Is it just me...

[KE4AVB]

Is it just me seeing huge price increases on some parts or is everybody seeing these price jumps? Some my part that I purchased last year nearly double for the same parts. Kinda make me wish I had ordered more of the items last year. I just priced a throttle cable that I used the last one of and the price went from 8.09 to 15.09. Boy the customer will feel the price increase the next time they need a new cable.

[bgsengine]

No it isn't just you. MTD usually is good at holding the line on price increases, Echo will more often than not change to a new part number (with a quality revision or make it an assembly) to kick up prices by a lot (But generally the value is there) , Briggs is the worst offender in my experience with some common briggs parts going from $1,53 to $1.80 to $3.00 dealer cost over the last 3 years (For a simple bowl nut gasket for a carburetor) You'd think their parts are being gold plated or something.

[KE4AVB]

Thanks for the reply. Although, we don't need these hikes it is something we got to deal with as a go between. Customers here sometimes think I am just ripping them off. I try to keep my mark-up @ 30% but on some items there have some large increases. I had one customer to flat out call me a thief while another customer was here because the price hike from last year. I pulled my invoices to prove to him that I actually sold the part to him at cost. He said he could get exact same part cheaper through E-bay and I said prove it which he wasn't able to do so.

So irritating when the customer makes a big scene while others are here. Once he left the other customer said "What a cheap stake." What did he expect me to do buy the part and give it to him plus install it for free? Hopefully he won't come back anytime soon.

[bgsengine]

Yep - I have gotten rid of a lot of cheapskate customers since I started sticking to my guns - I do not care what MSRP is or what the other guys charge or sell for - Our price is just that - OUR PRICE - Of course with the pricing comes the quality of service, the guarantee that you know what you are getting (we don't try to pass of aftermarket as OEM like a good number of shops I have worked at or done business with in the past) and we actually have it posted right up front - if it isn't worth putting at least $35 to $50 into a machine, then don't even bring it in. We'll quote them up front on a new carburetor plus labor as a ballpark before even unloading it off their vehicle.. most of the ones who want it done cheap will walk away and not be back.

[Luffydog]

We have a $20 fee for dia. Which is not bad at all up front. But they will complain just tell them don't waste my time then and I won't waste yours as well. With the price hikes comes greater/hr charges to cover some things along with price changes. I think the makers are slowing getting rid of all the mechanics they want you to buy new machines. One day there will no need for techs or mst or Kohler or Kawasaki techs. Like Kohler now they will not replace engines they only short or long block for the most part. Had one to go down after about 20 or so hrs they would not send a new replacement only the long block. To me that's wrong. But yes feeling the price hikes just about everywhere and like y'all have said the customers are to and they complain no matter what even before the price jumps.

[KE4AVB]

Yes a lot times I feel like just a part replacer instead of being a repairman.

I can understand some thought behind the factories attitude. As things are done on an assembly line with new parts. Costs are little in both time and parts. It is when the parts finally makes to us, the end user, so many additional charges are added in. The factories also don't see all the time we spend troubleshooting problems, dealing suppliers and the customers. It is same with customers, they just don't want to accept it take time to get the parts. There are days that I spend more time finding parts than I do actual work. They also like to keep their workers busy.

I currently got a customer pushing to get his Mule out of the shop. He don't seen to understand shipping times for parts. I needed a half shaft that didn't get shipped until Monday as the vendor had to get it out of the Kawasaki warehouse. Told him it would be shipped out Monday from GA and it takes two days to get here. So what does he do? He comes in bright and early Wednesday trying to tell me that I said they would be in Tuesday. I had to explain the shipping route. That the ordered parts had to go from GA to Nashville, Tullahoma and finally my shop which deliveries are in the late afternoon. The parts showed up around around 3 pm Wednesday.

Now I got the reassembly to do this morning and hopefully can get things watertight by 10am as it when storms that are currently moving through Missouri is to start arriving. I still got to go to Tram-law and pickup the my oil order today.

Oh well going to the coffee pot to drain it and down a couple pills then out to the shop.

Just having vent somewhere my frustration at all the new costs this year and the all the back orders. At least the back orders are usually for restock items or items that I am making stock for before I need them. I actually sold several items that I ordered during the off season as they were for newer mowers that I seen late last year. Deck and drive belts mainly.

[Luffydog]

We have a wait price a rush price and a get done right then price if can without parts ordered and if they don't like the wait price they defiantly won't like the right now lol. Yes I feel the vents and know how u feel. Enjoy the pot to the last drop. Stay cool

[51cub]

I have it good compared to you guys. At my regular job I work for the town. I only have to worry about money at the end of the fiscal year. Even then, I don't have to make the decision. Even management uses what we call, " the July pile". It just means really that big ticket stuff gets parked until the new year, July 1. One thing that gets to me though you guys reminded me about with customers rushing you. I work on all the cop cars. Too often they call me to find out how long until they can have the car back. I finally got to the point that I tell them, " As long as it was going to be anyhow, plus however much of my time we waste on the phone". They also have a bad habit of thinking they're dropping a car off for just an oil change. I don't do that. I service it. Alot of times I find it needs brakes, tires, front end work, and it's got a check engine light with 5 or 6 codes. Didn't mean to type so long. I guess I vented a little myself

[grunt]

Reminds me of a sign I saw in a shop somewhere.

GOOD - CHEAP - FAST
you can pick any two

GOOD service CHEAP won't be FAST
GOOD service FAST won't be CHEAP
FAST service CHEAP won't be GOOD

[Arkie]

Automotive Windshield wiper blades.
No more refills. buy the whole blade and then get a rocket scientist to help you figure out which parts of the 1000 generic pieces you need to make them compatible for your vehicle and the insert only last one season if lucky and they don't fall off.

No one can make a good automotive windshield wiper, but they can put a rover on mars. OMG