Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Increase in repo parts prices???

First and foremost I'm not accusing anyone of price gouging, just wanting some insight on the following:

Has anyone else noticed the large increases in some of the repo gas pump parts?

13.5 repo globes went up from $69-$70 to $ 85

M/S 80 sightglasses doubled from $ 10 to $ 20

M/S 80 repo script tops went up a average of about $ 25 each.

I know these vendors are in the business to make money. I hope they're just passing along their increases in cost of doing business and not just taking advantage of the continued increase of interest in the gas pump hobby.

I can understand price increases they're a way of life and a way of doing business. (If you want to stay in business) $15 to $16 increase on a repo globe in one year seems a pretty high to me. Maybe I'm crazy what do you all think?

Maybe someone out there has a little more insight on this topic?

THE PEOPLE WHO SELL WILL SAY OPERATING COST HAS GONE UP AND THEY HAVE.IF YOU SHOP AROUND I THINK YOU CAN FIND A SOME LITTLE LOWER PRICES.THAT DOES SEEM LIKE A BIG JUMP IF YOUR GOING TO SPEND 80 PLUS SHIPPING FOR A REPO SINCLAIR GLOBE BUY AN ORIGINAL FOR 200.I DO HAVE TO SAY WITHOUT THESE GUYS IT WOULD MAKE THE HOBBY MORE DIFFICULT TO SAY THE LEAST.I USED TO RESTORE PUMPS LIKE A MADMAN NOW I PREFER NICE ORIGINALS.I DO NOT THINK THEY WOULD AOTOMATICALLY RAISE PRICES.THEY ALSO REALISE ALTHOUGH IT IS FREINDLY COMPETITION THEY NEED TO STAY COMPETITIVE.THERE IS MORE PEOPLE REPOPING EVERY DAY.SOME GOOD PARTS SOME BAD OR CHEAP.MANUFACTURING OF A QUALITY PART IS GOING TO COST MORE.PEOPLE WILL SHOP AROUND MORE AND BUY THE PARTS THEY THINK ARE THE BEST.MY 2 CENTS
TOMD

Philip, When i started collecting the repro globes were $85 a year or so ago maybe even 2 years ago before they droped to $69. I am not sure why they droped but they are back up to where they were 2 years ago.
I would guess price and demand. I am sure they make so many and have a supply for a year or even 2 and when they run low or out i would guess they rerun them hence the higher price.
One thing to keep in mind is as repro stuff goes up it might make more sence to buy the original stuff. One thing is for sure is original stuff is hard to beat!

Well...I guess I need to weigh in on here, since I just printed a new catalog with many increased prices.

1) Globes. Like Jarvis said, gas pump globes were $85 as far back as 8-9 years ago. As more people began to manufacture globes, there was an inevitable pricing war that took place that kinda lasted longer than it should have. In my catalogs over the last few years, I went from $69 to $70 to $75 and now back to the original $85. With the expense of petroleum (plastic bodies) and natural gas & electric (slumping of lenses), I wouldn't be shocked if we saw $100 globes in the next 2-4 years. My plastic body costs alone have tripled in the last 3 years.

2) Parts. I looked at the first catalog I did in 1997 and compared it to the last one I did in 2005 and almost across the board, the prices on parts were identical. That's 8 years with no increases. Aluminum, Brass, Steel, Plastics, Rubber, Glass, Powder for Powder-Coating, etc. have all gone up exponentially over the past 8 years.
There's no way around passing the increase on. Think about ANYTHING you bought in 1997 and compare the prices with what it costs today. Specifically, the MS 80 sightglass Philip referred to, went from $10 to $20 because it changed from a crappy resin-casting that looked like dried tree-sap to a gorgeous,vacuum-formed clear plastic. My cost went up 1 1/2 times or 150%. I doubled the price or 100%, so I actually didn't pass on the full increase.

3)Sticker-Shock. In all honesty, price increases should occur in small increments yearly rather than HUGE every 5 years. That way, it wouldn't be so shocking. That is my fault as a businessman. It's just that every day, you get a letter from the hose guy or the foundry saying "we are going up 5%, sorry". It's so miniscule that you just trash the letter and forget it. But over time, you get that same letter 10 times and the next thing you know, you are paying $15 for what once cost you $10 and getting it shipped in has doubled, and you realize you are about to be in big trouble.

4) Hidden Costs. These have really caused more damage than the actual cost of goods. Shipping is the big kicker here. I used to get a pallet of lenses on the freight truck and it would cost me $200 for shipping. That same pallet 3 years later costs about $385. That is a result of fuel, and that is your biggest culprit. My commecial insurance package (building, contents, worker's comp, product liability, etc) went from $7700/annually in 2003 to $11,100 in 2006 (thank the Hurricanes for this). I could go on and on from employee wages to trash service, it's all HIGHER!


Anyway, sorry this was long-winded but I hope it gives Philip or anyone else a clearer view into what drives these increases and how the line was held foolishly for too long instead of giving slight increases annually. This isn't something done willy-nilly, it is done with much fear & anxiety. Even with the recent rise in retail prices, I still haven't passed along all of the price increases I, as a vendor, have received. And I'm not looking for sympathy, I make a decent living doing something fun & interesting. Thanks for listening. If you have any specific part/price questions feel free to e-mail me vicsplace@sbcglobal.net



[This message has been edited by Seth Robbins (edited 11-26-2006).]

Petroleum: Gasoline, Diesel, Natural Gas, Fuel/Heating oil, by product (polymers/plastics).

Metal: Stainless/Exotics,Copper/Brass, Steel.

All have and continue to reak havoc on pricing structure for anything. My business is in rubber products, metal coupling/hose, exotic metals and various other industrial maintenance supply items. These items have been experiencing price increases with no regularity for 3-4 years. We can't bid a contract with any confidence. Seth and other suppliers have to print catalogs with annual pricing in some instances they may be forced to "hedge" their bets.

China is experiencing an industrial revolution, Iraq and Gulf Coast energy enities continue to be rebuilt. Demand for raw materials/product is at an all time high. Do not expect any relief or leveling of price increase on anything of metal or involving petroleum until the aforementioned situations subside.

Look around you....."EVERYTHING" has gone up in price. Why would you think that the guys making and selling these parts should not? I am a General Contractor, by trade.......Try to price out a warehouse in Baltimore City,with material and labor increasing almost on a monthly basis.....now that's a Hoot! Just me talking. Paul

The thing that bugs me is that we are still at the "FUEL SURCHARGE" level with the shippers UPS/FEDEX/BAX and all the freight companies that we were when diesel was a buck higher than it is now. That's what sucks about all of these increases in goods. The commodity may come back down, but the prices don't seem to fall. For this very reason we are letting UPS & FEDEX bid for our 2007 business. We were the #2 shipper by volume & dollar-figure in our district this year and I think we need some adjusting in our pricing that we can pass on to you guys. UPS said no and so i called Fedex and started shipping 1/2 my packages with them. You ought to see them fighting it out now!! I told them that I would split my shipments between them until 12-31-06 and whoever had the best prices, the best service, & the lowest damage can have my business for 2007. I said that to say, we are trying to keep the wolves at bay.

gasmansgp: You may try reading my post again, because I think you misunderstood me or misread my post. I did not write that vendors shouldn't have price increases.

Tom D: The repo globes are $85 now not $80 just so we're clear on that. I prefer using original parts also when feasible for my budget.

Seth: Thank you for your reply. I want to say without vendors such as yourself our great hobby would be much more limited and difficult to enjoy. Just a tip on next years catalog you may want to mention if parts have been drastically improved. 1. It lets everyone know the quality is better. 2. I and probably most others would be more willing to pay more for something if we know it has been improved. That's usually why I try to find original parts because some of the repo stuff is just not the same quality as an original.

Okoil: I was expecting answers about higher oil, plastics, etc. when I posted earlier.
But answer this why would the Capco bodies go down $4.00 and the whole globe go up $15.00?
Seems strange to me. Anyway just my .02.

Jarvis: Philip likes original parts!



[This message has been edited by Philip (edited 11-26-2006).]

Seth: keep trying to battle with them. That's the only way they'll ever come back down.

Yea you guys think the globe prices are BAD - I just got the new model t parts supply books -

the radiators went from 690.00 to 890.00

Engine rebuilds went from 1,800.00 to 3,300.00

Transimission rebuilds went from 600.00 to 890.00

Not to mention everything went up..

The T parts guys are pointing to FUEL prices - but they are back down - and the prices are going up... Its all business they say...

In my vending company my candy suppliers raised the candy prices up 30% on me - and now they will NOT drop them because we are willing to pay the new price - this means more $$$ for the middle man...


Life - they say anyway!


Travis E. Towle
Topeka, Kansas

785-357-1004

ok i know im new here but i have been involved in restorations of cars for quite sometime....heres my view on things...no matter what your into..if it involves transportation of goods...we, the consumer, collector etc...are gonna pay!...and once you pay and except the increase in cost and adapt to it....it never goes backwards!....its the old "rob peter to pay paul"....keep the price cheaper but jack the **** outta shipping...even though fuel went down, slide it over towards the cost to manufacture....that is why i am approaching this hobby with the mindset of if its a repop, and it looks good and its cheaper than an original....im buyin it!......i dont care if its original...1 of 500 etc etc...im after a certain look...ambiance, atmosphere...and the people who will seee my creations dont give a rats *** if its real or recreated.....its all a disney world show for me!.....i have all the respect in the world for you "die hard" nos collectors that are willing to pay big bucks for an original so you can have pride in saying "i have the only one!".....but im not payin 3000.00 for a restored, original gas pump when i can get 2 or 3 for that price..........

Philip...the reason capco's are now listed at $15 is simply to make invoicing more efficient. A complete globe is $85, so on your invoice it will show 2 lenses @ $35 ($70) and a plastic body @ $15 = $85. They are invoiced seperately to make it easier to track inventory on the lenses & the bodies as I am carrying between 2500-5000 bodies and 1000-1500 lenses at a given time.

Now when single bodies were $19, if you were to call me up and order one complete globe and one extra plastic body, your invoice would show 2 lenses @ $35 each, it's body @ $15, and the extra body for $19. I had way too many people calling up confused and/or p*ssed that one body was $15 and the other was $19. Couple that with the fact that hardly anybody buys a plastic body without lenses, it just seemed logical to make them $15 whether with lenses or without.

[This message has been edited by Seth Robbins (edited 11-26-2006).]

Travis...your Model 'T' guys aren't fibbing when they say it's fuel prices. Even though diesel has backed off, the surcharges for large palletized shipments are running anywhere from 15%-35% ON TOP of already higher tariffs. Like I said earlier, a pallet of 500 lenses used to cost me about $212 for freight, the one coming this week will run $385-$400.

[This message has been edited by Seth Robbins (edited 11-26-2006).]

Amen Ok OIL--China is using fuel like crazy to fuel all those factories that are paying all those workers to improve their way of life so we can buy things cheaper and create all these jobs in the retail & service industry(lost manufacturing).-We need fuel to move all these imports around the country.Were sending all our steel over there too-seen the price of scrap latley? My Dad called it right on the money in the late 60s or early 70s with those Japanese tools at Kmart.Sooner or later its got to start hurting.Now how the hell do we undo it? Gotta go into the acceptance mode or do without I guesse. There- thats my rant!! Thanks for letting me get that out guys!!

The most simple way to look at raw materials is to just research what a pound of aluminum cans will bring you these days. I saw the scrapyards in Tulsa advertising 50 CENTS a pound if you crush the cans prior to bring them in! I went to some scrapyards the other day to buy some brass for my foundry guy. It's like the wild-west out at those places! There's cops everywhere checking loads for stolen copper. It's crazy. Some kids in our town recently got busted for lifting 100 empty kegs off of a train car. They got like $7500 for them at the scrapyard. The owner called OKCPD and anyway, they got busted.