Or shortstick your oil and sell you an empty can to top it right up

67Cuda,

That's exactly what I'm wondering about.I've had an account with them those 30 + years.I didn't mean to say I pay cash only on all purchases.If I'm having to rebuild an engine or other where high dollar cost is a known quantity I'll charge the account and divy up at the end of the month but I've never noticed any disparity between the recipts and the ending bill.Actually my wife does that and she's like a bloodhound when it comes to being ripped off so I feel like I'm fine there.It's these small purchases that tic me off and this isn't the first time it's happened on a small item.

Ain't that the truth......
We quoted on one last year, the company that got the job bid it for less than we could buy the raw aluminum for....and we go through a truckload or more of 2500 lb pure Al T-bar ingots a day.

Originally Posted by deadend
I have a 15" Bridgeport Rotory table with a bad bearing I know they are a precision bearing BUt the price Harding has is $570.00 WOW ONLY IN AMERICA

No....only at Hardinge...
I did some work on a BP for a customer last year, needed a bearing in the head, under the timming pulley I think.
Hardinge wanted $630 for it, nothing special standard number on it.
Had one next day from local bearing house....$68





Could be Alpine Bearing will have what yon need for a lot less....

There are Coroprate owned/run Napa's and there are privately owned franchise Napa's. Both can look identical from the street. The private franchises seem to be orders of magnitude better than the corporate stores when it comes to customer service and discount pricing. Night and Day practically in my experience, since the owner is there running the counter in most cases, and is also hiring folks more qualified and motivated to solve problems and mantain repeat business, and not just be counter jockies. Your mileage may vary of course from store to store but I have found very good service from a few franchised Napa's.

This one is a privately owned franchise.that's not to say it's any better or any worse tha others.

Ray French,
Bearings are the most insane price structure item that exists. A prime example is the ever present #6203 bearing. I buy them for less than a buck each when I ask for the #6203SS grade three item. Asking for the exact same bearing without the shields jumps the price to five bucks each. I take my fingernail and pop off the shields as needed and stock only the SS flavor. The manufacturer tells me that they price the double shielded type so low because that is their prime mover. It takes time and expense to actually turn off the seal inserter and change the packaging.

Almost all the NAPA stores in my area are owned by one guy. He has destroyed NAPA in western Pennsylvania. At one time I had a low number account at a great little NAPA that was owned by a good natured fellow. The place had men behind the counter that jumped through flaming hoops to make sure I was happy. Now all the NAPAs in this part of the country are populated by the same brain dead types that can not even get a set of #CS763P points, after you give them the part number. Most of them ask "what does that fit?" when you give them the NAPA part number. They wonder why my antique account gets such little use. All auto parts customers should pack heat when going to their jobber. If you hate NAPA, you should stroll into Advance Auto Parts. Going there would cause me wear out my aluminum ball bat.

Remember that NAPA is a part of a combine that owns such diversified operations as Motion Industries, S P Richards, and Electronic Materials Group. A lot of times each division actually cuts the throat of one of its siblings. Ain't MBA games fun?