Date:         Mon, 24 Aug 1998 08:05:21 -0700
Reply-To:     S_J_ WACKER <s_j_wacker@JUNO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         S_J_ WACKER <s_j_wacker@JUNO.COM>
Subject:      Re: internet discount parts - shops are catching on....  :<(
Comments: To: Vanagon@Vanagon.com

Well, let's take a typical alternator example.
You can buy a rebuilt Bosch alternator at the FLAPS for around $120, your
mechanic has the same alternator delivered to his shop at a wholesale
price...less than the $120 you have to pay and he doesn't have to pay for
it until after you pay him. Now he installs said alternator in your ride
and charges you $220 plus labor. He's made at least $100 and all he had
to do is pick up the phone. To install an alternator will probably take
an experienced mechanic all of 15 minutes, but you will pay for at least
an hour of his time. Now I understand that there is overhead in any
business and often your mechanic will spend a lot of time with customers
without collecting a dime, however not all customers will track down
their own parts and deliver them to the shop and many will pay the bill
without batting an eye. When I had to have my Carat transmission rebuilt,
I hauled the transmission to the rebuilder and back, picked up a new
clutch at a price less than the shop could buy it from their supplier and
had it all installed. The shop owner told me we could no longer be
friends if I continued to supply my own parts. I saved so much money that
I told him to add on an extra $50 to cover the cost of beer for his boys
and sooth over some of the hard feelings.


Steve and Jo Ann Wacker
San Marcos, Ca.
90 Carat
86 Syncro x two
86 Audi 5000 CS Quattro


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