Price Gouging?

[Josh B]

I got a Mahle intake Manifold Gasket set MIS 19316 for $111.99 from Auto Zone

Later decided to get one that also covers the head gaskets so that could be checked

Priced at Auto Zone for 142.99

Sunday called to get it on the way, but after several attempts he says the website says not available from Manufacturer


Checked with Oreilly and they have gobs for 242.99 !! ??

Today talked with Bumper to Bumper and theirs is not available from manufacturer

What's going on ?

 

[RobbieD]

Parts are outrageously expensive right now.

I just did a brake job on the '84 Ranger, 2WD. I've put it off for several years (it only serves trash duty, and stopping is overrated anyway), and just happened to keep track of parts pricing.
Just one example: Brake rotors, from AutoZone, were
$39.49 in Nov 2018,
$61.49 in Sep 2021, and
$75.59 when I finally just bought them in Mar 2023.

Almost double, in 4 1/2 years.

I'm finding that all parts are much more expensive, and from all of my usual sources.

Personally, I think we're at a catch-up point, from the Corona first shutting down suppliers, then came higher shipping costs from the same reason on the supply chain (along with higher fuel costs), AND ESPESCIALLY price gouging from the corporations themselves. Gotta keep up on the profits, for management bonuses and investor stock returns, right? Many big companies had record profits last year. And we're too stupid to figure it out ? . . .

Unfortunately, I think prices (on anything, for that matter) simply will not go back down to the pre-Covid levels.

I think it's corporate greed, more than anything, right now.


Rant over; I feel better now.

 

[Josh B]

But what about 4 1/2 years VS 4 1/2 minutes ? That cannot be inflation

Also I searched the term and the results I saw were high at 10, 20, 25, and 30% enough to be considered gouging by most states. There was a page on Federal or government definitions but I didn't open that page.... yet

 

[Josh B]

"Unfortunately, I think prices (on anything, for that matter) simply will not go back down to the pre-Covid levels.

I think it's corporate greed, more than anything, right now."

Corporate greed is hit the nail on the head

And no, they won't go back down. That crossed my mind due to being on Social Security, and receiving a small token of (what I call) Food Stamps. It went up during covid but now went back down to pre Covid rate.
I'm plannibg to call and ask them if they'll also be putting the other prices back to pre Covid rates

 

[Shran]

O'Reilly is high on everything they sell and they also hire the dumbest people from what I have seen. And their parts quality is not good... name brand stuff is fine but their Master Pro parts are just total crap.

Autozone is usually my go-to if I have to step foot in a store, followed closely by Sturdevants, Advance and NAPA in that order... but I get most of my parts from eBay or RockAuto. Guessing I save 50-75% over brick and mortar stores.

 

[RobbieD]

But what about 4 1/2 years VS 4 1/2 minutes ? That cannot be inflation

Back in the day, that was called "getting a hell of a rush!"

I'm plannibg to call and ask them if they'll also be putting the other prices back to pre Covid rates

Good luck with that. Let us know how it works out . . .

I just retired and went on Social Security myself.

With the cost of canned cat food going up like everything else, that means we have a meal with some kind of meat only once every couple of days.

My birthday is coming up; maybe we'll splurge and get a pack of hot dogs . . .

 

[Josh B]

I had made up my mind to do the head gaskets but I guess now I'll have to go without it :/
I already have the Intake set but had decided to swap it back and get the head gaskets too

 

[lowspeedpursuit]

Prices here tend to go NAPA ≈ Federated > Advance ≈ Autozone > The Carquest (bought out by Advance) that gives me "shop rate" >> Amazon ≈ Rockauto. We don't have O'Reilly's. Even full-service junkyards have been charging some absolutely stupid prices lately, in my opinion.

If it's not an emergency--or something like rotors or unit bearings where they completely rake you over the coals on shipping--Rockauto is where it's at.

If it is an emergency, I don't usually get to shop on price. Odds are only one of the big four stores actually has what I need on the shelf.

 

[Roert42]

I suspect everything will come crashing down at some point.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Any more I mostly deal with the commercial side of Autozone. Used to chase prices a lot but there’s time involved in that. Rock auto screwed me twice and that was the end of that. I have a couple hundred bucks worth of new parts sitting here that I can’t use from them because they were mis-labeled or the like. Also got defective and broken stuff that came that way they wouldn’t make good on. Done with that nonsense.

Some stuff I’ll search online and buy wherever. But mostly anymore it’s pick up the phone, make a call, and get back to work, parts will be here when they can get them here. Usually within the hour unless I needed something from hub or VDP. But that gets delivered too. Only have to go to the store if I want to. That’s a darn handy way of doing things.

 

[Josh B]

I live outside city limits too far I guess, still have to go and get mine

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I live outside city limits too far I guess, still have to go and get mine

When I worked commercial for Autozone years ago we would range up to an hour away from the store on deliveries. I don’t know if they’re still going that far though. Haven’t asked. They come the like 10-15 minutes here and that’s good enough for me. I know one of their other places they deliver to is right near me because I’ve told drivers the best way to get from me to their next stop. The guy that runs the commercial department there now is a guy I worked with years ago there, he’s done pretty good with it from when I was there and someone else was in charge. Think they have 3-4 delivery vehicles and 6-7 commercial people now. I have been buying enough to get above the lowest tier for pricing.

 

[Josh B]

Maybe I'll give that another try then

 

[bobbywalter]

"Unfortunately, I think prices (on anything, for that matter) simply will not go back down to the pre-Covid levels.

I think it's corporate greed, more than anything, right now."

Corporate greed is hit the nail on the head

And no, they won't go back down. That crossed my mind due to being on Social Security, and receiving a small token of (what I call) Food Stamps. It went up during covid but now went back down to pre Covid rate.
I'm plannibg to call and ask them if they'll also be putting the other prices back to pre Covid rates

the VAST majority of this is absolutely not corporate greed.


its government morons.


there is a reason i would rather pick up a good running 4.0 over doing a valve train the last 20 years.. its cheaper....and has always been cheaper from a time perspective.

 

[oldgeek]

I like our small town Carquest. I'll look online at Advanced parts, find what I need, call the parts store and give them the part number. They usually will sell it cheaper than the online price. They are unpopular with the parts stores in the small city 10 minutes away as people will drive over here to get parts because they are cheaper. If only they were open Saturday afternoon.