Auto Parts Store?

[Iolare]

My truck and car are both out of warranty now, and it seems that the dealerships are charging way too much for labor and especially parts, so I'm looking into alternatives. One possibility is to hire an independent mechanic, and I'm wondering if there is an alternative to getting parts from the dealer?

In America you'd have to endure being gouged for motorcycle, boat and airplane parts, but at least for car parts there was a lot of after-market competition. Chain stores like Napa, Autozone, and Pep Boys are almost as common as McDonald's and 7-11's, and that competition kept prices down to reasonable levels. Is there anything like that here in Phuket? And do independent mechanics get a wholesale deal from the dealership parts department (while Farang customers pay super-retail)?

[fiddlehead]

There are a few auto parts stores around.
A small one is on Choafa east road about halfway between Chalong circle and Phuket town, on the right hand side in one of those strip mall groupings.
Sorry, can't be more specific on that.

But a much bigger one is in Phuket town on the way between clock tower (CAT office) and heading north towards the airport. This one is on the left.
But I think you'd have to know where it is.

At both, they usually give you a choice between after market parts (what I consider junk) and original manufacture parts (for me that means Toyota genuine parts)

Not on everything though. I remember a door handle that they could only get after market (of course it broke in about a year)

But now, I have found a good mechanic and trust him not to rip me off too much.
He goes and gets the parts for me and tries to always get original Toyota parts.

He is near Wat Chalong and speaks good English. (near the "Bake" bakery)

I'm sure there are other part stores around but these are the ones I've used to much satisfaction in the past.

[kiniyow]

Thais look at auto parts places as a Secret not to be shared with any Farang in most cases...

Edited May 25, 2013 by kiniyow

[JetsetBkk]

Parts shop in Phuket town: Go north on Yaowarad Road past Vachira hospital. After about 900 metres are some traffic lights. Before them is Yaowarad soi 4. There is a parts shop on the southern corner.

Or go to Lek's garage north of Chalong circle. You can say whether you want genuine parts or 'copy' parts. Lek's garage is 1.0 Km north of Chalong circle on Chao Fah West (the by-pass road). At the traffic lights, it is immediately right just past the 7/11. If you are heading north, it's best to go straight on and do a U-turn and come back.

[Iolare]

Thanks for the locations of the parts stores; that's exactly what I needed. The post was prompted by two recent incidents. In the first, my battery was dead and I jumped it and went to get a new one installed. A couple of days later the new one died so I jumped it again and went back to the battery store. They said the battery was fine but I apparently had a loose belt to the alternator, but they weren't equipped to deal with it. I took it to the dealer and they replaced all the belts and told me that I also needed new pulleys which they would have to order from Bangkok. I said no thanks to the pulleys and the battery has been charging fine ever since. In the second incident I noticed that the steering seemed a little loose so I went to the dealer to have it checked out. they needed to keep it a few days and when I went to pick it up they had a long list of additional work that they said was needed. It steers fine but I wanted to get a "second opinion" about what on the list was really needed and what was piling on. I won't skimp on maintenance, but I want to be sure that all that's needed is done and nothing more. That's why I'm on the lookout for a parts store, and I think I have sourced an experienced mechanic.