Should you buy your own parts and take to mechanic to install?

[vancouverbc]

I need a new starter motor. SHould I buy starter at local store and take to mechanic to install? I assume mechanic can get the part cheaper so I guess it is better to let him order it. I know they inflate the price of parts to hide what they are really making.

[el5y]

Hey, I just did this on my car, I went to Advanced Auto, told them I needed a new starter motor for my car, they said that if I bring my old one back I'll get about $50 back for a core exchange. So I bought the new one (about $175), and installed it, took me about an hour tops, just 3 bolts to worry about 2 connecting it to the transmission and 1 connecting it to juice.

Eric

[BadMojo]

I need a new starter motor. SHould I buy starter at local store and take to mechanic to install? I assume mechanic can get the part cheaper so I guess it is better to let him order it. I know they inflate the price of parts to hide what they are really making.

Unless you've got a good relationship with your mechanic or he's a REALLY nice guy, they probably won't let you do that.

[ZeroS13]

^^^What he said. Most mechanics get parts at discount prices, then mark it up when they fix your car. That plus manufacturer warranties for parts you provide is a bi@tch to deal with. If you are good friends with the mechanic, you might get away with it.

Since this job is fairly simple, you can save yourself the labour & learn a little about your car.

[silvia tunner]

It all depends on you if u can buy the part cheaper then buy it your self and if u can do the labor your self your save your self alot of money on labor

[w1ngzer0]

^^^What he said. Most mechanics get parts at discount prices, then mark it up when they fix your car. That plus manufacturer warranties for parts you provide is a bi@tch to deal with. If you are good friends with the mechanic, you might get away with it.

Since this job is fairly simple, you can save yourself the labour & learn a little about your car.

not as much discount as you think. I would look at online wholesalers or your local checker or autozone before going with the mechanic's "discount" i got a quote for a new clutch from my mechanic. it was $25 more then i bought it for. Sorry but when your pieceing your car together to get it running normal you need to save 25 here 30 there and it does add up fast.... essp. my car....

So get a quote for the part and go look to see if you can get it cheaper.

[574-240sx]

It depend how shady your mechanic is. Some better and trustworthy mechanics will charge you the price the part would cost to the general pubic and kep their discount. Some places will mark up the part and keep their discount on the part too. You can even have the mechanic price out the parts and labor. Or you can buy the part and have a friend/neighbor do it for a case of beer, if you have anfy friends/neighbor mechanically inclinded. I like to do all my own work. Starter shouldn't be more then 20 minutes in and out unless you have a hard time starting the bolts while trying to hold the starter up. Nick

[Doomed2Walk]

Good thing my dad's friend is a mechanic that gives me the discounted price and like charges 25% of his normal labor fee.

[yellow_jacket]

Nothing pisses mechanics off more than having to install customer provided parts. It seems like they always buy cheap stuff that breaks or doesn't work at all and then they want us to warranty the part and the labor, which we won't warranty the labor or the part. Just let them get the parts. If you have a good relationship with your mechanic he probably won't mark the stuff up much. Just enough to cover the part and a few bucks for taxes and interest on his parts account.

[tar0icy_w/tapioca]

something like that do it urself, u'll pay more for da parts but atleast u'll know da parts u are getting, and u'll be paying urself $60-$80 per hour so u'll save there if u r feeling kind and know ur mechanic really well then y not put money in his pocket

[vancouverbc]

I don' t think it has anything to do with unethical mechanics. It's more of an industry wide conspiracy. Auto parts suppliers and other parts suppliers(eg appliance and furnace parts, etc), sell to the public at retail price and sell at a lower price to the pro's. So, if you call a supplier to check on a price of a part quoted by a mechanic, they will quote you the higher retail price. I think it is sort of a political situation that has arisen because retail customers are much less cranky to pay for an expensive part rather than labour. They think they are getting something tangible. I repaired my washing machine and had to pay 60 bucks for two belts from the supplier.Auto belts can be had for about 10 bucks so if there are alot of retail customers it creates a bigger market and more competition and the price comes down. Generally, you should let the mechanic order the part because he gets it cheaper and it is part of his profit. He would just have to charge more labour if he did not charge more for the parts. Mechanics are not buying swimming pools or mansions like doctors seem to so I think competion is pretty fierce for mechanics.

[w1ngzer0]

my mechanics place isn't shady they have done my family well. My mechanic kinda perfers me to buy parts to save the trouble of shipping time. If i hand them all the parts right there they don't have to wait before they can work on the car.

I don't ask him to warrenty his work. If my rack and pinon busts its my own fault but i don't think it would being rebuilt. Same goes with the other stuff i bought. The only thing i ask is he warrent his work. If my rack and pinon just falls off... well thats not part issue thats installation issue