the Real deal on tuner companys

Post by **NYCRB240sx** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

Who thinks these companys selling parts are making the big money? im sure we all think this, i know i did. well truth be told i learned they don't. i Met up with Chris from underground-motorsports was talking with him. well i ask him, "Chris when it really gets down to it, how much money are you reall making off me (after i had already handed him my money)" he said to me,"Dave off your order im making about 300 dollars (23,845 order)." surpised me and what reason did he have to lie. i was shocked. let me know what you all think.

Post by **NoStickers** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

I don't believe that.

Post by **rico05** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

I just wanna know why your first 6 posts here on NICO are all about UM? Are you on their payroll or something?

Post by **nametakennow** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

My thoughts exactly rico.

Pushing a business is fine. I'm glad you had an awesome experience with them, but 3 threads about them is kinda unnecessary.

Welcome to NICO, by the way!

Oh, and there's no way in hell he only made $300 off of a $23,845 order... jebus, where'd you get $24k? Oooeeee... wish I could blow that much in one shop at once...

edit: 4 threads... have I even made 4 threads in my time on NICO?

Post by **NYCRB240sx** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

no im not, i posted them because i told Chris i would, i was surpised about stuff i learned from him, and i wanted to share it. i mean i needed some kind of evidence to provide to make these post more credible. so i used UM in it cause thats who i have been dealing with. i could post about the one company i lost 4G's with but i don't want to do that for now. thats why in one of my post i said the people who everyone should deal with. but ya im not paid just a really happy customer

Post by **NYCRB240sx** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

i mean i went around to stores around me and looked on the internet and those prices were too low for the stores by far and most internet stores didn't come close on some of the stuff i mean most of my order was big things, but ya im sure that 300 was exagerated but i don't think he had like a killing on it, is my guess.

Post by **nametakennow** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

Was that just parts? Cause the markup on parts isn't terrible, labor is the expensive stuff. Still, that huge of an order he had to have made a grand+ on you.

Post by **NoStickers** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

Isn't markup generally 50%+?

Post by **nametakennow** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

I'm speaking comparitively.

True. I have worked in wholesale, it was gift stuff, but whatever. Working in wholesale shows you how ridiculous it is. I worked at the gift mart in downtown ATL (3 hours = $40, lol!) and they'd have those little doohickeys you see in Hallmark or whatever for $10+, but the wholesale price was $2-5... it's ridiculous.

edit: Meanwhile, labor is basically $1/minute at my local shop. I'm glad I spent 8hrs messing up and then finally getting right my intake install rather than $120 for 2hrs of labor on something that takes them 15 minutes.

Post by **phenryiv1** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

NoStickers wrote:Isn't markup generally 50%+?

Somewhere in that vicinity, from what I know.

Post by **NYCRB240sx** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

well first i have to say they don't inventory they drop ship, basically they send the manufacturer money and the manufacturer sent me the product or a another company depending on what you buy. also i have to say im doing the work myself. the parts list includes

wheels 17x 8.5 and 17x 9.5tein flex with controlerrb25det mckinney motor mount and drive shaftcarbon fiber s15 front ends15 head lightscarbon trunkcarbon side skirtsintake manifoldgasket setnew timing beltsmetal head gasketsBOVboost controlerturbo timerintercoolerradiatorand i think there was other things but this is just off my head i don't have the list on me

Post by **nab911** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

Jesus... well all you have to do is look in NICO/Ebay and see how much you can get things for. I almost ALWAYS end up getting stuff done at wholesale/VERY cheap because when i can get a din car audio spacer for $4 wholesale at circuit city instead of paying the $25 they charge nonPrivaleged customers.... im a pretty happy guy.

Post by **NYCRB240sx** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

ya that make sence i mean i looked around i chose to stay away from ebay for certain things like the engine because i want to get one from a reputable company and not risk after my last loss. but ya i used ebay for my seats and seat belts and im still looking for inside parts on ebay

Post by **nab911** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

When i say ebay, i mean name brand stuff for deals. And the ONLY way to go is through paypal so you dont get ripped. I have gotten a lot of my stuff from ebay and i have not once been ripped off. Do your research before your buy things.

Post by **NYCRB240sx** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

true true,

Post by **andrave** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

you get ripped off through paypal too, trust me. Unless you buy the extra protection, you don't get **** back. I've been burned several times but ebay is the only way to get some of the parts I need. I continue to use the service.

Anyway he is making a lot more than 300 off a 24k order. I guarantee that. Someone get a hold of what the parts cost, and compare. I have, some of that **** is 50-100% markup.

Post by **NYCRB240sx** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

when i get off of work today i'll go home and post my parts list and cost so you can see, i might not have the whole list cause i had to do some last min changes from the rb26 to the rb25 cause i couldn't do the oil pan myself and i didn't have the money needed to pay Mckinney to do it for me cause it would have been like another 700 to send to him, pay him to do the change and then sent it to me.

Post by **NYCRB240sx** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

oh and for the most part ebay is good and i have been very happy with paypal it basically about dealing with people who have good feedback. play it safe

Post by **The Mic** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

^ what do you work-wise??

Post by **AZhitman** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

NY - No need to post proof.

However, markup on a lot of stuff really ISN'T that high. I can tell you my profit after parts, labor and shipping on an exhaust system is between 10 and 20% of purchase price.

You have to remember, there's often a middleman (wholesaler) involved as well. That entity has to be paid too. Very few companies get their stuff STRAIGHT from the manufacturer.

A markup of 50% does NOT mean all 50% goes in pocket. Out of that you have to pay overhead, advertising, insurance, shipping, wages, and your own time is worth something as well....

Don't compare to ebay - Sometimes things on ebay are HIGHER than you can find elsewhere (i.e. Plextor vidcap device I'm looking at is $20 higher on ebay than on buy.com).. Also, sometimes ebay auctions are for blemished or returned goods (or stuff that "fell off a truck").

You'd be surprised if you saw the facilities of some of our major advertisers - No corporate boardrooms, no fancy letterhead, no jets, no company cars.... Just a few dedicated people trying to make a living doing what they love. Very few of them are RICH, and most of them could make just as much money (with less headaches) working at a regular job.

The $300 question? Maybe true, maybe not. I have seen companies make far less... I have personally witnessed one of our advertisers making $5 (yes, $5) over cost on a $400 purchase. The thought being, the manufacturer rewards them by making them a higher-tiered distributor, or gives them a kickback on their next order.... There's a lot more to this than people think.

Why do you think people go to college for 4-5 years to get a business degree?

Post by **phenryiv1** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

^^^^^^^^^^

Good points. Did not really think about all of what you pointed out.

Post by **180crafter** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

Hitman, TO the rescue.

If it was that easy... Everyone would do it. If it was that easy. THere would be no scams.

What I do to find a good price is yahoo shopping, and ebay. I buy everything from there and the sponsors on this board. Without all these guys, and people like you, hitman, my car would be less of the monster it is.

Another little secret...... Passwird.com

I hate to give it away, but I LOVE passwird.com. Check it out.

Post by **NYCRB240sx** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

wow thank you so much, i mean i do say it's one thing to hear it from one person but the more people you hear the right things from the better you can feel about the information your getting and right there you said it. thanks

Post by **Jesda** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

AZhitman wrote:Why do you think people go to college for 4-5 years to get a business degree?

I do it to impress women.

Post by **supra brit** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:26 am

I know markup for some companies is 70-80% (my dad works for NAPA...could be dif for them, but I'm sure most are in that general area...)

the Real deal on tuner companys

the Real deal on tuner companys

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