What parts frustrate you because they are hard to find?

[blinkwatt]

Originally Posted by EPIQTodd

We are adding a bunch of hard-to-find products to our website, such as convertible top cables, spark plug tubes, etc., and wonder if you might have some suggestions for parts that are hard to find that we might be sure to add.

Oil filter wrench & ignition switch.

[SC986]

You would only have the same sources, but in the spirit of the question: A hard top...my kingdom for a hardtop! Though I can't pay the 3k-5k for new ones, Ebay has been empty for quite some time.

[MNBoxster]

Hi,

There's generally no difficulty in sourcing parts at all. The Federal Trade Commission requires that a manufacturer carry all available parts of a Car for at least 10 yrs. They're available from any number of sources.

But, I wish one of you guys for once would put down the Mask and Gun and lower their margins to more reasonable levels. They see Porsche Owners coming and think they've won the Trifecta. I understand that everyone wants to send their Kid to College, but does it have to be Harvard?

Case in point: The Tiptronic S Transmission has only one acceptible ATF - Esso LT 71141. Many ATFs claim compatability, but in an email from ZF-Getrieb, their North American VP Service told me that only Esso LT 71141 should be used.

If servicing the tranny, only 6 Qts. is lost, but most Porsche and Aftermarket suppliers only sell this in 20Qt. containers @$250+. I have found it in Litres (slightly more than a Qt.) but at prices ranging from a high of $52/Litre to a low of $29/Litre with a mean of $34/Litre.

Then I go to a popular BMW Supplier (the Steptronic is the exact same transmission as the Tiptronic S) and find that not only do they carry it in 1 Litre sizes, but they sell it for $13/Litre w/ FREE S/H on orders over $50!

Another: Many here have painted their Calipers with the G2 Caliper Paint System. Most Porsche Aftermarket Suppliers sell this kit for $39.95. One, when S/H was added came to more than $65! I find a Corvette supplier who sells the exact same kit for $35 incl. FREE S/H!

And, speaking of S/H, why has this become a Profit Center in it's own right? Buy one product, pay S/H, add another small, light product which is even often sent in the same Pkg. (and doesn't increase the weight), and S/H often increases by a third to a half.

The first Aftermarket Supplier to heed this advice will make a killing. I want to support the Porsche Aftermarket, especially the Forum Sponsors, but you guys make it impossible to ignore the alternatives...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[CJ_Boxster]

Assortment of colors for gauge faces... incase i want body colored, white, red, yellow, blue... or i want to mix them like ferrari YELLOW tach, MPH and fuel in RED

[Perfectlap]

Originally Posted by MNBoxster

Hi,
And, speaking of S/H, why has this become a Profit Center in it's own right? Buy one product, pay S/H, add another small, light product which is even often sent in the same Pkg. (and doesn't increase the weight), and S/H often increases by a third to a half....

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

This is my biggest pet peeve in the online shopping world. It really takes the value out of much of online shopping. In the 'early' days of Ebay (wow almost ten years now) I had endless arguments with sellers who would pad the shipping costs to get out paying their end of sale commissions by masking their products as being cheaper then they actually were. As ususal, Ebay was verrrry slow to react but eventually saw the money they were losing with this price shifting and now requires shipping prices to be listed on the search results page so the buyer can immediately compute the total of cost of buying from that seller.

I think its a matter of honesty. I understand the need to recoup business expenses and at the end of the day every businesses needs to be in the black, I'm not looking for a handout but backloading their operating expenses on the shipping and "handling" is deceptive. Particluarly when I pay $12 for S&H and see a U.S. Postage stamp for $2.

[BoxsterBob - CA]

Originally Posted by MNBoxster

And, speaking of S/H, why has this become a Profit Center in it's own right? Buy one product, pay S/H, add another small, light product which is even often sent in the same Pkg. (and doesn't increase the weight), and S/H often increases by a third to a half.

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

Bringing S&H into reality is critical for online shopping. I recently ordered a set of anti-squeal pads from a well know supplier and was charged ~$5.00 for S&H. These are small, thin pads shrink wrapped to 5x7 card stock. They were the size of an average greeting card and could been slipped in an envelope and mailed with a postage stamp. Instead they came in a 12x8x6 cardboard box with plenty of packing to ensure this basically indestructible product made it unscathed!

I realize there is the tracking component involved, but turning my $8.00 purchase into $13.00 is ridiculous. If I need something immediately, I am willing to pay the premium for fast shipping, but give me the cheap option as well.

BTW, Todd, I have purchased from EPIQ and have always been happy with the products and service.

[super66]

Originally Posted by MNBoxster

But, I wish one of you guys for once would put down the Mask and Gun and lower their margins to more reasonable levels. They see Porsche Owners coming and think they've won the Trifecta. I understand that everyone wants to send their Kid to College, but does it have to be Harvard?

hysterical!!!! I hear you though......its like 1000 dollars for the frickin aluminum package!!! like 2 parts....all because the boxster comes with the worlds ugliest shifter

[RandallNeighbour]

Jim, you brilliantly articulated my sentiments on parts pricing for Pcar owners. Thank you!

Since the first week of ownership, I have thought about how easy it would be to make piles and piles of money by respecting my customers enough to sell Pcar parts for a reasonable amount and not rip their heads off with the shipping and handling.

I cannot find a stealership in Texas that sells at retail. They're all 10-100% OVER retail, even on common things like a radiator cap.

Todd, I've never bought from you before, but since you're already in the business and reading thread replies, please figure out how to cut your prices on Pcar stuff to a reasonable amount over hard cost. Then take Jim's thoughts on buying tranny fluid from BMW and ignition switches from VW or Audi and educate the customer that they can pay 2x more elsewhere or get it from you for the right price. You will retire a multi-millionaire.

[Travis]

Forget adding "Hard to Find" parts to your inventory, reduce your shipping costs they are outrageous.

I do not know why the sponsors on this board are some of the most costly sites to buy from.

Example:

Order a "Red Clip" from your site:

Cost: $5.10 (Local dealer was $3.00)

S/H: $7.00 (UPS Ground to Houston)

So my question is why is it I should I buy from your site

[Perfectlap]

^ ouch...

well I don't about that specific instance but I know some vendors charge a little more for small popular items to make up for smaller margins on other more expensive items.
shipping is not cheap. If it can't fit in an envelope its hard to ship it for less than $8. It's the "handling" (which should be incorporated into the cost of the item) that irks me.

[RandallNeighbour]

In Todd (and Equip's) defense, I will say that sending a small, non-flat part through UPS going to a residential address about half way across the country is going to cost him $5.50 at a minimum. Fuel charges for UPS and postage hikes have made s/h rates for just about everything skyrocket. I get complaints at my mail order publishing house all the time... but my books are heavy, even if not expensive.

I pay up to 75¢ for a padded envelope, depending on size and quality. Of course, I don't buy 10,000 a month or my price would be a lot lower.

It takes about 10 minutes take the order, pick a book, put it into an envelope with the invoice, put it on the UPS scale, and enter the information and print a lable. One or two people to do those jobs and are paid an hourly wage or a commission (in the case of the salesperson). So it only makes sense to add a buck for that, which is a reasonable amount to me as a business owner.

So, $7 shipping on the red clip seems very reasonable to me, even though I am an amazon.com junkie because of their free shipping and decent discounts on a lot of stuff (which I cannot figure out for the life of me how they stay in business doing it).

Now the price of that clip as mentioned is just plain silly... I completely agree with you, Travis!

[EPIQTodd]

Originally Posted by Travis

Forget adding "Hard to Find" parts to your inventory, reduce your shipping costs they are outrageous.

I do not know why the sponsors on this board are some of the most costly sites to buy from.

Example:

Order a "Red Clip" from your site:

Cost: $5.10 (Local dealer was $3.00)

S/H: $7.00 (UPS Ground to Houston)

So my question is why is it I should I buy from your site

Good reason for this, although not one we can do much about. We didn't anticipate that people would buy JUST a red clip, but they have, and for that the shipping is high. Our online checkout is setup so that the shipping is based on total dollar amount spent, and quite frankly, we lose money on most of our orders. Imagine brake rotors or pads that fall in the $19 category for shipping, yet our shipping costs are more like $26, etc.

Easy way around this is to call or email us - we have NO intention of charging that much for a red clip, and we don't pay that much, obviously, so let us hook you up right - probably $1.50 shipping on that...

[EPIQTodd]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

Jim, you brilliantly articulated my sentiments on parts pricing for Pcar owners. Thank you!

Since the first week of ownership, I have thought about how easy it would be to make piles and piles of money by respecting my customers enough to sell Pcar parts for a reasonable amount and not rip their heads off with the shipping and handling.

I cannot find a stealership in Texas that sells at retail. They're all 10-100% OVER retail, even on common things like a radiator cap.

Todd, I've never bought from you before, but since you're already in the business and reading thread replies, please figure out how to cut your prices on Pcar stuff to a reasonable amount over hard cost. Then take Jim's thoughts on buying tranny fluid from BMW and ignition switches from VW or Audi and educate the customer that they can pay 2x more elsewhere or get it from you for the right price. You will retire a multi-millionaire.

We do have a 'reasonable amount' over hard cost - often less margin than what Suncoast brags about, but they can buy at a far lower margin for most products, so we're at a great disadvantage.

Our goal is more to offer one-stop shopping, making sure the hard-to-find stuff is there, and also to have advice from those who can relate (being other Boxster owners), as well as kits and 'phases' for Spec cars, etc.

This thread is awesome - thanks! Ask and you shall receive!