffs and all !!!

 

OH ****, don't bring back that cuff length debate..........I can't live through it again.

 

Actually, COD still exists ( https://faq.usps.com/s/article/Collect-on-Delivery) but it is a very poor business concept. As a business, I am shipping you goods, but I am then waiting for you to pay, plus covering the COD charge. That means I have no income to replace inventory, pay my operating expenses or pay my staff. It's a bit the reverse of having the customer pay upfront and then I send the product, but that makes more sense as a business.

 

I'll be a contrary voice here. As I grow older, the disposable income ain't what it used to be. The parts guys I dealt with aren't there either. I will check the price on Rock Auto, Amazon, etc. The search engines are wonderful. When I need some obscure item (rubber hose that is brake fluid resistant for my remote reservoir, for example) I know that I will draw a blank stare from the locals but Google is my friend.

 

Up until 2-3 years ago. I can’t remember. I had the best hole in the wall parts store that had been open since ‘48 and run by the same family for 40 of those years. He had 2 daughters and they didn’t have an interest in auto parts. He ended up shutting the doors after trying to sell for a few years. I wasn’t in a position to buy the place but I wanted to.

nowadays I grab stuff off rockauto. I’d rather give them some money vs Advanced auto

 

Too add a little to my story with this quote ^^^. No matter what place you buy parts from (chain or local), you should be looking up your own parts first.......always do your own research first. I just like giving my money to mom and pop places first (local if I had any). My last one would work with me on belts and hoses. I narrowed it down to a couple options first at home, I could order multiple products over the phone, then take them home to check out and purchase only the ones I needed. I used to buy EVERYTHING from them, oil, batteries, fasteners for all the cars I worked on (old and new). He even told me "you can buy that cheaper at....", I told him "I know" and bought it from him anyway. But sadly I was one of the few and he closed down after being in business since 1984.

 

Don't have any issues with Speedway Motors as they tend to have favorable prices & within pickup distance, would hope the tax dollars & employment aid our economy, but yes, I really do miss the independent parts stores for every day repair parts & the knowledge they were more than willing to share.

 

The last time I was in my local NAPA store the 2 counter guys couldn’t stop ********tin with each other long enough to ask me what I needed until an attractive young woman stepped thru the door. Then they tripped over each other trying to get to her to help. That was almost a year ago and I haven’t been back. At least at O’Reillys they try to take care of you. When I was a kid working in my Dad’s gas station, NAPA was the place to go. Most of the counter guys didn’t even have to look at the parts books when you told them what you needed, they knew the numbers and what shelf it was on.

 

C.O.D. means Cash On Demand around here.

 

Mail order charges tax based on your zipcode. I always ***umed it would go the that state. Ie I buy from a state that has 5% tax, I get charged my 8.5%, the 8.5 % goes back to California.
Is that incorrect?

 

Other than Cash on Demand being a cute little Christmas movie from 1961, I'm not sure what you mean?

 

That is correct. PA charges 6% and that's what shows up on all my e-orders-Amazon, etc.

 

So really is a matter of who you want to take the money. I get that if there’s a place local. heck, we don’t have much small business around here anymore, few places to eat at, but mostly name places.

So heck, I’m now an online shopper unless I need it ASAP.

 

We're fortunate to live near a small college town. Lots of good non-chain restaurants downtown and the chains are out on the highway-with more coming. Apparently, we need a McD's, Perkins, WaWa, Sheetz,,Panera and a couple more all within mile. with more building, who's going to divvy up the already diminishing bland food customers?

 

We are lucky in the Fort Worth Tx area to have a couple of old time parts stores. One I try to use is Strouds. They have been in business since 1963. They have a set of books and use them when need be.

 

Over a month old, but news about one of the biggies
https://www.theautopian.com/heres-why-more-than-700-advance-auto-parts-locations-are-shutting-down/
Considering the corporate mindset I've seen, it's not surprising.

 

Our last family owned parts store closed 3 -4 years ago. The last few years before they closed, they didn't seem to update their inventory. If you wanted or needed something old, it was your place to go at 2x the cost, if you wanted stuff that was not already at least 2 years old, they would order something for you at 4x the cost and at least a week wait.

I do support the local parts stores when I can, but increasingly, they have very few parts in stock that I need. When I need to order parts that are not in a near by warehouse, its a week away and they charge me shipping. When I can order the same thing myself for less money, and get it faster then they can get it for me, I'm not handing them my money.

 

The only local performance parts store we've had since forever folded a few years ago. Up until then, I always went there for parts, despite being almost an hour each way with Austin traffic. Even if it cost me a few bucks more or I had to wait a little longer to receive my parts, it was always a good chat with the counter guys and I always left with some more knowledge.

 

I completely agree with the sentiment & always try to support other small businesses like myself! Here is the rub....I have been buying from Summit since 1978 when they were a small business in a tiny strip building on Gilchrist rd. in Akron, not going to stop buying from them because they became
successful.

To their credit....Their customer service has never gone down, in fact it could be said that it got better over time.

God Bless & Merry Christmas
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/

 

The owner of one of the local stores has been a friend for decades. He and I had a discussion better than a year ago about this subject. He's aware that most of his customers need it now, not later. Most everybody has a cheaper source. I still use that store because of service. He's going to retire next year. I'm fearful for the end result.

 

One of the pluses of living where I do is there is a locally owned parts store that has been in business for years.
He has a machine shop attached. Nothing fancy but the guy stays busy. They do any engine work except cranks.
The owner also has a smaller store in a nearby town.
He also owns the local NAPA store but it has had some problems with sorry personnel and they’ve been replaced.
They do carry and mix paint.
Usually the main store has a wait at the counter. The guys are knowledgeable and know how to lookup stuff. If they can’t find it, the owner has a library of catalogs and he can find it. If they don’t stock it, they will have it the next day.
Their only compe***ion is Advance and AZ and it’s best to have a part number when you go in.
I don’t buy a lot, but it comes from Smith’s or nowhere.

 

I was online the other day buying a few things I need for the shop from Summit. I was so pleased that for once in my life the total barely exceeded the 100 dollar free shipping mark without adding **** I don't need...just to find out that new "fee shipping" total has to be $125.00. I got some extra hand wipes and electrical tape if anyone is interested.