I WANT TO BUY LOCAL, BUT...

[Spuddy]

Helena, and to a degree the rest of Montana, is such a wasteland for specialty tools and performance parts. 

This time: You'd think I could find 8mm spark plug wire and components, or a crimper.  But NOOOO.

So, another project is delayed.  I should know better.

SPUD

[nc43bsa]

NAPA didn't have them?

[Tom]

I bought replacement spark plug wires, spark plugs and wire heat protectors on Ebay.  This for my El Camino.  The local auto guys step on the price 1/3 more for shipping and ordering.  I can get the same for less. 

Spark plugs from CT, wires from MO & wire protectors from CA.  I want to buy local too.  Just depends on price and availability.

[moto]

NAPA didn't have them?

I had no luck for the same components at NAPA here in Madison, Wisconsin. It was almost as if the counter guy had never heard of the idea of buying the components separately. It's a changed world.

[Ncdan]

I’m afraid that with the next day delivery service with business like Amazon it will only get worse. Within a few years all of our local businesses will be gone.
While in the subject, Utube will put the repair shops out of business along with the parts places.

[moto]

Dennis Kirk has a wide variety of NGK caps and also stocks copper core spark plug wire. That's where I got my last set.

Moto

[Canuck750]

Twice this week I tried to buy local, looking for maintenance parts for the lowly Kawasaki KLR 650, probably the longest running spec on the market and local dealers stock next to nothing! Gaskets, seals, valve shims, none in stock  7 ~ 10 business day delivery. Drove to a nearby  suburb with a Kawi dealer to get a set of brake pads, one pair only in the whole region, I guess I got lucky, for the rest of the parts I just ordered on line, same day confirmation parts are in the mail.

[AJ Huff]

Helena, and to a degree the rest of Montana, is such a wasteland for specialty tools and performance parts. 

This time: You'd think I could find 8mm spark plug wire and components, or a crimper.  But NOOOO.

So, another project is delayed.  I should know better.

SPUD

I lived this problem for 10 years in Georgia. Went Amazon Prime and never looked back. And now with the current circumstances of social distancing I'm still buying Amazon Prime.

-AJ

[Perazzimx14]

We want to buy local but at or near the same prices as online with convenience of picking up right then and there.  Then when the local shop doesn't have it or is priced too high we order online and have it delivered.

No one wants to kill off the mom and pop shops but its also very hard at times to support them.

[Ncdan]

And have y’all noticed that the places like Amazon an other order and delivery business are getting much better at getting your order correct and that if it’s a mistake it’s now the customers not the shippers for the most part?

[elvisboy77]

This discussion reminds me of the James McMurtry song "We can't make it here"  LOL

[LowRyter]

I can't figure if this trend is a bad thing or a good thing.

Given the former, there was always a possibility even with more density of local service, that you'd never find the help you needed.  And now, given the later, the local guys are scarce but you might find parts and info you need on the internet. 

I'm sure it would be best to have a good combination of both. 

Luckily, I have a few go-to guys as well as the 'net.  I try to go to the local guys first but I won't suffer from them either.

[Tom H]

Are you sure you need 8mm wire? Most wire is 7mm. Much easier to find.

Tom

[moto]

Are you sure you need 8mm wire? Most wire is 7mm. Much easier to find.

Tom

Dennis Kirk has 8mm racing spark plug wire, with caps, here:

https://www.denniskirk.com/ngk/racing-spark-plug-wires-w-straight-cover-and-solid-terminal-8089.pcr38089.prd/CR38089.sku

Moto

[bobrebos]

I was looking for some VMC Spinshot drop shot fishing hooks.  I want to use them for dropshot fishing for bass.  They reduce line twist as they have a swivel built in.  11.99 for a package of five through on-line vendors with free shipping.  $6.99 without free shipping from some vendors plus $6.00 shipping =12.99.

I went down to the local fishing bait store here in Cleveland Tn, and bought a pack for $3.99 (Bought two packs) and some dropshot sinkers and fishing line.  Talked to the small business owner and had a nice fishing conversation.  Sometime buying things is more than just paying and gettin.
 Sometimes it can be a social experience where you form good strong business relationships and support the little guy.  I understand the buy local wont result in success in finding every widgit made, but i still try to.

 

[s1120]

The problem is the ship has sailed..  So many years of bix box, and mail order, and left most small shops either gone, or just kinda stocking the cream off the top..  My local hardware store is like that.. basic simple stuff that EVERYONE needs is there... but if you go looking for anything anywhere CLOSE to deep stock.. not there, and no idea what your talking about. If your lucky the local "big box" places might have something...  but it looks like history is repeating itself with them..  Amazon and the like are pretty much doing to the big boxes, what the big boxes did to Mom, and Pops..  And we are the one loosing... Granted all aera may not be dealing with that, but frankly here in upstate NY local business is pretty much dead all around.. Its sad but at this point your kinda tied. I always try to deal with the people I know at part stores. Some times I luck out, sometimes I dont. But frankly the guys I knew and were old time parts guys are leaving...  9 times out of 10 I end up ordering stuff anyways.. Sad but the genie is out of the bottle.. 

[Scout63]

Our local hardware store is well stocked, and the boat dealer sells absolutely everything I need other than Yanmar parts.  But I gave up on buying motorcycle parts locally years ago.  Why would I ever again drive 30 minutes to a dusty time warp dealership to spend another 20 watching the owners wife thumb through a specialty catalogue, charge me top dollar and tell me to come back in a week to pick it up.  Online I can compare products, read reviews, check prices and still have most items in a day or two.  And the dog gets a biscuit from the UPS driver.  Other than the fact that I ideologically despise Amazon it’s a pretty sweet setup.

[guzziart]

FWIW, I bought these for '03 Lemans last March.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NGK-Racing-Wire-90deg-Removable-Resistor-Cover-100cm-CR5-8515-/282720810527

Art

[s1120]

FWIW, I bought these for '03 Lemans last March.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NGK-Racing-Wire-90deg-Removable-Resistor-Cover-100cm-CR5-8515-/282720810527

Art

I got the same for my 02 stone metal..  Nice wires. Note that you do need to buy the coil side terminal though..

[AJ Huff]

Part of this is where people choose to live. It seems like many many members here choose to live in remote areas. Well the trade off is lack of stores. When I lived in Michigan nearly everything I ever needed was available locally in Kalamazoo, a short 20 minute drive. Moved to south Georgia and very little was available to me but I could drive 40 minutes to Tallahassee where everything I needed could be found. Not really buying local though. Then we moved to the end of the earth in North Georgia and there was NOTHING. Enter Amazon. Now there's a Walmart there but I hate Walmart and they don't everything and rarely have what I need. We we moved to North Georgia things like pillows and bedding, hope you brought it with you or you're locked into one store and their prices. But the people who move to that area love that. They are willing to live there and give up selection and competitive prices.

-AJ

[larrys]

Our local hardware store is well stocked, and the boat dealer sells absolutely everything I need other than Yanmar parts.

Same here. The local hardware store, a True Value chain store, has a fastener section that will knock your socks off. Defender Industries is 25 minutes away from me. Kellogg Marine is local, too.

Larry

[Spuddy]

Hey, it's an I-TAL-YAN bike.  I wanted RED wires. Finally got the red NGK racing wires from MG Cycle.  Should have done that first and saved a lot of time and headaches.  I'm still gunna need the coil end terminals and a crimper.  Red boots?  I think I'm whistling in the wind...

SPUD

[pete mcgee]

Automotive supply here in oz is changing.
Simple stuff like solid core ignition leads, single coils eg Bosch GT40T and the crimp on brass ends for the wires are disappearing, new cars dont need them. So suppliers dont carry them and you get very strange looks from any staff under 30 when you ask them.
Even finding stuff like a rear window wiper for a hyundai I30, most popular car in oz for the last 8 years, you have to go OEM, at $42 bucks for a single, nothing else will fit wiper blade.

[lucky phil]

Well, when everyone wants everything as cheap as possible down to the last penny, what do all the complainers expect. No margin left for the local retailer so he shuts up shop.
As someone once said, you generally get what you deserve, not what you want in the end.

Ciao

[Canuck750]

Well, when everyone wants everything as cheap as possible down to the last penny, what do all the complainers expect. No margin left for the local retailer so he shuts up shop.
As someone once said, you generally get what you deserve, not what you want in the end.

Ciao

Well said and so true, just like we in the west lost our local manufacturing industry because we all wanted to own three televisions for the price we paid for a single set in the 80's, we got what we deserved, lots of cheap consumer goods and a loss of jobs.