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Posted

Jeez, I wish I got that!!! O'reilly's hardly gives me any discount. I've seen where it's cheaper for a customer to walk in and get it. I'm getting ready to drop their certified auto program because of it and look more towards worldpac. Worldpac delivery is hard for us since we don't have a local one, but sometimes it's worth it. It's certainly not worth O'Reilly's threatening a $100 membership fee if I don't buy enough.

Posted

With Advance I have a platinum account and we do all our brake pads with them. We get their Gold Ceramics for $23.99. Doesn't matter which car, Bmw, Mercedes Audi you name it. 

With bigger ticketed items, depending on the sutuation, I ask for a better price. But the best deal is Autozone. They will slash their prices next to nothing to earn business. But for some reason, we just don't deal with autozone too much. It's just that feeling in the back of my mind that quality isn't that great no matter how low the cost. 

Brake pad wise, we have used everybody. Oreilly, Napa, autozone, advance, online etc. hands down lowest comeback percentage with noise etc is Advances Golds. Maybe like 1 out of 300 come back for a slight squeal. Napas pads are almost twice the price and comeback rate was like 40%! Greased pads, used disc brake quiet and everything 

 

  • Like 1
Posted
3 hours ago, mmotley said:

Jeez, I wish I got that!!! O'reilly's hardly gives me any discount. I've seen where it's cheaper for a customer to walk in and get it. I'm getting ready to drop their certified auto program because of it and look more towards worldpac. Worldpac delivery is hard for us since we don't have a local one, but sometimes it's worth it. It's certainly not worth O'Reilly's threatening a $100 membership fee if I don't buy enough.

I'd drop em. Too many competition out there for them to threaten you with petty stuff. Tell them you're going to go with technet lol

Posted
On 3/10/2017 at 0:19 PM, sparkerauto said:

I use advance auto for my main supplier and they are giving me 15% off.  Does this sound about right ?

I just remembered, when I first started out and before I had a commercial account, I was getting 20% off..... I bought everything on AAP website with their 20% off code. I stood in line at the store, bought on my phone and they would pull it for me lol. In fact, I even did this after I got a physical location for a while. Commercial manager just ended up giving me ridiculous deals so that he wouldn't lose to the online store. Believe it or not, the store doesn't get credit for online orders, completely separate part of the  company 

Posted

I use World Pac and SSF due to the fact that I am an import and Saab service center. I do have Oreillys, Advanced and Car quest accounts but SSF and World Pac are my main 2 sources. I have gotten Oreillys to start stocking certain import parts for me since they are 3 doors down but prices are a little higher. 

Posted

I have had decent luck with advance. They give me an across the board pricing of $34.99 for platinum pads. I have had some fitment issues and had to grind some imperfections off the ears that slide into the caliper bracket. 

Radiators, condensers, compressors i get from Cold Air Distributors. They carry name brands and blow the prices out of the water.  Worldpac is good but deliveries take a bit. 

I do wiper stocking through advance and carry a rack of cheapo basic wipers (Kleenview) and they are actually decent. I also stock a rack of beam blades (Xtraclear) and they are fine for the price. Many times customers go for the better but some buy the cheapos and i normally dont lose the sale. 

Their oil filters are supposedly made by Mann Hummel and are fairly cheap. 

Get the commercial sales manager out to your garage and have a chat and tell him what you want and ask what he can do for you. 

Posted
20 minutes ago, [email protected] said:

I have had decent luck with advance. They give me an across the board pricing of $34.99 for platinum pads. I have had some fitment issues and had to grind some imperfections off the ears that slide into the caliper bracket. 

Radiators, condensers, compressors i get from Cold Air Distributors. They carry name brands and blow the prices out of the water.  Worldpac is good but deliveries take a bit. 

I do wiper stocking through advance and carry a rack of cheapo basic wipers (Kleenview) and they are actually decent. I also stock a rack of beam blades (Xtraclear) and they are fine for the price. Many times customers go for the better but some buy the cheapos and i normally dont lose the sale. 

Their oil filters are supposedly made by Mann Hummel and are fairly cheap. 

Get the commercial sales manager out to your garage and have a chat and tell him what you want and ask what he can do for you. 

Lol yes the Kleenviews. $1.99, I have sold a couple of those.

Posted

I did away with all my cheap wipers. Do the math. Pay $1.99 sell $7.99 you make $6. and you know they aren't going to last. Why not pay $7.99 for a much better blade sell for $17.99 make $10? Customers needs are much better met, you make more. I don't believe anybody that comes in with a broken wiper will say no to a $20 fix. You can transfer that mentality to every aspect of your business. Sorry to come across gruff but the parts stores push their garbage on us and it's exactly garbage. 

As pricing goes, we shop around even when we don't have the time. The parts store matrix will jack up your price over time if you become loyal to one supplier. It makes me sick and every shop owner has felt it if they've been around long enough. The only way to combat the creep is to shop them hard. Usually once we start feeling comfortable is when we realize we are overpaying by a few %. Your sales guy will remind you that you are marking up the higher price thus it's a good thing. What they forget or ignore is it's not good to overcharge your customers, the ones that matter the most. 

AZ & others have online coupons for 20% off to anyone that can click a mouse. Something to think about when they are pumping the preferred customer diamond platinum smoke up your you know what. 

Lastly on my rant here is the quality control on aftermarket parts has become so bad I'm thinking about only using oem dealer parts. My reputation suffers when that garbage wheel bearing or power steering component or fuel pump fails in 6 or 8 months. The OE pumps last 10 years. Airtex? I'd bet the farm it ain't going half that. I'm the guy that has to say "your original battery lasted 8 years, great, thanks to corporate greed your new (insert and parts store unit) will last 2 years at best. Thanks please come again" 

 

  • Like 2
Posted
13 minutes ago, xrac said:

Does anyone on here do business with 1-800-Radiator? 

I've used them a few times. Super super cheap pricing. Half of what Napa was with radiators. They have radiators in stock where Napa and every other parts store would have to special order. We only use them once in a blue moon, too inconvenient to order and iffy on the quality.

I have used their ac compressor kits for price but we are a Napa car care center and rather have Napa warranty our labor in case compressor goes out.

Posted
1 minute ago, xrac said:

There stock, pricing and warranty is excellent.  Radiaitor and heater core quality has been o.k.  They are now selling fuel pumps and that quality may be iffy. 

Interesting that they are selling fuel pumps. Do you know what brand?

Posted

My experience with 1800radiator hasn't been great. Ive had too many come backs, and always replace them with a better quality part. I stopped using them. Although its tempting with their super cheap prices.

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  • 1 month later...
Posted
On 3/12/2017 at 10:00 PM, xrac said:

Does anyone on here do business with 1-800-Radiator? 

I have in the past. Radiators and condensers seemed ok, never had issues but they were somewhat "generic" in their fit, Fuel pumps...that's a different story, multiple failures, tows, and frustrated customers put a stop to that quickly. No more fuel pumps.

  • Like 2
Posted
On 3/12/2017 at 11:00 PM, xrac said:

Does anyone on here do business with 1-800-Radiator? 

Sometimes. Depends on what it is, and what they have available.  When they have known-brands, like KoyoRad etc, I jump on them because they're far cheaper than what I can get anywhere else. I shop value, not price and have yet to have an issue with anything from 1-800-Radiator. Except a radiator for a 1992 Buick Century that was simply the wrong part for the car. They took it back no questions asked.

Posted

As for brakes, we use Autozone gold pads and the lower rotors. We always buy pads and rotors as a set. For cars $79.95 and trucks / SUVs $99.95. I'm not sure if all the gold pads are made by Bosch, but I know some are. I can't remember if we ever had a come back for squeaking, but every now and then we will have a come back for pulsation. Been using them for 5 yrs come next month.

Radiator and AC parts we use Performance Radiator. We are their #1 buyer in SE Louisiana area. I know this bc I received a phone call from corporate thanking us for our business. Not too many warranties from their parts, acceptable I would say.

We do have a lot of comebacks for remanufactured alternator and starters, whether it's NAPA or AZ. I don't keep track, but it may be about 20% to 25%. I try to get the new ones from NAPA or AZ if available. Not too many new ones come back.

Ignition coils. Almost every one seems to come back for Nissan and VW coils from AZ. I try to get the Atrom brand from NAPA when available.


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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

         0 comments
      The Technician Shortage Is Our Fault, And It's Time We Own It
      Nearly every day, I hear shop owners complain: "There's a technician shortage. We can't find qualified people. There's no one out there." If that's true, then who's to blame?
      The industry? The schools? The government? I don't know how you feel, but who promised us an endless supply of qualified technicians?
      Another common complaint is that young people do not want to work in the trades. Well, if that were true, then why are other trades such as HVAC, electrical, and plumbing growing? What are they doing that the automotive industry is not? 
      Here's the reality we need to face: We do have a problem, but we shouldn't look for someone or any entity to rescue us. Not the government. Not the trade schools. Not the recruiting companies. No one owes us a workforce. If we want great people in our industry, it's up to us. At some point, we need to own up to the truth: Building a pipeline of qualified technicians is our responsibility.
      In this blog article, I will break down the key reasons we are in this situation today and what we, as an industry, can do to solve the technician shortage. Are you ready to look in the mirror?
      Have We Pushed Technicians Away?
      Let's take a look at flat-rate pay. True flat rate, which pays a technician only for the hours they produce, is a controversial pay plan that emphasizes high production levels and creates a competitive work environment that, if not properly controlled, can lead to increased mistakes and a decline in morale and team spirit. Additionally, the stress and physical demands placed on technicians as they age are not favorable to long-term employee retention. What do we do with technicians as they grow older into their fifties and begin to slow down? 
      I have heard all the arguments and pros and cons of flat-rate pay, and I am not going to judge any pay plan. Let the facts speak for themselves. True flat rate has changed in most areas around the country and has evolved into a pay plan that gives technicians some pay guarantee.
      Many shop owners have learned that team morale, along with the opportunity to earn income, is important to technicians and to the company's long-term success. But let me ask you: how many technicians have left or been pushed out over the years because of the old flat-rate pay system?
      Another issue is the workplace environment. I remember being grateful to be hired as a young technician at a local repair shop. While very thankful, the work environment was not ideal. The shop owner kept the bay doors open year-round (I am from New York) unless it rained or snowed. He felt that if the bay doors were closed, customers might think we were closed for business. We had no heat and no hot water. Many of the jobs were done outside, year-round,  in all types of weather. The starting pay was minimum wage, with no benefits, sick days, or vacation pay. 
      Now, again, I need to point out that I was truly grateful for the opportunity this shop owner gave me. I learned a lot working there, and the experience was pivotal in my career. But looking back, I wonder how many people were discouraged by these working conditions?
      While the physical demands of the repair workplace are daunting, perhaps even more critical is the culture. Too many of my generation shop owners preached the mindset of "my way or the highway." We were the business owners, after all. We started our companies, took all the risks, and provided jobs. Why shouldn't we be the ones to set the ground rules our way?   
      Many of us found over the years that the "my way or the highway" mentality was a sure way to isolate employees and make them more likely to look over the fence for greener grass. In other words, it led many technicians to seek employment elsewhere, where they felt they could be appreciated and recognized for their hard work. The issue, however, was that there wasn't much green grass around. Disappointment after disappointment, bouncing from repair to repair shop, eventually led to despair. So, I ask you: were workplace conditions a contributing factor in today's technician shortage?
      Another factor that we are all well aware of is the complexity of the modern automobile. When I started, the work was mostly physical, and you were required to master essentially three vehicle models: General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. Let's fast-forward to today. The evolution of automotive technology, along with the extensive training and tools required, has outpaced the typical technician's pay compensation, with no clear career path. Again, leading to frustration and insecurity about the future.
      Here is the bottom line: people don't leave their job; they leave their experience. We must do a better job. 
      The News Isn't all Bad; Your Next Steps to Fix the Technician Shortage
      To fix the technician shortage, it will take a combined effort from everyone in the automotive industry, particularly automotive shop owners. Shop owners are in the perfect position to make the greatest impact, not only on their businesses but also on the future automotive workforce.
      First, shop owners must become better leaders and understand that their ultimate success is directly dependent on the people they assemble around them. Any shop owner who mistakenly believes they can build an empire solely on their abilities is destined for serious disappointment. Business owners who think like this will eventually plateau. Without the collective contributions from a team of qualified people, your business will stall; it will not continue to grow.
      Create a workplace that attracts top talent: a clean, professional, well-equipped facility designed to support productivity, teamwork, and a career, not just a job. Build a great reputation in your community by getting involved locally. Become the auto repair shop that people take notice of as "the" place to work.
      Next, shop owners must become more financially knowledgeable. Knowing your numbers and what you need to achieve for a strong bottom-line profit is essential to paying technicians the money they need and deserve. Profit will also allow you to compete with other trade industries by providing a benefits package that has real take-home value and security.
      When it comes to culture, this is where the rubber hits the road. People crave recognition, praise, and a sense of purpose. Despite what you hear, people are not just money-motivated. Once people feel secure in their financial situation, retaining and motivating technicians can only be achieved by connecting with them on an emotional level. You cannot show enough appreciation. Give out praise for a job well done as if your business depended on it, because it does.
      As technicians age, we need to have a place for them. Expecting a 58-year-old to perform like a 35-year-old is unrealistic. We need to be more focused on career pathing. Provide training, skill development, and coaching to develop leaders and mentors within our older workforce. While their bodies may have slowed, the knowledge they have gained is priceless. 
      Our future is dependent on young people entering our industry. We need to give more young people opportunities. Every shop owner across the country should consider hiring an apprentice, then build an apprentice training plan and career path for them. If every shop did this, we could solve the technician shortage within five years. Get involved with the trade schools and high schools in your area. Look into the NAPA Apprenticeship Program. Don't sit on your hands with this one. Do it today.
      Lastly, don't get left behind. Commit to ongoing training for all your employees. Keep up to date with tools and equipment tailored to your business model. Don't try to be all things to all people and all vehicles. Identify your core profile customer and the vehicles they drive, and become an expert on those vehicles and the services you offer.
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