Best Aftermarket parts company?

[patman]

So what aftermarket place is your "go to" when looking for a body or interior part? I've been getting a few things and I've had the best luck with Dixie Restoration Depot. Their customer service has been great and they've given me a real timeline on the parts that have been backordered. The worst place has been OPGI. Their customer service is terrible and they didn't even have an ETA on the parts that backordered. I ended up cancelling them. What's been your experience? What's your "go to" place?

[Wd71MC]

My go to place would have to be The Parts Place Inc or Napa but OPGI was my first place when I got my Monte but I was getting tired of everything being on back order like you said or taking along time for shipping.

[cbolt]

I prefer the parts place to all the others. The only downside is their website does not have much information on orders you have placed. You know the waiting is the hardest part. 

That being said, I am dealing more and more with SS396 because their warehouse and offices are literally 5 minutes from my house and I can save on shipping and just show up and pick up my order. 

[Rob Peters]

Lutty's in Pennsylvania  https://www.luttyschevy.com/

The Parts Place

Summit

There are many places.  Go to our "Resources" tab https://www.firstgenmc.com/forums/index.php?/resources/resourcespage/ and select "Parts Sources"  There is a large list there that may help you out.  Some of our members are parts sources for used First Gen Parts, Here are a few:

• Dennis Tretter (Dtret on the boards)
• Jared Richey   (Jared Richey on the boards)
• Leo Konik  Leo is listed in the "Parts Sources" link mentioned above listed as Konik's Klassik's

I am sure others will name some other parts sources.  Some members order from OPGi but be careful ordering from them and only do phone orders with them and specifically ask "Is It In Stock" because many times they will not ship an order until they have everything IN STOCK which can really delay getting the things you need plus their shipping costs are high.

rob

 

[Scott S.]

Didn't OPGI buy up Parts Places a couple years ago ??

[Dtret]

If I’m looking for reproduction parts The Parts Place is my first choice. OPGI can stick it. They will never see another dollar from me. 

[patman]

3 hours ago, cbolt said:

I prefer the parts place to all the others. The only downside is their website does not have much information on orders you have placed. You know the waiting is the hardest part. 

That being said, I am dealing more and more with SS396 because their warehouse and offices are literally 5 minutes from my house and I can save on shipping and just show up and pick up my order. 

That’s a solid bonus! Shipping is crazy.

[patman]

3 hours ago, Rob Peters said:

Lutty's in Pennsylvania  https://www.luttyschevy.com/

The Parts Place

Summit

There are many places.  Go to our "Resources" tab https://www.firstgenmc.com/forums/index.php?/resources/resourcespage/ and select "Parts Sources"  There is a large list there that may help you out.  Some of our members are parts sources for used First Gen Parts, Here are a few:

• Dennis Tretter (Dtret on the boards)
• Jared Richey   (Jared Richey on the boards)
• Leo Konik  Leo is listed in the "Parts Sources" link mentioned above listed as Konik's Klassik's

I am sure others will name some other parts sources.  Some members order from OPGi but be careful ordering from them and only do phone orders with them and specifically ask "Is It In Stock" because many times they will not ship an order until they have everything IN STOCK which can really delay getting the things you need plus their shipping costs are high.

rob

 

Thanks for the info

[Leghome]

i cannot remember whp bought the Parts Place but it was not OPGI. Dixie Depot does come to mine but my rememererer is malfunctioning

[Dtret]

1 minute ago, Leghome said:

i cannot remember whp bought the Parts Place but it was not OPGI. Dixie Depot does come to mine but my rememererer is malfunctioning

Classic industries 

[patman]

18 minutes ago, Dtret said:

Classic industries 

I don't see monte carlo or chevelle offered on their site. Am I missing it?

[Dtret]

1 hour ago, patman said:

I don't see monte carlo or chevelle offered on their site. Am I missing it?

Are you looking at The Parts Place or Classic?

[willie]

I used to buy only from Luttys, they were fantastic and probably still are. I used to order everything i needed from mostly a fellow named Chad, great guy and knew his stuff, always had what i needed. Reason i stopped was, Luttys used to do the Carlisle shows, i used to order before the show, they brought it up and i picked it up at the show with NO shipping charges. They left around Covid time and haven't been back since!     So i moved to SS396 they were the closest, in CT. so i figured cheaper shipping, they also were great with parts and customer service. Yup they moved to FL.    Now i am with The Parts Place first because i never had a problem and usually get what i want. Second would be SS396. Done with Luttys!

As far as OEM stuff, yes it would be the 3 people that Rob had posted but i also go with Steve Demmers.

[Dtret]

36 minutes ago, willie said:

I used to buy only from Luttys, they were fantastic and probably still are. I used to order everything i needed from mostly a fellow named Chad, great guy and knew his stuff, always had what i needed. Reason i stopped was, Luttys used to do the Carlisle shows, i used to order before the show, they brought it up and i picked it up at the show with NO shipping charges. They left around Covid time and haven't been back since!     So i moved to SS396 they were the closest, in CT. so i figured cheaper shipping, they also were great with parts and customer service. Yup they moved to FL.    Now i am with The Parts Place first because i never had a problem and usually get what i want. Second would be SS396. Done with Luttys!

As far as OEM stuff, yes it would be the 3 people that Rob had posted but i also go with Steve Demmers.

You can’t depend on me because I have no idea what I have or where it is. lol. 😝 

[Rob Peters]

44 minutes ago, willie said:

I used to buy only from Luttys, they were fantastic and probably still are. I used to order everything i needed from mostly a fellow named Chad, great guy and knew his stuff, always had what i needed. Reason i stopped was, Luttys used to do the Carlisle shows, i used to order before the show, they brought it up and i picked it up at the show with NO shipping charges. They left around Covid time and haven't been back since!     

As far as OEM stuff, yes it would be the 3 people that Rob had posted but i also go with Steve Demmers.

The reason Lutty's quit coming to Carlisle was Carlisle Events fault.  There were several reasons.  Lutty's for years had the same spot on the show field and Carlisle Events would not give them their spot.  Carlisle Events started charging them much more.  Carlisle Events changed the GM Nationals/Chevrolet Nationals from a 3 day event to a 2 Day Event so it cut their sales by about 1/3.  Another way it cut into their profits is when it was a 3 day event they could take orders the first two days and for the last day they could bring up a truck with parts that they ran out of or didn't have on their event trailer.  It was a total cost issue with the Carlisle Events and length of the GM Show as opposed to other shows like the Mopar, Ford and others.

OOPS... I did forget to list Steve Demmers.  I have bought from Steve also.

rob

[willie]

Rob i didn't know the reason, and i am not arguing. But there are still the spring and fall shows? They are 3 day shows+. I get the part about Carlisle charging more but they had to lose more than they would have paid. I know a few people that stopped using them, because of them leaving.

I just feel if i have to get something and need to pay the shipping, I will go elsewhere also.  I still would buy there but it isn't my priority choice any longer.

[Marks71]

The main reason I’ve been using OPGI is because I pass by them on my way to visiting daughter which saves shipping. If the item is back ordered they don’t charge me shipping. I normally check stock, but if it’s something I don’t need right away like the floor mats for the Monte, I might let it go to BO. Even though I did save a fare amount of money 10 months was a bit ridiculous. Most of what I’ve gotten from them has been for my Buick. As for my Camaro, it’s been Classic Industries or National Parts Depot, both in California also.

[cbolt]

I do have a little positive story about OPGI. I ordered bucket seat head rests from them that turned out to be on backorder. They were on backorder for roughly a year and a half, but since I had the old ones installed in my car, I actually forgot all about getting the new ones. When they finally came in, OPGI informed me via email and inquired whether or not I still wanted them. I did, and they shipped them to me for the original price, not the inflated price that they had become over that time period. I was pretty pleased as the head rests were much more expensive than what I had ordered them at. 

Moral of the story is, not all backorders are bad. 😎

Or maybe the moral is, patience is a virtue? I always struggle with morals. 🤔

[420ponies]

9 hours ago, willie said:

Rob i didn't know the reason, and i am not arguing. But there are still the spring and fall shows? They are 3 day shows+. I get the part about Carlisle charging more but they had to lose more than they would have paid. I know a few people that stopped using them, because of them leaving.

I just feel if i have to get something and need to pay the shipping, I will go elsewhere also.  I still would buy there but it isn't my priority choice any longer.

Willie, I believe they are still doing the Spring and Fall Carlisle events. Weather is always a factor then too as changing of the seasons is happening. I always check with Lutty's before the show to see if I really need anything.

[willie]

31 minutes ago, 420ponies said:

Willie, I believe they are still doing the Spring and Fall Carlisle events. Weather is always a factor then too as changing of the seasons is happening. I always check with Lutty's before the show to see if I really need anything.

Jim i will check my books but i think they pulled out of all the shows. We will see.

[patman]

16 hours ago, Dtret said:

Are you looking at The Parts Place or Classic?

I got ya. I hadn’t seen the post where classic bought the arts place. Thanks

[Dtret]

1 minute ago, patman said:

I got ya. I hadn’t seen the post where classic bought the arts place. Thanks

They didn’t change anything as of yet. It all remains under The Parts Place program. 

[Blackhawk]

I just wish The Parts Place had a better estimate on shipping rather than just 'We'll charge you 20% and it may go up or down'. They have a lot of small items that nobody else seems to carry.

I've actually had pretty good luck with OPGI lately, the only backordered items were listed as such. I think I saved close to $100 buying the side trim from them when they had a sale rather than any of the other vendors, even after shipping. I've been using Jegs a lot lately, they seem to have a better selection and price than Summit Racing and even started carrying some of the trim and body parts as Jegs branded. Some of the items that shipped free from Jegs had a $8 oversized fee from Summit.

[Chevy Dave]

I  have found that Rockauto often has the best prices.  I also use The Parts Place, Summit Racing, Jegs and OPGI.  Sometimes Amazon  or Ebay has good deals, but don't purchase off brand parts from them, as they are often inferior Chinese parts.

[jft69z]

1 hour ago, Chevy Dave said:

I  have found that Rockauto often has the best prices. .

They do, but the shipping has to be figured into the total. Just got a couple boxes from them this week though. They do have the best prices on the Gates Power Grip heat shrink hose clamps that I use. I restocked those this week.

I need a few fan belts for a job I'm doing, with Amazon usually being pretty good, IF they have it coming from them. A couple of the sizes they didn't stock. Did a quick google search and a couple results show up on the right side of the page.

You'll NEVER guess who had the best price, and free shipping..................................Home Depot. Yep that's right. They had the exact Gates XL belts, correct part number, and generally $5-8 cheaper than Amazon. They'll be coming next week. The sizes that don't fit just get returned to the local store.