Price fixing on resto-parts

[4U2NV1986]

Isn't it amazing how all of the big four resto-part companies have a price fix between them? How can four independent companies have pricing within $2-$3 bucks of each other on the same items, and all with $7-$9 dollar shipping charges regardless of actual product weight and size. This blows my mind!

All CAC members need to ban together and select one source for members to buy from. The company needs to be willing to offer us (members of CAC) a substantial discount based on some sort of a group membership arrangement.

Too many Corvette owners are getting hosed on the price for resto-parts, and the time to stop this is now!

Profit is the grease that makes these resto-parts available to all of us, but competition should make them affordable.

Respond with your thoughts, as to the best company to approach. ie Ecklers, Mid America Designs, Zip products, Corvette America, Corvette Central, ect...

They are all similar demons.ad

 

[tyrel]

I've always suspected that there was a certain degree of price-fixing, especially when you can find a lot of items on Ebay for much less. Case in point: weatherstripping. It used to be outrageously expensive in the catalogs, but the price in the catalogs has dropped significantly, possibly because you can find many of the pieces, new, on Ebay and the parts houses have to drop their prices accordingly in order to compete. However, some things are still difficult to get. I'm still looking for a new console lid and have emailed vettes.com repeatedly but they just ignore me. The last 84-89 console lid on Ebay went up to $160, for a stupid little piece of plastic. So maybe it's the market that drives the price, I don't know. Just bought a remanufactured a/c compressor from a reputable Ebay vendor for half the price I could find it locally. If you want to save money, Ebay is the way to go.

 

[4U2NV1986]

Price fixing

I never really considered e-bay as a qualified source for parts. I'll have to check them out. Thanks for the tip.

Oh the horror of weatherstrip prices, what a joke. It more like highway robbery. I wanted to get my convertable top done, and by the time the guy added up all of the questionable weatherstrip pieces, the actual rag top cover was the least expensive thing. Go figure.

Everybody deserves to make reasonable profit, but these big part houses got us by the you know what. The funny thing at least up here in Ohio is that even junk yards wised up. You used to be able to pull one over on them by simply making a part you tore off of one of their salvage cars look bad by smearing dirt or oil on the part. Now everything is sold at 1/2 off Mfg. suggested book list, regardless.

Thanks

 

[Eagle85C4]

EBAY is an exceptional place to buy parts....I bought my vette off of EBAY sight unseen, flew out from Ohio to VA. Beach and drove it home, cost....3000.00. 1985 red z-51. New interior...all off of ebay, tires, rims exhaust, brakes, rotors,weather stripping and every little part that comes up missing over the years off of EBAY.

New heads, cam and intake, ported and polished with edelbrock runners...all off of ebay.

All told I think I got over 10,000.00 worth of items there for a cost of under 4000.00...

EBAY is a great place to buy parts....

 

[4U2NV1986]

This may sound odd, but I never bought anything off of e-bay. Where is the best place to look, or the best way to search for parts?

 

[Tom73]

Isn't it amazing how all of the big four resto-part companies have a price fix between them? How can four independent companies have pricing within $2-$3 bucks of each other on the same items, ...

I don't think it is so much price fixing, more that they all buy their parts from the only source at the same price.

tom...

 

[k&l]

Re: Re: Price fixing on resto-parts

I don't think it is so much price fixing, more that they all buy their parts from the only source at the same price.

tom...

I agree - especially web sites, a lot of them have links that take you to appears to database or same backend source.

 

[elseyj]

I suspect Tom is right. I think a lot of the folks on Ebay are selling warehouse surplus- which is fine in most cases. I found a "great" deal on a nose embem for my '73 - unfortunately it was an attempt at a reproduction and the quality was really poor. FORTUNATELY the seller stood behind it and all I was out was a bit of time.... caveat emptor...

 

[kingman]

Hi

Tom73 hit it on the nose. There is only one company making the parts and selling them to the majors.

Corvette America is the main supply of all parts and resells them to the various catalogs. Didn't you notice that they are always a little higher on their prices. As long as you purchase something they make out.

Right now we must grin and bear it.

As far as Ebay is concerned, l find that most of the parts are priced at almost the same as the various catalogs without the ability to send it back.

Out of 1000 Ebay parts auctions, maybe 5% are private sellers and an unknown amount of crooks.

Alan

 

[Eagle85C4]

Hi

As far as Ebay is concerned, l find that most of the parts are priced at almost the same as the various catalogs without the ability to send it back.

Out of 1000 Ebay parts auctions, maybe 5% are private sellers and an unknown amount of crooks.

Alan

I disagree.......

Show me a catalog with a ported and polished intake for an L-98 for 125.00....
Show me a catalog with a set of Edelbrock runners for 110.00...
Show me a catalog that has the complete interior carpet for an 85 for 325.00...interior lighted mirror for 35.00....door slides for 5.00...door inserts, aluminum with handles for 25.00....

If you cannot find good deals on EBAY or are getting ripped off then you ARE not doing your homework. There are usually 120-140 pages of vette parts on ebay...you have to do some digging and watching and when you find your part at your price you check the feedback on the seller. If you see any negative feedback..move on to the next one. I have practically rebuilt my 85 over the last few years, almost all the parts are from ebay with the majority being genuine GM parts still in the box. All it takes is some time and patience, many times I jumped on a part only to find three days later the same part for much less. If you are getting burned on EBAY it is your own fault. Use paypal to pay, a fellow from Canada had a headlight complete for the drivers side, I bought it paid 150.00, he did not ship it, one email to paypal got my money refunded in three days. In the mean time the headlight arrived and was junk which I sent back much to his dismay. Again take your time, be patient and do the homework...

Eagle


Lessons available upon request...

 

[rocklyons]

Ebay experience

I have been an Ebayer for over 4 years. I have bought a Mercedes Benz and two Corvettes off of Ebay and got good deals on all three. I have bought many parts, manuals and other misc. Corvette items and have only been stung once. (a car cover for $39.00)

I have also sold two cars on Ebay. One buyer was a real jerk, but I still got my money.

As a previous post said, check the sellers feedback. (Check to insure some of the feedback is for selling items, not just buying)Don't buy from overseas or new sellers or people who insist on cash, MO's and cashiers checks. Most of these people will be legit, but it is very difficult to get satisfaction if they are not.

Rock

 

[Eagle85C4]

Hey Marine....

Thanks for the backup...Welcome to CAC...

Retired Capt. USMC call sign "Eagle" CH-46 driver

 

[rocklyons]

Semper Fi

Retired LtCol. A-4 driver. Call sign werewolf.

Rock