Best online site to buy parts and tools?

[holorinhal]

Which online sites are best for buying mercruiser parts and specialty tools?

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: Best online site to buy parts and tools?

Iboats is not bad for parts... Pretty fast shipping and easy part look up.. I am kinda a cheap fellow, so I find my part #'s and sometimes use Ebay.. I bought my trim motor for half the price.. http://www.boatparts.ca/index.html is also a good place to look up part#'s. Because you can download the parts catalog for your set up.. Never ordered from em.. Hope this helps

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: Best online site to buy parts and tools?

I think a company called OTC makes Mercruiser/OMC tools.Try that.J

 

[holorinhal]

Re: Best online site to buy parts and tools?

I think a company called OTC makes Mercruiser/OMC tools.Try that.J

I looked up otc and only found auto tools, do they hace another site?

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: Best online site to buy parts and tools?

http://www.sterndrive.info/sterndriveparts/tools.html

Has some special tools for tearing down the outdrive

 

[robjen1019]

Re: Best online site to buy parts and tools?

I personally like this one IBOATS.com but I find that I can find alot of stuff on ebay for discounted price.

 

[RRitt]

Re: Best online site to buy parts and tools?

The thing about ebay is that they add about 15% to the cost of doing business. If an item sells for $300 then the seller is getting just over $250. If you can google your way directly to the seller then it's usually cheaper than ebay. A lot of sellers are on both ebay and amazon and while ebay prices are spiraling up amazon has been drifting down. I would say for the penny-pincher google, amazon, ebay then back to google.

The flipside is that marinas have to make a year's worth of living during a 4 month season. If you want the guy you bought a part from to still be there next year then you need to pay the extra money he needs to stay in business. If you buy from Ebay then you probably have no warranty or support. Sometimes having a knowledgeable guy at the counter is worth more than the part.

The best buys are on Craigslist when you can find them.

 

[howlnmad]

Re: Best online site to buy parts and tools?

Be careful when paying the big bucks for the "specialty tools", some are no more than regular auto tools that can be temporarily altered to work. Such as pullers and seal and race drivers that aren't needed. As for parts... before you go online buying overpriced roller bearings, go to your local NAPA. You'll save a big chunk of change. Gaskets you most likely will have to pick up at a marine supply. Just some advise from someone who's been there and done that.

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: Best online site to buy parts and tools?

Boats.net... Used them on my ol Johnson.. Its a pretty good parts look up format... It's all ol micro fiche, but you can zoom in(for us with failing eyes).. Plus they have individual parts.. Instead of having to buy a seal kit( which they have also) you can get just the one seal you need.. Lots of parts are OEM.. Shipping is pretty fast and you can track it from their site if you wish.. They have lots of coupon codes too... Nice to check for the sale before buying.. I like the one Iboats has this week.. Saved me about $15 bucks...

 

[John_S]

Re: Best online site to buy parts and tools?

The flipside is that marinas have to make a year's worth of living during a 4 month season. If you want the guy you bought a part from to still be there next year then you need to pay the extra money he needs to stay in business. If you buy from Ebay then you probably have no warranty or support. Sometimes having a knowledgeable guy at the counter is worth more than the part.

On the same note, iBoats pays all the cost to host these forums. Paying a little bit more helps sustain everyone getting good DIY info and support.

 

[Ron-O]

Re: Best online site to buy parts and tools?

I've used wholesalemarine.com a lot, since shipping is only 1 day away for me.

 

[egclassic]

Re: Best online site to buy parts and tools?

Iboats is a good source, although, there have been quite a few parts for my older outboard they did not have.
I have used Boats.net at least 6 times, very good website for locating parts for your rig, but, they do not stock as much as they say they do. Every order I placed gave an estimated ship date of usually the next day, but every day it got pushed further away. Still a good source.
I have also bought from Wholesalemarine.com, that is until I found out that it is one of our local boat dealers selling out of their back door. By the time I'd pay the $10-20 shipping (less than 15 miles from my house) I can drive to their store and get it faster for the same price(shipping cost and gas moneyfigured in)
Marineengine.com is also good.