Best/Good Enough Online Retailer to Buy OEM Parts

[Guest]

Howdy - I'm looking for recommendations on where to buy OEM parts. The last place I bought from had OK prices but extremely slow shipping. Thanks!

[cowboyup3371]

Pete, the places that most of us use include Parts Outlaw in Florida or Z1 Enterprises. Understand that all of the dealers (Parts Outlaw is one) do not keep parts on hand and therefore have to order it from their warehouses. It takes them about a week to get it to their store (which is why the local parts dealers are so quick) and then another week to get it to you. This varies of course depending on when they actually make their order to their warehouse but it's about the same timing. Although Z1 is not an actual Suzuki dealership, they specialize in our old bikes and carry parts we need. Call them if you don't see something on their website as they can still order it.

[alke46]

I have done the comparisons with online vs. my home town dealership and while the online prices may be lower, there is the shipping charges.
If I buy locally and select the pick up at the store option, I avoid the shipping and only have to pay sales taxes.
To me, it works out in my favor to patronize the local dealer and it's only a short 20 minute ride at the most to go pick it up.

Check for yourself and see what works best for you. As you know the OEM stuff all has to come from Suzuki warehouses that I would guess are located on the left coast.

[phydeauxmutt]

The last place I bought from had OK prices but extremely slow shipping. Thanks!

Care to share where that was?

As cowboyup mentioned, none of the online dealers actually stock the stuff we need. In fact they usually have to get up a minimum order before they can order from the warehouse, so if you happen to be the first online customer after they have placed their order, it might be a few days before they can place an order, which only adds to the time you have to wait. Basically plan on at least two weeks for any order.

Cost? Parts Outlaw is about the second-cheapest source. G&S Suzuki is a few pennies cheaper most of the time, but has screwed more than one of us at one time or another, so we don't send any business their way any more. Alpha Sports is the highest I have seen, usually costing about 10% abov retail, while the others are 25-30% below retail. They only rate a spot on our vendor list because of the great parts fiches they have. They seem to be the only ones that track all the superceded part numbers, making it easy to cross-reference a part number.

[loud et]

Last couple times I ordered parts (in the last 2 months)was from Partzilla.
In was happy enough with the prices and shipping times.
Just an option to research.

[SVSooke]

Last couple times I ordered parts (in the last 2 months)was from Partzilla.
In was happy enough with the prices and shipping times.
Just an option to research.

Just ordered a few parts for my 82 GPz750 from Partzilla. They're prices seemed good if not spectacular but there are 2 thing going for them.
1 They have parts in stock,must be a lot to as all mine shipped in 1 day.
2 Being in Canada most places shipping can be expensive negating any savings. Partzilla's was VERY reasonable.
For Suzuki parts my closest dealer is fast and reasonable for getting them,so good in fact I don't even bother with getting stuff out of the US.Won't even step foot in the local Kawasaki dealer

[SlipperyPete]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll try the suggestions and, if I have time, let you all know how it went.

[JTGS850GL]

If you use: Parts Outlaw then use promo code BANG to get even further reduced shipping costs. Zero dollars in most cases. When you get your items in the cart then go to your cart and you'll at the top some small print that says to use a promo code. Click on that link and enter BANG.

[jdvorchak]

this is timely. I'm working on the front end of my 81 GS850G and probably going to need seals and dust caps. Parts outlaw are cheaper than Partzilla. My local Suzuki shop can usually get me parts within a few days but charge full list price. But no charge for shipping. So with sales tax the parts are about the same price as online and if I order the wrong thing there is no restock fee.

Like others I prefer to support the local shops even if it costs me a couple of bucks more. But for non-oem and even OEM I look on eBay first. Most of the dealers on eBay charge no shipping.

[SlipperyPete]

Howdy - thanks again for all the input. I ordered what I needed from Z1 and Partzilla. The Z1 stuff arrived two days faster, but I expected that. I'll stick with those two for now and also check out Parts Outlaw.

I'm almost done with all the work I've been doing and can't wait to get my ride going again.

[mrbill5491]

I've gotten parts from Z1, Partszilla, Parts Outlaw and Parts shark. All have been very good.