The lower element in our Whirlpool range just went out. The manufacturer's part
number is 380180.

Is there a big disparity in pricing for the same units (same quality), or are
there good parts and crap parts?

For example, compare http://tinyurl.com/65oypz with http://tinyurl.com/5zpnqe.
Why would I want to buy the more expensive part?

Residential grade burglar alarm equipment is sold to the consumer at an
extremely high markup. Is the same true with appliance parts? It seems to be an
extremely competitive business.

bq340 wrote:
mcp6453 wrote:
The lower element in our Whirlpool range just went out. The
manufacturer's part number is 380180.

Is there a big disparity in pricing for the same units (same quality),
or are there good parts and crap parts?

For example, compare http://tinyurl.com/65oypz with
http://tinyurl.com/5zpnqe. Why would I want to buy the more expensive
part?

Residential grade burglar alarm equipment is sold to the consumer at
an extremely high markup. Is the same true with appliance parts? It
seems to be an extremely competitive business.


One is OEM & the other is Gemline (aftermarket).

MikeB

Is OEM noticeably better or worse than Gemline?

on 12/14/2008 2:17 PM mcp6453 said the following:
bq340 wrote:
mcp6453 wrote:
The lower element in our Whirlpool range just went out. The
manufacturer's part number is 380180.

Is there a big disparity in pricing for the same units (same
quality), or are there good parts and crap parts?

For example, compare http://tinyurl.com/65oypz with
http://tinyurl.com/5zpnqe. Why would I want to buy the more
expensive part?

Residential grade burglar alarm equipment is sold to the consumer at
an extremely high markup. Is the same true with appliance parts? It
seems to be an extremely competitive business.


One is OEM & the other is Gemline (aftermarket).

MikeB

Is OEM noticeably better or worse than Gemline?
It could be either, or one could be as good as the other.

--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

On Dec 14, 12:08*pm, bq340 wrote:
mcp6453 wrote:
The lower element in our Whirlpool range just went out. The
manufacturer's part number is 380180.

Is there a big disparity in pricing for the same units (same quality),
or are there good parts and crap parts?

For example, comparehttp://tinyurl.com/65oypzwith
http://tinyurl.com/5zpnqe. Why would I want to buy the more expensive part?

Residential grade burglar alarm equipment is sold to the consumer at an
extremely high markup. Is the same true with appliance parts? It seems
to be an extremely competitive business.

One is OEM & the other is Gemline (aftermarket).

MikeB

Check out repairclinic.com, too. Many of the parts I have bought there
are OEM.

Joe

"Joe" wrote in message
...
On Dec 14, 12:08 pm, bq340 wrote:
mcp6453 wrote:
The lower element in our Whirlpool range just went out. The
manufacturer's part number is 380180.

Is there a big disparity in pricing for the same units (same quality),
or are there good parts and crap parts?

For example, comparehttp://tinyurl.com/65oypzwith
http://tinyurl.com/5zpnqe. Why would I want to buy the more expensive
part?

Residential grade burglar alarm equipment is sold to the consumer at an
extremely high markup. Is the same true with appliance parts? It seems
to be an extremely competitive business.

One is OEM & the other is Gemline (aftermarket).

MikeB

Check out repairclinic.com, too. Many of the parts I have bought there
are OEM.

Joe

They may be marked as OEM, but generally you don't know who actually made
it.
I would wager the Whirlpool does not make the heating elements and buys them
from a supplier of these units.


Charlie

Joe wrote:
On Dec 14, 12:08 pm, bq340 wrote:
mcp6453 wrote:
The lower element in our Whirlpool range just went out. The
manufacturer's part number is 380180.
Is there a big disparity in pricing for the same units (same quality),
or are there good parts and crap parts?
For example, comparehttp://tinyurl.com/65oypzwith
http://tinyurl.com/5zpnqe. Why would I want to buy the more expensive part?
Residential grade burglar alarm equipment is sold to the consumer at an
extremely high markup. Is the same true with appliance parts? It seems
to be an extremely competitive business.
One is OEM & the other is Gemline (aftermarket).

MikeB

Check out repairclinic.com, too. Many of the parts I have bought there
are OEM.

Joe

They are WAY more expensive. Again, why would anyone want to pay that price?

mcp6453 wrote:
Joe wrote:
On Dec 14, 12:08 pm, bq340 wrote:
mcp6453 wrote:
The lower element in our Whirlpool range just went out. The
manufacturer's part number is 380180.
Is there a big disparity in pricing for the same units (same quality),
or are there good parts and crap parts?
For example, comparehttp://tinyurl.com/65oypzwith
http://tinyurl.com/5zpnqe. Why would I want to buy the more
expensive part?
Residential grade burglar alarm equipment is sold to the consumer at an
extremely high markup. Is the same true with appliance parts? It seems
to be an extremely competitive business.
One is OEM & the other is Gemline (aftermarket).

MikeB

Check out repairclinic.com, too. Many of the parts I have bought there
are OEM.

Joe

They are WAY more expensive. Again, why would anyone want to pay that
price?


Repairclinic has good service, it's where I buy most of my appliance parts.

Hard to say whether OEM or aftermarket are better, depends on the part.
Often times OEM means that the same company made it as made the original
part for the manufacture of the appliance, it isn't necessarily sold
under that manufacture.

On Sun, 14 Dec 2008 12:54:26 -0500, mcp6453 wrote:

The lower element in our Whirlpool range just went out. The manufacturer's part
number is 380180.

How old is this range?


Is there a big disparity in pricing for the same units (same quality), or are
there good parts and crap parts?

Of course, some parts are better in quality than others. Buying
online makes it difficult to examine, so it makes more sense to buy
from your local stores.

For example, compare http://tinyurl.com/65oypz with http://tinyurl.com/5zpnqe.
Why would I want to buy the more expensive part?

More expensive may mean higher profit for the seller, a higher quality
item, or perhaps a company that is not too cost effective. You need
to determine which one.


Residential grade burglar alarm equipment is sold to the consumer at an
extremely high markup. Is the same true with appliance parts? It seems to be an
extremely competitive business.

Appliance parts can be expensive. When an appliance breaks down, you
need to consider the cost of replacing the appliance and its age.
Things don't last like in the past.

Bubba wrote:

On Sun, 14 Dec 2008 12:54:26 -0500, mcp6453 wrote:
-snip-
For example, compare http://tinyurl.com/65oypz with http://tinyurl.com/5zpnqe.
Why would I want to buy the more expensive part?
-snip-
Duh silly. Didnt you see? The 2nd link is from "Pros". Just like it
says in their name. Its just gotta be better. :-) NOT !!!
-snip-

Just in the FWIW dept- the last parts I ordered were from
appliancepartspros.com. I usually order from repairclinic.com. This
time they didn't have one of the 2 parts I needed. The other $20ish
part was the same price in both places.

As to the original question- 'Who knows' - sometimes OEM is better-
sometimes no difference.

Repairclinic.com guarantees all their parts [for a year?]. I had an
igniter go bad after a few months and they sent me new one. Still
good 7 years later.

Here's the thread;
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.h...uthor:elbrecht
Jim