How do you buy your parts?

[YoungCR]

Doing a little survey as I'm interested in how people go about buying parts for their cars. Figured this would make for a good discussion topic too. What are your favorite sellers and why?

 

I've generally bought parts from Bav Auto, Blunt Tech and Rock Auto. Bav Auto was great when I bought parts for my first 528e as they have a lot of kits for doing common repairs/maintenance. I then found out how awesome Steve at Blunt Tech is to deal with and have used him for my last couple orders. I'll use rock auto for alternators/starters/brakes but I always choose the name brands/oem manufacturer as their prices are still hard to beat on the "expensive" stuff. I don't believe in cheap parts unless its a temporary fix.

[wasnt m3]

I've had great experience with ECS Tuning. For most OEM stuff, I just order from the dealer and enjoy getting a great discount and free delivery to my work.

[Boris3]

E30 maintenance and other parts if I'm buying new: Guten Parts, Pelican, BluntTech, Bimmerworld, and in the past from Turner Motorsports, Bimmerzone, Mueller Motorwerks, Autohaus az, Bavarian Autosport

Specialty parts/fluids: Pegasus Racing, AKG Motorsport, RaceSkids, Red46, VAC Motorsports, Apex Performance

[Earl]

I almost always go with ECS Tuning for the compact. Their prices for OEM parts are hard to beat most of the time for what I need. For example, it is $124 shipped from them for all new hardware for the entire front suspension of an e36 (realoem is the shit)but when I sent the list of parts to concourse they wanted around $185.

Rockauto gets my business when I need things like my caliper rebuild kits or fog deletes. Their fog deletes are only $5 a piece. Anywhere else you can plan on a good chunk more than that.

[REKIII]

I couldn't answer the poll because of the first question.  It really depends on what the part is.

 

I would never buy a used water pump, or headlight bulb, but a Fender or stereo, then I'd have a hard time buying new.

[E36M3#215]

Maintenance is OEM BMW threw my work, Performance stuff HARD motorsports,Bimmerworld, turner , elephant motorsports, muller

[Derflaminflitzer]

Fcp euro has lifetime guarantee on all their stuff. Great cut service too. I email a sales rep and they email me back within an hour. if my car didn't take a crap again I would be returning a kit that I bought -1 part and they were going to reimburse me the difference. Pretty cool guys

[rampelsauce]

My top list consists of: Ireland Engineering, Bavarian Autosport, ECS, Blunttech, Guten Parts, and Ebay.  

 

I agree with Robert, used parts have their place, but consumable parts (lights, belts, maintenance items, ect) have to be new.

 

I will usually try to get used parts otherwise.

[B C]

FAP99.COM

[KaiserRolls]

FAP99.COM

Sketchy URL and the shipping is insane

[jc43089]

^ I wasn't sure if that was safe to click on with the work computer so I googled it first lol.  Never heard of FAP99 before, do you actually buy stuff there?  Or was that just you being your usual snappy self?

[gsxify]

OEM stuff I order through thebmwpartstore.com if I find a cheaper price else where, they will always match it. Bought a window motor from them and stop working within a month. They replaced it with no questions ask.

 

Others that I use; bavauto, pelican parts, auto haus, Turner, and BW. Used ECS once and had problems with them. 

[B C]

I actually used to buy a lot of stuff from fap99.com. More times than not I have found that it has the lowest price on OEM brand stuff. 

Partsgeek is also very good for prices. 

.

The owner of Fap99 is a really good guy, familiar with BMW stuff, and gives shipping refunds on small items. They are based out of Michigan so standard shipping on things can be very fast.

im okay with buying used items (such as a power steering pump or alternator) if the price differential between new and used is great enough.

 

The time that im NOT okay with el cheapo parts or used parts is on things that you dont want to have to replace more than once, such as engine and trans seals, clutch, slave cyl, CSB, flex disk, head gasket
 

[Rowleym]

AH! thats another thing I would like to know. LOCAL places. I'm a big fan of getting everything done local. Some of course, cannot be sourced locally, but I'm a guy who likes their parts to come in a day or a couple of hours of a drive because I normally only have the weekends to work on my cars. 

[wasnt m3]

Anyone have any good salvage yards they like with REASONABLE prices??

[YoungCR]

Anyone have any good salvage yards they like with REASONABLE prices??

 

I know this isn't helpful for you but Schmidt's in Waunakee has always sold me parts a great prices. The more I buy, the better the price. I've heard the yard has gone downhill in the last couple years though. I'd like to try some of the new u-pull yards that have sprung up in Milwaukee as its handy for getting trim pieces and other odds and ends. 

[KaiserRolls]

Anyone have any good salvage yards they like with REASONABLE prices??

 

I'd like to try some of the new u-pull yards that have sprung up in Milwaukee as its handy for getting trim pieces and other odds and ends. 

Field trip

[Bassboy3313]

Anyone have any good salvage yards they like with REASONABLE prices??

 

Wrench N Go in Milwaukee is a very nice, organized, fair priced u-pull type salvage yard. I went there to grab a heater blower motor for a friends chrysler. All the cars are lifted up off the ground on wheel blocks which I thought was a good idea too.

[Boris3]

How's their BMW / foreign selection?

[mkoepp]

I always shop around for the best price and I am surprised that RM European Auto Parts was not mentioned. I have been buying parts there for over 7 years. Great service but shipping can take up to six days if free shipping is chosen. I always save my order and call in with the order number and sometimes I get even a better deal

[DrLeadFoot]

Pegasus Racing basically has their mortgage paid by the Dr., Guten, blunt, then Concours (I still get it for cost!) CarQuest for the domestics as I get parts for cost there as well.

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[patsbimmer1]

I use Advance Auto for most basic repair items such as alternators, starters, gasket sets, etc.  I get parts at cost through them.  Carquest is great as well because they have access to Worldpac which can supply most any OEM parts you need.  Any OEM part numbers I order from ECS or Turner Motorsports.  I have done a lot of business with Turner Motorsports and I am always impressed with the level of customer service I receive.  My dad is not very internet savvy and prefers to call in orders so I gave him the name of the rep I use at Turner.  My dad has been very impressed and they have been able to help him get the right parts and even answer some basic questions for him such as recommended oil and such.

[patsbimmer1]

Pegasus Racing basically has their mortgage paid by the Dr., Gluten, blunt, then Concours (I still get it for cost!) CarQuest for the domestics as I get parts for cost there as well.

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I loved Pegasus Racing when I had my 240sx.  Any random lines, hoses, fittings, bolts, gaskets, etc that I needed and they were always available to help.

[Bassboy3313]

How's their BMW / foreign selection?

Its a pretty decent size I thought. Everything is organized by make too.

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[YoungCR]

then Concours (I still get it for cost!)

 

I've been meaning to text you this question, cause this means I still got the in too I'd like to try out some of these other vendors when I got on a parts shopping spree this summer. Thanks for all your input guys!