Obtaining part numbers from dealer

If you know your axle info there’s no need to try and use a dealer for axle parts. Spring and/or alignment shops will generally be cheaper.

 

Have you ever tried "That is part #XXXXX and I can have it here for you on Tuesday', as far as people shopping around maybe you need to offer to price match. Simply saying "I'm going to refuse to give you that info" is guaranteeing that people will not want to do business with you and give them the distinct impression you are trying to stick it to them. Makes them think you're trying to leverage their truck being broke into a greedy cash grab.

Sorry if you don't like it, that's just the way it is and why so many truckers feel the way they do about a lot of dealerships.

 

You folks do realize that each dealer has to buy the parts from the manufacturer, right?

The parts guy sees the dealer cost and the suggested retail price. They have some wiggle room on pricing but they can't just give things away at cost plus 10%.

Think of the expense a dealer parts department has. Each parts person is costing the company probably $75k a year in wages, $50k for each order picker in the warehouse plus $100k for the manager. That's easily a half a mill every year of profit needed to just pay staff, let alone cover the cost of building upkeep, utilities etc. You'd #### your pants if you knew what the monthly cost is just to keep the lights on at even a small dealer with only a dozen to a dozen and a half employees on payroll.

 

God bless ur heart ModelCat ur a good hearted person, we need more individuals like u in this industry, now we just need more honest affordable part seller’s dealerships who looks out for us owner ops

 

Just stating facts.

 

Funny how truckers will shop based only on price but will complain when shippers and brokers do the same thing.

 

One can buy car parts for about any make or model online through a dealer with good discounts. Often around 30%. I've seen parts for half of what the dealer charged on a service invoice. Parts under $10 I have purchased online for 1/4 of the price locally. One time I needed an oil seal and 2 local dealers wanted $47, online dealer $12. I would have paid double but not almost 4x so I paid the shipping and still saved. Don't see any discounts like this for any medium or heavy truck. I've known people who worked at car dealerships including one who was a service manager. They all say that the largest part of dealer profit is from guess what? It's not vehicle sales, it's from the service department. The local Thermo King dealer charges $196 hr labor for TK, $216 for Carrier. Advertised top rate for a tech is $35/hr and for parts about $25/hr. There are a lot more techs than there are parts personnel. All the overhead, expenses, profit are built into the labor rate. And they still make money on parts.

 

How TF do dealers in the US get away with rates that high? Going rate for an after hours emergency callout is less than that in my neck of the woods. In CAD too, not USD.