Joined
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18 Posts
Hey
I have been ordering parts from Ecklers. Is there a better place to do business with?
Thanks, Eric
I have been ordering parts from Ecklers. Is there a better place to do business with?
Thanks, Eric
the best
1 - 20 of 31 Posts
Joined
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3,954 Posts
Very satisfied with Ausley's. :yes:
Claude.
Claude.
I've never used Ecklers. I live close to Ground Up and get most parts from them but their all not as correct as they say they are but most places are the same in that respect. I also have been dealing with NPD and am pretty pleased with them, even on a return had no problems with them. Wiring harnesses I have bought from American Autowire excellent quality and detail. Trim parts is another excellent supplier when it comes to lenses and emblems. You have to check prices because they do vary but make sure you figure the cost of shipping in. OPGI is 2 to 3 times higher in price than most.
I go to Summit first. If they don't have what I need I'll start shopping around. I've been happy with Ecklers, a couple of times they didn't have the parts in stock but their customer service was good and I was able to cancel quickly. Definitely check shipping prices before submitting an order - some places as stated above will rip you off big time.
Joined
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7,309 Posts
I have been around Corvettes way too long to know not to deal with Ecklers
I did most my shopping with Ausleys, Ground Up, NPD, long Island Corvette, and Paragon Corvette :beers:
Joined
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18 Posts
thanks
Just starting on a 70 Malibu. Need to replace gas tank (basically everything behind and below rear window). Auto zone has them but very expensive.
Eric
Just starting on a 70 Malibu. Need to replace gas tank (basically everything behind and below rear window). Auto zone has them but very expensive.
Eric
Joined
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8,670 Posts
I own some of their '68--'72 Chevelle console parts.
NEVER AGAIN. TOTAL JUNK. HORRIBLE SERVICE. LIES.
Re: thanks
There's a place in Indy, Luckman Industries on Jackson St. near Washington and Tibbs (hard to find) that sells Chevelle sheet metal at very reasonable prices and no shipping cost. They might have your gas tank too. Call Tony at 317-402-8669. BTW after buying Chevelle parts for 15 years I've had the best luck vendor-wise, with NPD, Classic Muscle, and Ausleys.
Re: thanks
Just bought a new gas tank ($116.00) from RockAuto with new straps and shipping about $165.00 total.
Joined
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291 Posts
Actually, in most cases the actual suppliers/manufacturers charge the same retail, and in some cases even higher, when selling directly-to-individuals. It is not good business for them to undercut their distribution chain, and the small size of the individual orders is not efficient for them. That's why they charge distributors a drop-ship fee for drop-ships, because they don't like handling nickel-dime orders, so they charge for the trouble.
So you're not necessarily saving anything going direct, and since manufacturers prioritize production for larger stock-orders to distributors, you might wait a couple weeks before they get to your order.
Of course my competitors who choose to drop-ship stuff willy-nilly just put you at the mercy of the supplier anyhow...
But we don't drop-ship ANYTHING, we stock everything we sell. Can't tell you how many times I've seen people order direct from a supplier/manufacturer, waited 3-4 weeks for them to finally get around to making their items and shipping them, didn't save a dime, and all the while we had all that stuff in-stock in-bulk that could've shipped within 3-4 hours time for the same money.
Sorry for the hijack, just had to elaborate on that dynamic..
And YES, there are certain times where the manufacturer is selling to individuals and heavily under-cutting (screwing) their distributors... Those manufacturers almost always wind up being pure straight-to-retail, as their distributors drop them due to their pricing practices...
Joined
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1,617 Posts
I have used them all-with virtually no issues OTHER than quality.
The old addage "nothing fits like OEM parts" applies big time. After just one car resto I learned several things...
-NEVER throw any parts away, any parts, A N Y P A R T S until after the resto is done because you will need them in some capacity or another during. Lucky for me I had saved all my Elco bed trim except the corners and had them repaired and polished after repro stuff was just unacceptable at every level. I am now hopefully getting a set of rear NOS corners from a member here to complete the set-overall with the cost of NOS parts, having them polished and repaired it was about 4-5 times the price of repro but worth every penny to me.
-Use OEM parts wherevever possible, especially body-trim-stainless-chrome, etc. They are out there. They wont jump into your hands. You have to find them. Use the resources around you especially this site to locate.They will cost substantually more to source and even more to repair and in some cases polish. In the end it will pay off in spades in fit and finsh, less swearing, less flying tools and most of all quality of the resto.
With very few exceptions all of the repro stuff is poor fitting, poorly designed and poorly made. It stays that way because we buy it and just live with it by making it work. Some outfits like NPD I feel care about the hobby and us but they are not going to retool or buy from somebody who retools if they cant sell a part for a profit. If enough folks start spending the $$ to restore OEM parts then the suppliers will retool or buy higher quality parts from their vendors. Corvette guys/gals flat out wont ecept anything less the OEM quality parts but they pay for it too.
The old addage "nothing fits like OEM parts" applies big time. After just one car resto I learned several things...
-NEVER throw any parts away, any parts, A N Y P A R T S until after the resto is done because you will need them in some capacity or another during. Lucky for me I had saved all my Elco bed trim except the corners and had them repaired and polished after repro stuff was just unacceptable at every level. I am now hopefully getting a set of rear NOS corners from a member here to complete the set-overall with the cost of NOS parts, having them polished and repaired it was about 4-5 times the price of repro but worth every penny to me.
-Use OEM parts wherevever possible, especially body-trim-stainless-chrome, etc. They are out there. They wont jump into your hands. You have to find them. Use the resources around you especially this site to locate.They will cost substantually more to source and even more to repair and in some cases polish. In the end it will pay off in spades in fit and finsh, less swearing, less flying tools and most of all quality of the resto.
With very few exceptions all of the repro stuff is poor fitting, poorly designed and poorly made. It stays that way because we buy it and just live with it by making it work. Some outfits like NPD I feel care about the hobby and us but they are not going to retool or buy from somebody who retools if they cant sell a part for a profit. If enough folks start spending the $$ to restore OEM parts then the suppliers will retool or buy higher quality parts from their vendors. Corvette guys/gals flat out wont ecept anything less the OEM quality parts but they pay for it too.
I can testify that NPD stocks almost everything they sell and ships it immediately. If you need it soon, you get it soon. No backorders, no waiting.Actually, in most cases the actual suppliers/manufacturers charge the same retail, and in some cases even higher, when selling directly-to-individuals. It is not good business for them to undercut their distribution chain, and the small size of the individual orders is not efficient for them. That's why they charge distributors a drop-ship fee for drop-ships, because they don't like handling nickel-dime orders, so they charge for the trouble.
So you're not necessarily saving anything going direct, and since manufacturers prioritize production for larger stock-orders to distributors, you might wait a couple weeks before they get to your order.
Of course my competitors who choose to drop-ship stuff willy-nilly just put you at the mercy of the supplier anyhow...
But we don't drop-ship ANYTHING, we stock everything we sell. Can't tell you how many times I've seen people order direct from a supplier/manufacturer, waited 3-4 weeks for them to finally get around to making their items and shipping them, didn't save a dime, and all the while we had all that stuff in-stock in-bulk that could've shipped within 3-4 hours time for the same money.
Sorry for the hijack, just had to elaborate on that dynamic..
And YES, there are certain times where the manufacturer is selling to individuals and heavily under-cutting (screwing) their distributors... Those manufacturers almost always wind up being pure straight-to-retail, as their distributors drop them due to their pricing practices...
Joined
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5,728 Posts
I like TeamChevelle, so I like to support sponsors when I can. But I have have been using Ausleys for right at 25 years now on my own stuff, which equates to eleven cars and north of $125k over the years. My salesgeek has a good habit of letting me know what parts get returned alot and is not afraid to be up front about backorders.
The Rick at NPD seems to be a stand up guy and contributes every so often with really good inside information on the goings on onthe other end of the phone.
The Rick at NPD seems to be a stand up guy and contributes every so often with really good inside information on the goings on onthe other end of the phone.
Joined
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6,698 Posts
I have ordered over 90% of my cars parts from GrdUp !
Ausleys and Ground Up have been very good. Ground Up is kind of grumpy on the phone, maybe just short handed and a bunch of sorry yankees, but their stuff has been good. ( I am one so I can recognize one...)
Summit is overall best. Holcomb motorsports is right up there, but different market.
Summit is overall best. Holcomb motorsports is right up there, but different market.
Joined
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4,013 Posts
How many of these places have actual different items (I mean the same part, but different supplier/quality)? I ass-u-me that %90+ of it is all from the same supplier, no matter who you buy it from.
I shop around for the best price/shipping ratio. It takes a bit more leg work, but you win in the end. Lately I've bought quite a few things from Ausley's. www.chevelle.com
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