Need help to fix my beater

[Wolfmag]

Ok so I've been learning a hellva lot about Car Audio from reading these forums. I've also found out some of the better places to actually buy my audio equipment. Its actually quite upsetting how much I got ripped off from the local stores. From now on, it's online only. ;)

So now my next agenda is to fix up my hoop ride as it seems to be falling apart at the seams. :( Does any one know of any good places online to buy Car "Parts" as well? Like Engine parts, drive train parts & Interior stuff? I mainly need to replace my driver seat since the back rest broke (I wedged a large box between the back seat and my seat to keep sitting up straight, lol) IF anyone can direct me to some good websites online to browse and order this stuff, I would be grateful. :)

Thanks in advanced.

-k

[bck]

ebay

[sntnsupermen131]

agreed...stuff like seats...you dont really need a warranty...id go with ebay
-Cody

[sntnsupermen131]

oops

[PoweredByDodge]

www.jcwhitney.com

www.jeggs.com

www.summitracing.com

there are other sites for other parts -- request the particular part and we'll see about a particular site, but in general - JCwhitney has a decent selection of door panels / seats / generic type **** like that... replacement floor pan material, weatherseals, that kinda stuff.

summitracing has exhausts, headers, motor parts, springs, suspension, yada yada yada...

ebay is fine as long as you know EXACTLY what the hell you want.

at least if you buy something from summit or whitney, if its wrong, and u havne't installed it yet, you can send it back and get most if not all of your bling bling (bling bling = $$$$) back.

[Wolfmag]

I knew Ebay was an options as I've had some of my friends get stuff there for car repairs. But, like Dodge said, I actually want to be able to browse like a catalog to see what my options are. (like shopping for a subwoofer at Etronics or Crutchfield). That and I'm still afraid of getting burned by another ebay user.

As for local car garages, I can't help but feel like a victim as they rob me blind. I know car repairs are expensive but, jesus! Like I just had to get my brakes done and they said I had to get my rotors "replaced" because they can no longer turn it or true it, or whatever. The guy was talk crazy money, were talkin' like 180 bucks each for the rotors themselves plus labor! Basically, it turned a 100 rear brake job in to $600! W...T...F. That right there is a n0ice 4 channel amp! :P

So my plan is, to just buy car parts online and then just call around to see who can install it for the cheapest. ;)

Anyways...

Thanks for the link Dodge, at least that gives me a point of reference. :)

-k

[sntnsupermen131]

you can get your rotors turned at oreilleys for like $15 each...
makes em straight again...the reason that get kind of warped is stopping too fast too often...they get hot, then they start to warp
you can tell if when you stop slowly...it kind of pulls and lets go...pulls and lets go...makes it seem that youre pumping your brakes
-Cody

[Jstas]

Car parts is a different kind of industry. There isn't a demand for cheap stuff because well, it all HAS to meet standards. Meeting standards is expensive and that expense gets passed on to the buyer. On top of that 90% people out there know jack squat about anything more than changing oil or fixing a flat tire. And for those that say they do, about 60% of them are talking out of thier butts.

For cheap parts, the listed places are good but you still pay for them. It's not like a 30-50% discount like you can find from an audio discounter. If you want really cheap parts, I have one word, junkyards. You'll be surprised what you can find. Even a seat is doable. All you gotta do is find a seat in decent condition, pull it out of the car and take it to get re-foamed and re-upholstured. It'll cost anywhere from 150-300 bucks to get the work done plus maybe another 50-75 for materials but it is way better than the 600-900 for a new seat from a dealer.

As far as getting "ripped off" from a garage. Well, not really. See, mechanics have a thing called a "jobber rate" where they pay slightly over wholesale for a part and then have to charge you full-price plus tax and and delivery charges. They can't swallow that cost themselves, they will rob themselves blind. It isn't that they are trying to rob you but they have thier interests, the parts dealer's interests and your interests to look out for. The only way to do that is charge you what you should be charged for. The guy is trying to make a living and if he starts giving breaks to people, he is going to break himself out of house and home. He is just trying to make an honest living. Just like everyone else. Now, you get ripped off when a guy continually charges you money to fix a recurring problem. Or, the guy all of a sudden finds a new problem every time you pull into the shop. In most cases, things like "You need a brake job." or "You could use an oil change." are not meant to milk you but rather help you out. It can be cheaper to have something like that done while the car is there because it can save you on labor. I have had mechanics do things like replace wiper blades, fuses and lightbulbs and never charge me for it because they just did like 1500 dollars of transmission work or something.

If you can't afford to have some one fix it for you then you only option is to go and buy a shop manual for your car and start wrenching yourself. Most car guys learned out of necessity, not desire. That's how I learned, I just got bit by the gearhead bug and never looked back. If you just don't want to pay the prices then you have two options. You can do it yourself like I mentioned above or, take it somewhere. Find a garage with a guy you can trust. Build a relationship with him and give him your repeat business. They treat thier regular customers well because that is the best for of advertising for a garage. You only hear people bitching abouyt bad garages. Nobody will bitch about a good garage. But ask a crowded room about a good place to get brakes done or a tune up and everybody will have a name to give you to go to.

[sntnsupermen131]

i like to do everything myself, or someone in my family will know how
if not, i go to Marios...the local mechanic...he has had my business along with my dads, brother's, and mom's business
and as far as junk yards go
my front seat, rear seat, and carpet all came from a junk yard
all in perfect condition...vacuumed it...got a spot stain remover...and it looks brand new
-Cody