Buying Auto Components In Canada

[westslope]

Let me guess. Many if not most of us are mail-ordering replacement and upgrade components from the USA or the Gulf of Persia because they are so bloody expensive in Canada, especially the OE parts.

If I understand correctly, this applies not just to Nissan parts but to other auto brand parts in Canada too.

I am economics-trained so I understand the pricing models and I do understand the 'price to market' strategy that multinational companies typically use. But the Canadian markups are just bloody ridiculous!

For context, I am a very free market friendly guy. I have also grown accustomed to higher retail prices for just about everything in the interior of British Columbia. Combine distances with steep mountains and small markets and prices are often higher. Living in gobble's Country comes at a price.

Other than venting my frustration, I would like to ask: what do you folks do to procure components? What is your strategy? Experiences?


My current strategy:

0. Browse various Nissan dealership and nissan part websites in the USA for part numbers. Then shop at:

1. rockauto.com

2. PartsSouq.com

3. nissanpartsdeal.com

4. regional Nissan dealership in Kamloops BC for small orders

5. A local Lordco Auto Parts retail outlet for generic items that I require without delay because otherwise, it is horribly expensive.

I used to roam auto wrecker yards for the 1993 WD-21 pathfinder but now we live too far away from any decent junk yard. Have any of you had any luck in junk yards? I tried a few years ago when still living in Greater Vancouver and the pickings for Nissan Xterras were slim to non-existent.

Comments? Suggestions?

 

[BEEFY]

I'm up in PG so I feel your pain. The auto wreckers up here are more over priced than the parts stores. I deal a bit with cheiftain auto parts, napa and lordco, but order most of my stuff from rock auto. I will buy the parts locally if they arn't to much more than rock auto. But most of the time the local shops are 50%-100% more than ordering online.

 

[westslope]

Parts Avatar is an auto-parts company with offices in several major Canadian cities and India.

The web-site is really well done. And the prices for some components are less than what it costs me to buy and ship from RockAuto.com in the USA.

Does anybody have any experience with this auto-parts company?

 

[BCXterra]

For me it’s usually autopartsway.ca I have found them to be pretty good across a few different vehicles.

 

[westslope]

PartsAvatar is offering a bunch of front end parts on 45% to 65% discounts. As well, PartsAvatar is offering a bunch of advice for wheel bearings.

See Does Your Car Have a Bad Wheel Bearing? and scroll down to the bottom for the discounted parts.


I recently ordered and quickly received a pair of front brake disc rotors recently from PartsAvatar. One of the disc rotors was noticeably scratched despite being packed in a sturdy Raybestos box. I put them on anyways. So far so good.

 

[Nick Nicolas]

Ive used them all. Rockauto is my go to. Courtesy Nissan or Tasca parts for OEM stuff. Dealer for little bits like retainers, nuts and bolts etc.(simply because by the time i realize i need these parts I am usually in the middle of a repair). Btw, rockauto gets me parts from multiple warehouses faster than any of the canadian suppliers.

 

[Sustain26]

Hi, Looking for a Nissan mechanic in Quebec or Eastern Ontario; 2012 manual Pro-4x.

 

[westslope]

Best bet is a Nissan dealership.

Or find a local 4X4 club and/or 4X4 parts speciality store and ask around. If you live in Quebec and are willing to travel to Ontario, have you thought about upstate New York?

 

[Nd4SpdSe]

I'll add to this. But honestly, just start with a search with the part number. You'll be surprised at how many places have what you need here in Canada.

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Check your local CarQuest, NAPA and yes, even the Nissan Dealership. There's a few things I found cheaper at the Dealer then I found online. Amazon is convenient but not always the cheapest, but you gotta ship. Some parts are cheaper but cost more to ship. Amazon may be more expensive but cost you nothing to ship it. Another thing is that I recently ordered ASFID skid plates. There is a new Canadian distributor, but ordering directly from ASFIR site they come out at almost C$700 cheaper, but brokerage fees will be about C$400, so a $300 savings. Mevotech and Moog springs can be bought locally and seem the ones that are typically used by Z1 and All Dogs Off-Road. eBay is also an interesting source, but people are worried about fake OEM knock-offs. I got a brand new OEM heated steering wheel and a brand new OEM clock spring for much cheaper from there. I also got my new drivers side window switch from there.

I've got a few items from Z1, including their UCA's and recently their snorkel. Brokerage fees hit hard from them. But sometimes you gotta get what you gotta get from the USA. I got a Wam Wincher but in the -25% group buy and was totally worth it. Also check with any local fab shops. I'll be checking out to get some sliders made instead of getting some from the USA. This was great in the past but the shop I did business with closed down long ago and I have since learned to weld and fabricate stuff myself. I build and make what I can. I made up my own Subframe Drop kit for much cheaper then you can buy online and made from stronger.

I have used border shipping services, specifically Kinek with great success to get things cheaper and quicker. The current Canada-USA climate may change things in the near future.

I also shop around for labour. I wanted some lockers, front and rear. A local, very well known shop, gave me attitude and a ufck-you price for ARBs, cause they don't like Nissans here. They also tried to convince me to do a dual-SAS with Toyota axles. Another shop that was recommended gave me a bunch of attitude, talking to me like I wanted them done then and there. I never got word back from him on wanting to and if when he could do it. I ended up being convinced going the TRE e-locker route and got the group buy on the rear R230 going. Unfortunately I got one of the new M205 lockers with the axle retention issue, but what made the difference was having a shop that great to work with and patient. Patience also goes both ways and I let them take the time they felt like on it, which also helped having a 2nd set of (shorter ratio) diffs meaning the truck wasn't down while the locker work was being done. I had talked to another shop who hated Nissan diffs, but this one had much experience with Nissan R-series from the Z-cars, but would be his first M205. I work with shop that you can tell are wanting and willing to embark on your project. It was long, being a ginea pig and all, but it was well worth it.

 

[Prime]

Does Nissan subsidize the online parts sales up there? I know it's the only way to get OE parts down here.

 

[Nd4SpdSe]

Does Nissan subsidize the online parts sales up there? I know it's the only way to get OE parts down here.

You can't by from the dealer directly? I wasn't aware that was a thing. I haven't noticed a difference in price between online Nissan parts sources or at the counter at the dealer. I just got a new rear wiper arm for the R51 a few weeks ago, cost me C$35 IIRC. I did get a shock for them wanting $100 for a new strut nut.

 

[Prime]

Yes. You can certainly walk up to the parts counter and get whatever you need. But. On this side, if you order the parts online (either for local pick up or shipping from a remote dealer) the parts cost is ⅓ to ½ cheaper than what it would be if you went in person to the parts counter.

 

[Prime]

Example. When I was doing my Titan Swap on the old truck, the Titan brake booster I needed was something like $620USD book. I bought one from Bill Kay Nissan in Illinois and it was $220 shipped.

 

[Prime]

What happens here, is that Nissan corporate reimburses the dealer the list price of the part so they're incentivised to sell parts online and us consumers are incentivised to buy OE parts.

 

[Nd4SpdSe]

I have a good friend service manager. I'll have to ask.