I've been looking on different websites for inner and outer wheel bearings for an irs rear suspension beetle and prices vary wildly. I can get a complete kit at one place for $37.00 but p&p is over $38! Another place sells inner and outer bearings for $89 and another inner and outer together $52 I can't say how much the p&p is on the last two but how can parts such as bearings vary so much? $37 to $53 to $89! I'm not having a dig at the prices so much but how can the p&p from Sydney to Noosa be so much unless they're sending it by private jet!

I have a situation at work where some fan bearings have failed

Lets call them ABC bearings.
Look up the web site and no such bearing

Yep - imitation "quality" bearings from a poor quality no name factory

Yep - may only be a bearing, but dont think that they are the same thing even if they have the same name

Moral - for me, only buy cheap if you can afford for it to fail
At least buy from a quality company who will respond to your complaint

Just ring Mick motors Northgate Brisbane

I always buy bearings for my Beetle at a bearing shop. You can specify whether you want cheapie or good ones. Works for me. Also, when I was in Noosa last, there was an aircooled VW specialist and another source would be Matt Berry who is an easy drive out of Noosa.
Cheers....... Wayne

The price depends on what brand they are the cheapies are Chinese rubbish

the dearer one are most probably German or Japanese made to much better tolerances

The places I checked are all pretty reputable companies so I would expect reasonably quality stuff made for VWs but how can the freight for a couple of bearings be so much?

More Profit in their hand or they pack them in lots of bubble-wrap.

Always buy bearing from a good bearing shop, buy German like FAG or SKF, Chinese bearing are made out of high tensile licorice and should be avoided at all costs.

It is getting harder to find Good German or Swedish or Australian made bearings.
I had to replace the bearings in My front load washing machine and I ended up getting one of the bearings and the seal from the UK.... and another bearing from a Bearing shop in North Queensland.... all good quality bearings..

Many bearing boxes don't have where they are made now...

LEE

Part prices are a rip off in Australia especially when there is a monopoly. Why should repair panels cost double here what they do elsewhere?

For Kombis one source of repair panels is Columbia. How does it figure that they are twice the amount her as they are in the UK? Surely its not just shipping.
Most kombi panels come from the same places but are twice here as what they are there. But for schofield and autocraft in the UK fair enough they are local not from Columbia so there is a much smaller shipping component. But often panels in Australia seem priced knowing this so the price is very similar to buying a panel from the UK plus shipping. Eg so a engine lid might be $230 AUD from the UK and shipping is about the same, so $460 landed. Here the same panel $463 plus shipping ? Nose piece the same , $750 odd if I am in the UK ut $1650 here both come from Columbia.

Im sure the local suppliers could ship more efficiently than one at a time ? Dont They? If they bring a container full it must be only a few $$ a piece? yet suddenly they cost twice the amount! Nice business model!

The Government is planning to slug us with GST on all imports soon so the $460 landed will be $504. I wonder if the local price will then be $500???

I WOULD PREFER TO BUY LOCAL AND SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESS BUT I WONT DO IT IF I THINK I AM BEING SHAFTED!!!

Sorry for the rant please return to normal broadcasts.