'03 EB front suspension parts - suppliers/brands to use?

[TobyU]

I assume so but the part stores are hurting themselves by not being competitive. To make up for the volume of sales they are losing to online they seem to be raising prices to maximize what they can make on each sale they do get.
This is going to hurt them. Walmart made an empire from high volume lower profit margin.
The gap between parts stores and online is growing and unless online goes up (which I think will be the case) parts stores are going to lose more and more sales.
Go research Advance Auto and see how things have changed in the past 15 years.
I heard a while back that Amazon was going to get into the car parts business and was willing to lose lots of money for a while to do it.
I don't think they launched the plans even though sell lots of parts.
I don't really want them selling parts by delivery even if 2 hr.
What I would like to see is a brick and mortar Amazon Auto Parts!

We need new blood and competition in the market.
In the old days you has several local ones and then the chains came in.
We had Nationwise, then Autoworks which was owned along with Checker, Shuck's, Kragen, and Crown. Then Autosource for a while. Then Autozone came to town. Then Parts America- then Advance bought them out. Then O'Reilly Auto Parts.

We had the Napas ans higher quality local places and the "discount" places came in. Then there were the big three and no longer called discount auto parts.
They have taken over and now are high and no real competition.

Amazon or Ebay or someone needs to come in and man a store to sell at great prices.

 

[bigdogchrisl]

Ive always found NAPA to have the best selection, guaranteed to have that obscure fitting you need with the most knowledge label staff - but you pay for it.
Who remembers when that was the difference between Lowes and Hone Depot - Lowes was for the expert contractor and was cheaper- but the staff couldn't find their ass with both hands and a GPS tag. Home Depot had an expert in every section that could help Harry Homeowner looking for the thing a ma jig to fix the whatchamacallit that's leaking from the whozots valve but cost more
It IS making it so an entrepreneur could manufacture a high quality part and have an outlet without the risk of establishing their own retail locations
This will only continue to grow. Well, until we all have metal-based 3D printers at home and once you but it, the part prints..BAM

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[RichardH]

Ive always found NAPA to have the best selection, guaranteed to have that obscure fitting you need with the most knowledge label staff - but you pay for it.
Who remembers when that was the difference between Lowes and Hone Depot - Lowes was for the expert contractor and was cheaper- but the staff couldn't find their ass with both hands and a GPS tag. Home Depot had an expert in every section that could help Harry Homeowner looking for the thing a ma jig to fix the whatchamacallit that's leaking from the whozots valve but cost more
It IS making it so an entrepreneur could manufacture a high quality part and have an outlet without the risk of establishing their own retail locations
This will only continue to grow. Well, until we all have metal-based 3D printers at home and once you but it, the part prints..BAM

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Hello-

Sorry I just caught your post bigdog.

I must say that was a funny and well articulated answer. I like the watchmacallit, whoszots, and thing a ma jig fix terminology. That's awesome.

Dick

 

[bigdogchrisl]

Thank you - I try to keep it light.

Best of luck!

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[joethefordguy]

There are many opinions about sources and brands, which I believe are based on individual experiences, and usually localized; so very difficult to apply universally. There's not going to be a substitute for doing your own research and, if buying local, knowing the local sources. Having said all that, I define quality as "long life". I'm willing to pay more for parts that last longer. FWIW, IMO, a couple of years between replacements is not what I consider quality (of course, that depends on what part we're talking about, what kind of work is being done - DD, off road, heavy towing, etc. all these matter).
for suspension components, I prefer steering and suspension parts that last the better part of a decade in DD and occasional mild off road use. I'm willing to pay as much as it takes to get that, assuming I can afford it. Titanium parts probably last longer, but I can't afford that.

 

[bigdogchrisl]

Yeah, see, I agree. It really depends on the person. I am all over the board related to what quality means. In some instances. The aesthetics or performance is at the top of my list, in others, durability or longevity.

Like I said though, i think its important to understand what drives us, and our preferences. In that way we can better offer informed opinions.
It's not like the empirical data supporting the use of the VW Certified Oil isnt overwhelming. . <-- yes, that's SARCASM

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