Suburban Machinery - $20 for 4 Bolts

[RTinNC]

OK ... just sharing my experience with Suburban Machinery. I have their passenger peg lowering kit for my R1200RT and they work great and install perfectly ... great product. I also have a set of bar risers I am trying to install and realize due to my GPS mount I need the longer bolts. So I contact Suburban as the folks here suggested and much to my surprise .... they want $2 each for the bolts and $11.52 shipping and handling. That is just about $20 for 4 bolts. I asked them to just put them in the mail for $2.00 and they indicated they ship Fed Ex and that is the cost. I was very disappointed that a smaller company would not be more customer friendly. Me thinks that is a bit much for 4 bolts. Just my $.02 and just sharing my experience.

[Rphoto]

This surprises me. Due to failing to use Locktite on my bar risers and peg lowering kits, I lost a set screw on the peg kit and and the small screws at the top of the bar risers. I sent Suburban an email and they promptly mailed me at no cost a bag full of replacement bolts (including some extras).

[RTinNC]

EXACTLY my thoughts! Having dealt with lots of small companies like this more are very fair. And while free would be nice I am more than willing to pay for them but $12 shipping for FOUR bolts was a bit shocking.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

Shippers like FedEx and USPS don't care whether you're sending a 1/2-pound bag of sand or a half-pound of gold; the shipping charges will be the same either way (loss insurance will be a separate matter).

 

I took a peek at FedEx's website. FedEx ground for a 1/2-pound package from Willoughby, OH to a residential address in Charlotte, NC costs $7.75. At $50/hour labor cost, $4.50 pays for the five minutes of labor required to package the bolts and type up a shipping label (don't forget the 50 cents' worth of packaging, either).

 

To ship that half-pound package via USPS Priority mail, with signature confirmation, the total is $7.40. First-class mail is off-limits: most businesses will not use a shipping method that doesn't include a tracking number or delivery confirmation because they need to know their shipment reaches its destination. Tack on that $4.50 for boxing/labeling, and shipping via USPS will cost about the same as what Suburban Machinery wants for sending via FedEx.

 

If you buy more bolts in a single shipment, the cost per delivered bolt will go way down; the problem here is all the effort that has to go into getting just four bolts half way across the country. It doesn't seem reasonable to blame Suburban Machinery for the expense of this; I expect you'll get the same deal from any other place that sells bolts via mail-order. You might check out www.fastenal.com and see if they can do better.

[bmurphypdx]

... or go to a hardware store down the street.

[krussell]

What Mitch said!

 

And here is a pitch for your local dealer. When I bought the risers on my 08 RT, I got them locally. The version they had on the shelf was with the long bolts, but I needed the shorter version. The parts guy disappears, comes back with four bolts of the right size, and tosses them in the bag. Free! Later I realized they weren't free, the extra $150/set over mail order they charge for tires help to offset the cost of the misc bolts they provide over the counter!

 

[Tony_K]

... or go to a hardware store down the street.

 

 

That would be too easy

[Penforhire]

I agree with Mitch. This doesn't sound like robbery to me, just the cost of doing business. Should they lose money to help you modify their product? You might say there are less expensive shippers but then they'd have to manually label and ship the product, eating up more than that savings in labor.

[cruisin]

try Fastenal; they are a nation-wide chain with just about anything you can think of in the way of nuts & bolts at about 20% what you will pay a dealer.

 

Charlotte locations:::::

 

2130 Wilkinson Blvd.

Charlotte, NC 28208

P: (704)333-7131

 

2738 North Graham St.

Charlotte, NC 28206

P: (704)377-3003

 

8124 Statesville Rd

Charlotte, NC 28269

P: 704-921-7302

 

616 E. Westinghouse Blvd.

Charlotte, NC 28273

P: 704-588-2973

 

2415 -A Westinghouse Blvd

Charlotte, NC 28273

P: (704)588-1455

[g_frey]

I once paid $29 for one foot of resitance wire. Shipping costs! The wire was actually 33 cents a foot so I paid over $28 for shipping and handling. I read the fine print better now.

[elkroeger]

I guess it all depends on what they are. A couple bucks each doesn't sound all that out of line. shipping killed you.

 

I just paid $34 for a nut at the BMW dealer! It was a big one, but still.... ;-) (part #33177658572, if you're interested.)

[moshe_levy]

+1 for hardware store.

 

By the way, if you're considering a GPS mount from Techmounts or some other well known center-mount GPS holder, they usually come with the longer SS bolts. At least, mine did. But I found the bolts that came with my SM risers were plenty long enough to use for the mount, so no replacements were even necessary. Might want to check that you actually need these bolts before going through all this....

 

-MKL

[RTinNC]

 

OK ... I understand the "cost of doing business" but my point was I already bought bar risers and peg lowers so as a customer my thoughts would be to attempt to make an accommodation. I have a Fed Ex account and checked ... for a one pound package to Charlotte would be $5.42. Half of what they were suggesting and that includes tracking insurance and confirm. A flat rate USPS box would be less than $5. And it is not about the extra $6 it is more the point that for 4 stinking bolts it would cost me $20.

 

Was just sharing my experience. It seems as though RPHOTO understood and i would have expected a response much like he received.

 

Nuff said !! Ride safe!

 

Shippers like FedEx and USPS don't care whether you're sending a 1/2-pound bag of sand or a half-pound of gold; the shipping charges will be the same either way (loss insurance will be a separate matter).

 

I took a peek at FedEx's website. FedEx ground for a 1/2-pound package from Willoughby, OH to a residential address in Charlotte, NC costs $7.75. At $50/hour labor cost, $4.50 pays for the five minutes of labor required to package the bolts and type up a shipping label (don't forget the 50 cents' worth of packaging, either).

 

To ship that half-pound package via USPS Priority mail, with signature confirmation, the total is $7.40. First-class mail is off-limits: most businesses will not use a shipping method that doesn't include a tracking number or delivery confirmation because they need to know their shipment reaches its destination. Tack on that $4.50 for boxing/labeling, and shipping via USPS will cost about the same as what Suburban Machinery wants for sending via FedEx.

 

If you buy more bolts in a single shipment, the cost per delivered bolt will go way down; the problem here is all the effort that has to go into getting just four bolts half way across the country. It doesn't seem reasonable to blame Suburban Machinery for the expense of this; I expect you'll get the same deal from any other place that sells bolts via mail-order. You might check out www.fastenal.com and see if they can do better.

[RTinNC]

try Fastenal; they are a nation-wide chain with just about anything you can think of in the way of nuts & bolts at about 20% what you will pay a dealer.

 

Charlotte locations:::::

 

2130 Wilkinson Blvd.

Charlotte, NC 28208

P: (704)333-7131

 

2738 North Graham St.

Charlotte, NC 28206

P: (704)377-3003

 

8124 Statesville Rd

Charlotte, NC 28269

P: 704-921-7302

 

616 E. Westinghouse Blvd.

Charlotte, NC 28273

P: 704-588-2973

 

2415 -A Westinghouse Blvd

Charlotte, NC 28273

P: (704)588-1455

Thanks Cruisin! All stores closed Saturday so I just ordered on-line .... $1.77 / bolt and $6 shipping!! With tax $14 !! Reasonable!!! Thanks again !!

 

[rad]

.............. I was very disappointed that a smaller company would not be more customer friendly..............

 

That is a far different experience than I had about 10 years ago with them. I needed one more bolt for a used set of ? ( I don't even remember what) I picked up and they sent it to me free of charge, I did not even have to pay shipping.

[id09542]

try these folks out:

 

http://www.mcmaster.com/

 

When I use them they charge only for what it actually costs to ship. Also, the most amazing supply of pieces and parts you never knew you needed . I replaced all the chrome/Stainless Steal screws on my RT for around $10.

 

[Jerry Johnston]

When I made my GPS mount I found longer Allen head bolts at ACE Hardware locally.

[RTinNC]

.............. I was very disappointed that a smaller company would not be more customer friendly..............

 

That is a far different experience than I had about 10 years ago with them. I needed one more bolt for a used set of ? ( I don't even remember what) I picked up and they sent it to me free of charge, I did not even have to pay shipping.

Yep ... that is the type of experience I was expecting .... not free but something where they would go the extra mile to help. Suburban makes a good product but I will certainly look for other vendors before buying from them in the future.

 

[RTinNC]

When I made my GPS mount I found longer Allen head bolts at ACE Hardware locally.

 

Found some at Ace as well but not SS. So when I found them at Fastenall I jumped on it.

[Polo]

Was just sharing my experience. It seems as though RPHOTO understood and i would have expected a response much like he received.

 

I get your point. Beemer Boneyard also suffers from the same ailment, in some instances unless you buy enough, it doesn't make economic sense to pay more for the shipping than for the thing itself. Solution? Plan ahead and buy a lot to dilute the cost, find an alternate source, or grin and bear it.

 

Yep, you wanted a ciber-hug, and Mitch started on his usual path of: "A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be" - A. Einstein

 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Mitch consistently brings cohesion and logic to what should be a bitching session.

 

So, to you I'll say: "I feel your pain" , and to Mitch I'll say: "I respect your brain" .

[RTinNC]

Was just sharing my experience. It seems as though RPHOTO understood and i would have expected a response much like he received.

 

I get your point. Beemer Boneyard also suffers from the same ailment, in some instances unless you buy enough, it doesn't make economic sense to pay more for the shipping than for the thing itself. Solution? Plan ahead and buy a lot to dilute the cost, find an alternate source, or grin and bear it.

 

Yep, you wanted a ciber-hug, and Mitch started on his usual path of: "A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be" - A. Einstein

 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Mitch consistently brings cohesion and logic to what should be a bitching session.

 

So, to you I'll say: "I feel your pain" , and to Mitch I'll say: "I respect your brain" .

 

Yes... I truly understand about life and logic. Cohesion ... now that is a sticky subject Life is way too short to bitch and be unhappy ... better to move on and just deal with it! Hence the water is now under the bridge!

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

Yep, you wanted a ciber-hug, and Mitch started on his usual path of: "A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be" - A. Einstein

 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Mitch consistently brings cohesion and logic to what should be a bitching session.

 

If it were me, I would have made my own bolts.

 

[RTinNC]

Yep, you wanted a ciber-hug, and Mitch started on his usual path of: "A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be" - A. Einstein

 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Mitch consistently brings cohesion and logic to what should be a bitching session.

 

If it were me, I would have made my own bolts.

 

Ya know I actually considered that Mitch .... but I applied your logic and figured the material would cost me $1.23, the costs of gas to go purchase the material would be $1.44, the electric costs to run the power tools (assuming I HAD the tools) would have been $2.77 and the costs for my time @ $20/hour would have been $15 ... for a total of $20.44 ... that is more than Suburban wanted to charge me. Of course I would have the priceless feeling of accomplishment .... however, I opted to sit at my PC and spend 5 min. ordering them and use the extra time to have a priceless cold beverage on my deck