Check those prices

Walaby wrote:
I've found that price differential quite a bit on different car parts.

Rock Auto is another good source.

That said, the brick and mortar stores do have overhead costs they have to pay (salary, rent, electric etc..). Amazon does too of course, but the scaling is different.

Was that $120 after the 20% off coupon you can routinely find online?

As far as Amazon switching to inferior/knock off parts, I've never seen that happen unless they paint them up to look like the real deal. Not saying it doesn't happen, I just haven't seen it.

I try to support my local AA store, especially if I need/want it today and they have it. After all, if online takes over the world, the local stores will be gone.

Mike

Amazon isn't consciously "switching" per se. Here's how it happens: Chinese factories make knockoffs that sometimes can't be visually distinguished from the real brand name items. A vendor secures a supply of these cheap fakes, signs up as an Amazon seller and arranges for Amazon to stock and ship his supply for him. Amazon warehouse workers combine his stock of fakes with other vendors' stocks of genuine product because the workers don't see any difference (to them it's all the same and fungible). Then, purchasers get shipped a random piece that might be fake or might be genuine.