Bruce In Philly

2009 C2S 186K miles

I just ordered rear brakes... rotors, pads, sensors, set screws.... all Porsche-labeled. Wow! What pricing differences.

First, why Porsche labeled? I dunno, mostly, I order OEM parts but for brakes, I do Porsche labeled. I ordered OEM one time for my Boxster and while everything was perfect regarding performance, the hats rusted. The Porsche-labeled rotors were painted. For pads, I want to use the exact same in the front as in the rear to keep friction specs in balance. So... Porsche labeled for me when it comes to brakes.

Back to pricing... Pelican used to be my old go-to supplier but since they sold themselves, their prices went up. Total for them with shipping was about $779. Hennesy my local dealer has come through with amazingly low prices before but this time... ouch... $904. FCP Euro did not have an Porsche labeled stuff... odd.... But Suncoast, probably my number one supplier, was $640 with free shipping. (Note: I did not include tax.) There have been others I order from but they tend to be one-offs... some great price on some odd part like a throttle body.

Why such a wild set of pricing? Who do you deal with most of the time?

Again for me, it bounces between FCP, Hennesy (local dealership), and Suncoast (remote dealership). The most reliable for me given availability of parts and cost is Suncoast by far.

Peace
Bruce in Philly (now Atlanta)

Dragon997

Bruce, I’ve found Sunset Porsche in Oregon has prices competitive (and sometimes lower) with Suncoast. I’ve purchased from both and shipping was prompt as well.

silver_tt

Sunset Imports.......who is also Audi Beaverton. They are one of the largest (might be the largest in the USA) sellers of OE Porsche and Audi parts. I use them for both Porsche and Audi, used them going back as long as I can remember.

Every once in a while I will go local dealership for stuff like coolant or if I need a small part in a pinch.....because they will also price match Sunset for stuff like that but are funny about it for larger items (I guess it depends on who is working at the counter). Like other real dealerships (but not FCP) they take your VIN when you checkout to ensure the part you are buying is a 100% match for your car. This in itself is huge.

EDIT: Dragon beat me to it!

boisenelson

Sunset mostly for me, although I have purchased from Gaudin in Las Vegas and Suncoast. Since Sunset is one state over, price plus shipping time with them is usually the winner. They are always lower than my local dealer.

speedracerf4i

I shop around. Sometimes one vendor would be cheaper but not the next time. I also use ECS Tuning a lot.

TheMurse

For most maintenance/wear items I prefer FCP Euro although I've used ECS Tuning with good results as well. While I have done business with both Suncoast and Sunset I've found aftermarket suppliers are often more competitive on price. I've been able to track down a handful of genuine Porsche items, like replacement decklid/frunk release switches, on Amazon at deep discounts and sold by dealership parts counters and shipped direct.

Floyd540

The game for Porsche labelled parts is pretty simple. If the part has a Porsche label on it then it is controlled by, distributed by and sold by Porsche or Porsche North America and their dealers. Dealers have a choice of selling parts to indy shops and to customers at a price they determine based on MSRP , their cost and the courtesy discount (wholesale) offered to shops or local retailers. . For the popular online retailers we all know , they still have to buy Porsche labelled stuff through Porsche. Since they buy from Porsche at a discount price, they usually mark it up to full retail or close to it. If you compare local Porsche dealer retail prices, they will be about the same as the online vendors for Porsche labelled stuff. The one big exception (real big) is that SOME Porsche dealers offer the wholesale price to individuals This means that you can order the genuine Porsche parts at the discounted price that is supported by Porsche. For dealers that want to participate in this program, they have to pay Porsche an upcharge for the use of the expanded corporate website that includes all the parts list and prices and more importantly the wholesale price. In this way they can have a much larger parts sales revenue even though the prices are discounted. (VW also offers this to its dealers). For a dealer to participate in this program, the parts must be ordered on-line to the dealers website and be made for shipment or for local will call pickup. Doing this will get you the approx. 30 to 40% discount. If you walk into that dealer and order parts at the counter, you will get to pay the full retail price (or more). It is easy to find out which dealers around the country participate in this program by going to thier website and see if you can order parts by part number or category. Dealers who do this include Suncoast, Sunset, Gaudin and the last time I checked was Circle here in southern Cal. I purchased brake rotors from Circle for less money than OEM listed ones from Pelican. Coil paks came from Circle Porsche also and were less money than the indies have to pay. If it does not require a Porsche labelled part then the world of OEM and true aftermarket stuff is wide open. If the part is only Porsche supplied then find one of these "friendly " dealers , order online and if you are lucky and they are close by, go pick up the parts yourself. I drive right past Pelican on my way to Circle Porsche. I pick up the OEM or Bosch parts from Pelican and go down the street to Circle for the genuine Porsche parts I need.Maximum savings.

groovzilla

Highly recommend Rennpart.com ---->Aaron EIsner owner and Fellow RL Member/Sponsor.
Always the best prices, best shipping costs and honest/reliable.
I've been buying clutch parts/Water Pump/Thermostat/belts/coils/plugs/etc from Rennpart for past 10 years.

Petza914

Since I keep my cars forever, usually FCP Euro so they pay for the next one and the one after that. Also Suncoast and sometimes the reputable sellers on eBay. Partscontainer on eBay is in Nashville and has been very reliable with quick shipping.

PV997

For parts that you have to get through Porsche (interior trim, specialized stuff, etc.) I've found Sunset in Oregon is the best, particularly if on the west coast as shipping is fast. I don't understand the praise for Suncoast in Florida as they are almost always more expensive in my experience.

Foe OE FCP is good for their selection and availability, but they are usually not the cheapest. The cost of their "lifetime guarantee" is rolled into their prices, so unless you really plan to use it there are cheaper options. I've found eEuroparts.com is almost always cheaper than FCP Euro for run-of-the-mill OE parts.

Bruce In Philly

So just to add Sunset to my list, I just went through their online order process and here is the results (BTW, I may have made a minor error in that some places sold sensors in pairs and others singly... so I could be off by $50 on one or the other but it does not change the overall results).

Pelican $778.50, Hennesy Porsche $904.66, Suncoast $640.30, Sunset Porsche $967.22 All prices include shipping when needed, not when free.

So... I guess my point is that you just have to shop and compare no matter who your "go to" supplier is. Again, this is for Porsche-labeled stuff only. BTW, what really made Suncoast stand out is they sold the rotors in pairs with a single part number... that alone knocked off a big amount... I am not sure why a pair set matters......hmmm.....

BTW, why Porsche sensors when others are so darn cheap? I read a few times that the cheaper ones can melt. For street? I dunno.

Peace
Bruce in Philly (now Atlanta)

stripersteve

I think most everyone here is probably aware that many Porsche dealers give a 10 % discount on parts to PCA members. Every little bit helps....

alex911s

Try Porsche Marin Bruce....

Graufuchs

FCP Euro - Maintenance items (OEM Equivalents)
Suncoast - Alcantara Goodies/OEM Accessories

Wholesale accounts I have for the Rest

scottrx7tt1

I never go back Porsche brake pads. They dust way too much and dont last very long. I have been happy with the Powerstop brand pads when they have fitment.