Supercheap Auto, not so cheap anymore?

[87xfdriver]

Past few months pricing bits and pieces I've needed for various projects Supercheap on all occasions has come up fair bit dearer than Repco or Autobarn (view on catalogueau.com). They seem to have select bargains every now and then though, but today I went in to see if they could match a price on some ignition leads that in an eBay store were $30, they had them for $56 and said "no" they couldn't do it. I suppose alot of tinkerers just go in there and pay whatever. I think that's probably what their market is rather than people who do alot of automotive work with fair amount of experience.
Anyone else notice they're pretty expensive now?

[commodorenutt]

Found this quite a lot with them. They had my preferred oil on sale the other week, so I went in there (3 times....damn "limit 2 per customer" crap). Checked out filters & wiper blades & left scratching my head.

Went down the road to an outlet that's part of a smaller chain, less well known, and got the same filters for nearly half what supercheap wanted - and they weren't on sale either. Plus they had 3 car-guys working the counter, who knew what filters were needed for that model, and grabbed them off the shelf. I'd be happy to pay more for that sort of knowledge & service - but not to some pimply teenager at S/C who gives blank looks...

I also found the same price discrepancy some 15 (maybe more) years ago with Nolathane bushes - Repco were cheaper than Supercheap (and S/C hadn't been going long) for the same bushes - some $150 difference on $500 worth of bushes (basically the whole car).

S/C are cheap on their specials, and the commodity rubbish they flog, but on 'real parts' they are often worse, sometimes far worse than their competitors.
The average weekend-warrior DIY guy sucked in by the name probably doesn't ever visit another shop to ever compare.

[LG17]

They're not so cheap anymore but they're still crap.

[chizzy86]

Was going to start the same thread actually when I saw the price of ATF at my local SCA

[Brazen]

Yeah I visit my local Repco instead, seems to have much better sales too

[GO FURTHER]

I've found Bursons Auto Part stores to be the most expensive for parts and tools.

Repco to be the best stocked in general for spare parts, and good pricing, especially with the extra discount for RACV and other auto club members which can be 20% or more across their range.

Autobarn generally more expensive than Supercheap, but stocking a better quality range of accessories.

I find Supercheap the best value in car care products though, and signing up as a "Club Plus member" does pay dividends in extra credit dollars to spend in store.

I think in a 12 month period I've received over $150 in credit dollars which is credited to your card every month.

They also do seem to keep their promise that if the product you've purchased goes on special within two weeks, they will credit the difference direct to your Club Card.

[Peter B - CV8]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Yeah I visit my local Repco instead, seems to have much better sales too

Yep - me too. Get an NRMA discount at Repco as well.

[kypez]

I bought oil for the GTF there. Special order, 20 litres of 5W-20 Edge... $355!!

Same things from Autobarn, $249... Guess where I started shopping.

I guess it costs money to sponsor a race team and a race event, and someone has to pay for it!

[paulie]

Supercheap are great if you want to buy camping gear or some gardening equipment. ........

Pretty sad..... bigger selection of garden tools than spanners etc.

[barrys123]

We have two veh and I just buy ahead when oils, filters etc are on special as I only buy fully synthetic, so where ever Supercheap, Repco, Autobahn & sometimes Auto One. Parts mainly stick to OEM.

[FGX-351]

I use them fairly often because there close by, the young girl at the local handed me a 10% trade card one day which helps out.

I don't think there's an issue with them giving those out, wouldn't hurt to ask anyway.

[mr smith]

Supercrap Autos. These big mobs are part of why we are seeing local manufacturing go, not to mention the lack of service. And by service I mean having someone behind the counter who knows what they are talking about.

[marty351]

Repco FTW!

[Whitey-AMG]

Originally Posted by marty351

Repco FTW!

Yep
REPCO with RACV discount, good value all the time without having to wait for overpriced items to go on special discounts when the moon turns blue.

[tommof]

So Guys, what do you do when you need parts straight away?
My son dropped in on way home from work, on a friday, in his BF duel fuel wagon with a severe case of the staggers - farting, stuttering and obviously running on less than 6 cyls. Car was too hot to touch then. He needed it for work Monday of course.
So bought it back Saturday and quickly diagnose 2 crook coils. All 6 no brand ebay suspects.
Repco wanted more than 50 each but got 2 SCA calibre brand straight away for 25 each with their trade discount. Didn't bother Bursons the thieving ******. Ebay stuff was cheaper but a 5 day wait...
Car fixed with no doubt the rest will fail soon but it got him back on the road.

So if you want parts straight away where do you go?

[.:4:.]

Originally Posted by tommof

So Guys, what do you do when you need parts straight away?
My son dropped in on way home from work, on a friday, in his BF duel fuel wagon with a severe case of the staggers - farting, stuttering and obviously running on less than 6 cyls. Car was too hot to touch then. He needed it for work Monday of course.
So bought it back Saturday and quickly diagnose 2 crook coils. All 6 no brand ebay suspects.
Repco wanted more than 50 each but got 2 SCA calibre brand straight away for 25 each with their trade discount. Didn't bother Bursons the thieving ******. Ebay stuff was cheaper but a 5 day wait...
Car fixed with no doubt the rest will fail soon but it got him back on the road.

So if you want parts straight away where do you go?

Get the spare car from the office and leave yours at the mechanics? Other then that I don't know. I do own a car but I never have had to own one.

[tommof]

Originally Posted by .:4:.

Get the spare car from the office and leave yours at the mechanics? Other then that I don't know. I do own a car but I never have had to own one.

Good answer

Unfortunately not an answer in the self employed circus....

[Dyln.bxtr]

Originally Posted by tommof

So Guys, what do you do when you need parts straight away?
My son dropped in on way home from work, on a friday, in his BF duel fuel wagon with a severe case of the staggers - farting, stuttering and obviously running on less than 6 cyls. Car was too hot to touch then. He needed it for work Monday of course.
So bought it back Saturday and quickly diagnose 2 crook coils. All 6 no brand ebay suspects.
Repco wanted more than 50 each but got 2 SCA calibre brand straight away for 25 each with their trade discount. Didn't bother Bursons the thieving ******. Ebay stuff was cheaper but a 5 day wait...
Car fixed with no doubt the rest will fail soon but it got him back on the road.

So if you want parts straight away where do you go?

Trade discount is out of reach for the rest of us. I am intending to try and convince the local repco to sign me up on a trade discount, that way I'll go straight through them rather than ebay.

If I need a part in a hurry, I will always go repco and get the name brand. With my RACQ discount, I'm not complaining. Considering the old girl is my forever car.
Supercheap I only ever go to for degreaser and detailing gear on special (or other can't be beat specials).

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[87xfdriver]

Originally Posted by tommof

So Guys, what do you do when you need parts straight away?
My son dropped in on way home from work, on a friday, in his BF duel fuel wagon with a severe case of the staggers - farting, stuttering and obviously running on less than 6 cyls. Car was too hot to touch then. He needed it for work Monday of course.
So bought it back Saturday and quickly diagnose 2 crook coils. All 6 no brand ebay suspects.
Repco wanted more than 50 each but got 2 SCA calibre brand straight away for 25 each with their trade discount. Didn't bother Bursons the thieving ******. Ebay stuff was cheaper but a 5 day wait...
Car fixed with no doubt the rest will fail soon but it got him back on the road.

So if you want parts straight away where do you go?

Nine times out of ten I'd go the wreckers!

[Dauphin]

Originally Posted by tommof

...Repco wanted more than 50 each but got 2 SCA calibre brand straight away for 25 each with their trade discount. Didn't bother Bursons the thieving ******. Ebay stuff was cheaper but a 5 day wait...
Car fixed with no doubt the rest will fail soon but it got him back on the road.

So if you want parts straight away where do you go?

Different story here. I went to get brake pads for a Kia and SCA told me it was a deleted line and I'd have to wait a week for them to get them in, and they were about $50.

I went to Repco and they had three different brands in stock, got them for $35!

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by tommof

So if you want parts straight away where do you go?

This why I own 4 Ford Traders with identical drivetrains and bought up as much NOS stuff as I could lay my hands on.

[a96ute]

I find Autopro (Canningvale) very good, I went to SCA for a specific product but don't sell it anymore so thought while there I'll get some injector cleaner for Mrs mazda, Nulon was $16 & the SCA Calibre brand $13 so what the hell bought the Calibre, anyway called into Autopro to get what I wanted only to find their Nulon was $4 cheaper, & $1 cheaper than SCA brand, ended up with Liqui Moly for the XR6 for same price of SCA Nulon
Some shops I don't mind paying a little more providing I get good advice, not somewhere the IQ is less than their shoe size but cheaper

[MDS69]

I had to buy a new cranking battery for my daily. At North Parramatta Repco and SC are next to each other. SC had the same battery cheaper so I purchased it there. Few days later I got an email saying I had credit on my SC member card, like around $30 odd dollars. Guess the battery went on sale after I made my purchase.

[Jack91]

Sca are only good for tyreshine and degreaser. Repco here are useless for parts and dumb sales people. I found a small independent store in town and have been using them for years. With edelbrock, msd, holley and nitrous express gear they are cheaper than eBay! Helps that the two owners run some pretty serious race cars. Bursons are rude, expensive and dumb. Rude little ***** wouldn't return a broken dissy I bought from there once for an clevo. The rotor wasn't spinning at all. Still insisted he talk to the 'auto elec that fitted it'. I gave him the number of my auto elec mate, he called him in front of me to make sure it was the dissy that was broken. Screw bursons. Independents are best, especially if you want good quality gear!

[paulie]

Super**** offer a code reading service for obd2.
Problem is half the dicks that do it for the customers are like 14-15yo trenagers without a clue.

They clear what ever codes are on the system.
Then the customer comes in to a workshop with a piece of paper and a code (usually wrong) and wants you to fix it.

I send them back to Super****
Want your car fixed/diagnosed. Bring it straight to a workshop.

Want gardening equipment and smelly trees. Go to super****.

[.:4:.]

Supercheap is only any good when man shopping. When you walk in go straight to the thing you want, buy it disregarding the price and leave. It's not like going to a place like robbo's who has a parts interpreter on the desk. It's the car equivalent of bunnings. Heaps of stuff, but no staff member knows what anything does. I prefer repco, because they atleast look things up when they don't know the answer. Pricing may be a bit hit and miss, but the service is better. You can't beat the independents for service though. I don't mind spending a bit more if I'm confident that the sales person knows their stuff.

[roddy1960]

G'day all , I know they're not directly retail in this context but from personal experience twice this mob seem to have people answering queries really quickly and dispatch very fast.. I done business with them and have nothing but praise for their work..Their parts are genuine too and saved me a lot of frustration if I'd gone to a dealership..http://stores.ebay.com.au/Adelaide-Parts.. Re Supercheap...I needed a coil for my little run around Honda Accord.. I spoke to two different sales guys and walked out still not sure so I left it for the local servo to deal with...Still like to browse for generic stuff though..Cheers Rod...

[Pepscobra]

SuperCheap only good when they have their 20% off storewide sales.

[b2tf]

I worked for Autobarn for around 9 years and we often found that even off the shelf without any haggling SC were more expensive than our prices. Spose the fact that AB has a team of people who literally spend all day checking their prices helps.

Burson is by far the most expensive for off the shelf purchases but they do have the better pricing in most cases for workshop consumables like filters and plugs. Having said that, Burson has just bought Autobarn so they are now all owned by the same group. That group also owns Mitre 10 and IGA.

[BENT_8]

Ironic that this should come up, a mate just called in after visiting Supercheap for a new trailer plug for the trailer he is restoring.
He came away with the same opinion after pricing some no brand plug at almost $20, then getting and ARK brand item from Bunnings for $8.

Superexpensive rubbish it should be rebranded.