who should i be buying my parts from?

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BammBamm
Posts: 240
Joined: Fri Jul 31, 2015 1:23 am
Your car is a: 1982 Pininfarina Spider
Location: az

who should i be buying my parts from?

Postby BammBamm » Mon Apr 04, 2016 1:23 am

I have been buying most of my parts from Vick's and some from autoricambi. I know iap has closed but there are several other guys selling spider parts. Who has the best prices and quality of parts?
Bill Woodbury
Design Engineer
Zero Shock Seating
1982 Spider 2000

DieselSpider
Posts: 2130
Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2014 10:21 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 Spider with Isuzu Turbo Diesel

Re: who should i be buying my parts from?

Postby DieselSpider » Mon Apr 04, 2016 5:09 am

Buy local whenever you can is the way I see it however this can become a religious type discussion.

Local you stand a chance of getting parts the same or the next day for about equal prices to the on-line vendors with many parts from well established national brands carrying lifetime warranties.

To me it is:

#1 - Local

#2 - Allisons, AR & Vicks (no particular order)

#3 - Midwest, FiatParts(if they ever put their site back on Sonic as advertised) & SpiderRoadster

#4 - MrFiat (way too expensive), Rock Auto (not a good track record of sending out the right parts)

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RRoller123
Patron 2020
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Posts: 8179
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2011 2:04 pm
Your car is a: 1980 FI SPIDER 2000
Location: SAGAMORE BEACH, MA USA

Re: who should i be buying my parts from?

Postby RRoller123 » Mon Apr 04, 2016 7:21 am

Buy from those with the best overall combination of service, quality and price. Vague? Of course. "Vendor bias" has been a sore point here and has caused a few to leave the forum. To each his own.

That being said, without my endless queries to Mark, and his consistently fast answers to my questions, my Winter project would have stalled out long ago. Thanks, Mark, I very much appreciate all the support!

Csaba and Ramzi at AR also provide an excellent combination of service, price and support, and deserve our continued business!
'80 FI Spider 2000
'74 and '79 X1/9 (past)
'75 BMW R75/6
2011 Chevy Malibu (daily driver)
2010 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Ext Cab 4WD/STD BED
2002 Edgewater 175CC 80HP 4-Stroke Yamaha
2003 Jaguar XK8
2003 Jaguar XKR
2021 Jayco 22RB
2019 Bianchi Torino Bicycle

narfire
Posts: 3959
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 2:14 am
Your car is a: 1980 124 spider
Location: Naramata B.C.

Re: who should i be buying my parts from?

Postby narfire » Mon Apr 04, 2016 12:10 pm

If I didn't have to deal with the lousy exchange rate at the moment, I like AR and Allison's. Their advise here is very appreciated so I thought it best to reciprocate when I need some Fiat bits. I used to go to IAP years ago.
I can get some bearings and things from the local jobber store ( Lordco) They carry Beck Arnley clutches and belts as well.
Chris
80 FI spider
72 work in progress
2017 Golf R ( APR Stg. 1)
2018 F350 crew long box

fiat218
Posts: 5745
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 5:06 pm
Your car is a: 1969 124 AS spider

Re: who should i be buying my parts from?

Postby fiat218 » Mon Apr 04, 2016 3:02 pm

Yup i agree with the names that are said :D
I am buying a couple of panels from mr fiat at this time, no one has them
Jim
East Grand Forks MN
1970 Fiat Spider BS1 ( FOR SALE
1969 124 AS Spider
2017 Abrath
2018 Alfa Romeo 4c Spider

nibbes123
Patron 2018
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Posts: 579
Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2008 8:45 am
Your car is a: 1979 Fiat 2000
Location: Mississauga Ontario Canada

Re: who should i be buying my parts from?

Postby nibbes123 » Mon Apr 04, 2016 4:50 pm

Jim there is a place in Canada called Wolf Steel panels in Quebec, they make panels and can also make one with your custom measurements .
Nick

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4uall
Posts: 4145
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2011 12:09 pm
Your car is a: 1980 Fiat Pininfarina Spider 2000 F.I.
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Re: who should i be buying my parts from?

Postby 4uall » Mon Apr 04, 2016 5:06 pm

Jay

Fiona
1980 FI 2000 Spider
ITZEBTZE

https://goo.gl/photos/eNKaX7hrXhBu9fmp6

FINN (FN-2187)
2014 Jeep Wrangler Sport
MYTHERPY

fiat218
Posts: 5745
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 5:06 pm
Your car is a: 1969 124 AS spider

Re: who should i be buying my parts from?

Postby fiat218 » Mon Apr 04, 2016 6:36 pm

he said he could press them out for the top one 250.00 mr fiat is cheaper
Jim
East Grand Forks MN
1970 Fiat Spider BS1 ( FOR SALE
1969 124 AS Spider
2017 Abrath
2018 Alfa Romeo 4c Spider

klweimer
Posts: 550
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 7:45 am
Your car is a: 1982 Spider 2000
Location: Arvada, Colorado

Re: who should i be buying my parts from?

Postby klweimer » Tue Apr 05, 2016 8:07 am

Autoricambi for all those stock items you need

Allison's for performance

Vick's if they have something on sale (not pistons)

Midwest-Bayless for things I can't find elsewhere (like a pre-reamed aux shaft bearing)

Personal opinion :D

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njoconnor
Posts: 614
Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2012 7:06 pm
Your car is a: 1972 124 Spider

Re: who should i be buying my parts from?

Postby njoconnor » Thu Apr 07, 2016 8:19 am

I was very surprised at the number of vendors out there when I started the 72's rebuild 4 years ago, and I had the same who/what/when questions. Using Excel, I set up a spreadsheet with a tab for each major area needing work (interior, suspension, brakes, etc). Then I listed the parts I needed for each section, and set up a column for each of the vendors (with their sites hypertext linked in the top row). Went "shopping" at each vendor, and entered prices (and later added a column for hypertext linked parts numbers), with shipping info in note boxes on the side. Took a while (hey, mid-winter 2013, and the car was under a blanket in the back garage), but when I was done, I had a clear idea of who had what (stocks and items vary quite a bit), and I could estimate costs for each section of work and for total cost (very helpful when Patty got tired of waiting and said "Get it done").

I did not always go with the lowest price on each item; often a slightly higher priced part could be accompanied by a unique part to that vendor. I'll admit the majority of the parts came from A/R (especially when I "helped" them out with their annual "inventory chores"...:), but the car would not be running without critical pieces from everyone mentioned above, as well as Chris Obert (who tends to have some really hard to find stuff), and non-Fiat specific vendors ( convertible top guys, seatbeltplanet, etc).

Shop around, compare, and go with what makes sense to you. Everyone I've ever called at the vendors has been helpful, quick to suggest alternatives if needed, and responsive in shipping the correct parts as fast as possible. Jump in and "Get it done!".

Neil
Neil O'Connor
Madison, WI
72 FIAT 124 Spider
12 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Summit
14 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn Eco-Diesel
ex-71 FIAT 124 Coupe
and a host of Audi's, Saabs, VW's, MOPAR's, Fords, and a Bimmer....

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Ramzi
Posts: 256
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2009 8:51 am
Your car is a: 1972 Fiat 124 Spider

Re: who should i be buying my parts from?

Postby Ramzi » Thu Apr 07, 2016 9:35 am

klweimer wrote:.... things I can't find elsewhere (like a pre-reamed aux shaft bearing)


I try to stay out of these sorts of threads... But I have one slight correction.

I believe we have about 500 set of these currently in stock. We purchased the only remaining stock from Italy about 2 years ago.

Thanks
R
Ramzi
1939 Fiat 508cm Coloniale (military)
1939 Fiat 508c Coloniale (civilian)
1966 124 Sedan RHD (oldest 124 in America)
1972 124 Spider GCRE (modified 2.0L)
2017 124 Spider Abarth (highly modified)

klweimer
Posts: 550
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 7:45 am
Your car is a: 1982 Spider 2000
Location: Arvada, Colorado

Re: who should i be buying my parts from?

Postby klweimer » Thu Apr 07, 2016 8:23 pm

OK Ramzi. Fair enough, I should have known! :D


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