I am putting together a wish list for my car. As I look through the internet, there are a lot of options. Too many almost. Was wondering what the general consensus was as to who is the best. For example: Auto Atlanta seems to be the most expensive!! Why?? Pelican parts is nearly half the cost for the same part. I’m new to 914 Rubber. Their web site looks nice, and Iean karr uses them a lot in his videos. Your thoughts please. Thanks.

I just got a huge order from 914Rubber and I’ve used Pelican for stuff 914Rubber doesn’t have and can easily say 914Rubber has amazing customer service, Mark is an awesome guy and the whole team does a great job at getting everything to you on time with no hassle. Pelican parts was good, nothing crazy but like you said had some great prices. AA I don’t use at all, don’t like that they have huge mark ups on stuff you can buy directly from vendors and support them instead like MSDS, he’s a great guy and just got a great set of headers from him! Good luck and happy parts hunting!

You can find good products manufactured here in the USA...usually No supply chain issues ! Thank you @barnfind9141972 for your choosing our MSDS equipment, and a great history on your project
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Thanks for the 914rubber feedback. We do try, but are still a small mom and pop. We will make new parts that are needed, cause that's what we do. Also now stocking more commonly needed parts that we don't make.
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Mark

+1 for 914rubber. I always go there first, if I can’t find something on their site, I call them. Pelican is my second resource.

As with everything in life, you have to shop around.

I've used all the vendors listed (914Rubber, Pelican, Automobile Atlanta) and quite a few that are no longer with us (Performance Products, Automotion, Tweeks) and others I've long since forgotten.

The one thing I will say for AA is that they were in this game since the get go. Sometimes they have (or tooled up and made) parts that you couldn't get anywhere else. The prices on their site are sometimes confusing. AA lists OEM Porsche parts alongside aftermarket parts. Sometimes multiple variants of aftermarket parts, each at different prices. Sometimes the aftermarket part is the same as the OEM Porsche part but costs way less. You just have to shop carefully and if in doubt talk with George.

With demand and prices for 914's rising, others have begun tooling up parts (914Rubber, Restoration Design, Dansk, URO, and others) which is a great thing. Often the parts are stocked across vendors and the mark up varies depending on who is reselling what part.

I know everyone likes to complain about middle man mark ups, but, sometimes it just makes more sense to order one or two marked up parts as part of a larger batch order than pay seperate shipping across two or three separate vendors.

Again, just need to do the math and shop around.

We are lucky to have so many vendor choices now! I appreciate all of them for what they do. No shame in them making some money as they support us. Without profit to the vendors, they don't have money to survive and to reinvest into tooling up more parts as the list of NLA parts contrinues to grow.

AA is the bottom of the list for me. The few times I got parts from them the quality was poor as well as the customer service. Many of the suppliers are selling parts from the same manufacturer. Shop around and compare prices. Even Porsche is supplying some off quality parts compared to the original ones.

I forgot to list my favorite vendors . . . . those on the FS/WTB forum on this site!

Guys like @Bdstone914 , @Mepstein , @914Sixer , @MB911 , @914werke are all reputable, honest sellers of NOS, used, and custom parts and do a great job of providing them at prices that are outright bargains. Coudn't do this without them. I'm sure I'm missing a few but these guys have provided so many parts to my project, I can't even list them all.

And for your 914s wiring needs, well over 1000 harnesses built, keeping the 914 alive. I've been here for over 20 years providing excellent quality, low prices and excellent customer service, if I say so myself. But dont trust me alone, see the reviews posted on my website. No middle man markup, I sell direct to the customer.

https://bowlsby.net/914/WiringHarnesses/

You've gotten great advice here. For new parts, my personal first call is always to 914rubber. Great, fair people committed to this community. And Jeff is the master of harnesses.

See I knew I'd inadvertently leave folks out. I have purchased multiple harnesses from Jeff. Great parts - Great customer service.

Perry Kiehl for engine harness, Ben McFarland for header/HE and oil tanks, 914Rubber, Pelican parts, Ground Control for suspension, and of course 914World. Best, Mark

Met the family of 914Rubber - dragged their 914 up the canyon at WCR '17 ( ) - great guys. Support those who are most committed to the hobby; are the smallest and need us the most. Now, if only they sold v-eight gear...

Cracker

For used parts I would add @GaroldShaffer as well.

914Sixer. you never know what Mark might have in a box unless you ask.

I have been happily giving Chris at Tangerine Racing some money over the last year. Great products and always answers my questions.

Thanks, you guys are great! Really good advice. Love your videos Ian! Thanks!

depends on the part, if it is the same brand or manufacturer, all of our parts are competitively priced, The problem is the different branding we have to use due to contractural arrangements with Porsche. Plus our motto is every part for every Porsche which means we really have to scramble for certain nuts and bolts

My favorite parts manufacturers and vendors include all those already mentioned. Have supported all of them. My sincere thanks to all of them for supporting our community!

You are very fortunate to own a 914 in the current experience. Have owned 914s for about 39 yrs now. Back then and for a long time, it was almost exclusively the Porsche dealership, with VW parts vendors for some parts and maybe an independent vendor with 914 parts as a smaller sideline.

You have so many options today. Yes, ask advice. But, do your own research & understand that sometimes you'll get a dud part (more likely if you focus too much on finding the "cheapest" part, so don't do that).

Oh, and look for stuff on Craigslist (best for local deals on real / original, albeit used, stuff and connecting with other members of the local 914 community) and Facebook marketplace.

Definitely get on "thesamba.com".

914er's
When I restored my 914 25+ -years ago AA was my only source besides Porsche OEM dealers. I purchased 90% of my parts from the Porsche dealers and 10% from AA who was the only 914 vendor (thanks George). I used his 914 catalog to source my 914 parts knowledge. Today we have many new and excellent vendors.
Shop quality & price to fit your restoration
Tom

JWestEngineering, Camp914, SierraMadre Collection

I sent 914rubber a long list of items required to get a barn find running again, mainly fuel lines, push rod tube seals, oils cooler seals etc.
Simple transaction, time for me to get to work.

Pelican seems to have most of what I need, or 914 rubber, or Eric Shea for brakes.

Rich

^^^ Eric Shea at PMB performance for everything brakes and now a lot more.

A few others I've used:
Pegasus Racing
Summit Racing
PartsGeek

I think I have bought from all the vendors mentioned so far.

For routine and unusual metric hardware I go to Belmetric.

I have been tremendously happy with PMB. Eric has always responded to my questions with thoughtful involved answers. And their brake parts have been top notch.

In our order:

Sunset Porsche
914World members
914 Rubber
AA
PMB
Tangerine
Pelican
Aase
Stoddard