Canadian Members---Princess Auto

[Lis2323]

Princess Auto has always been a ho-hum store for me. Your typical not bad quality reasonably priced items interspersed with unique or surplus and a REAL healthy dose of imported junk.

I've mentioned this before. We got our first store here on the island a little over ten years ago. Brand new beautiful complex but one of the worst managed and staffed business i have ever seen.


I won't bore you with stories and details. BAD (IMO). You get the pic.

Others have mentioned how their regional outlets are great so I just assumed I was out of luck with mine.

BUT I have noticed within the last year or so (since their renovation) staff attitudes have definitely improved. AND looking at the flyer today the quality of their product line has improved also.

Anyone else notice? Or is being a Limited Income Senior clouding my judgement??






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[mrmikey]

Our PA in Dartmouth has one of the best group of people I've dealt with. They can be busy as he77 and they don't mind helping in the least. Call up to see if they have something, they'll check on the computer and if it says yes they'll ask if you're coming in so they'll go and physically check and [put it away for you. Returns are no problem which is a good thing LOL.
Yes, a lot of their stuff is Chinesium junk but the Power Point stuff seems to be a lot better quality than the Power Fist.
Bought a Schumacher battery maintainer, 2 years later it went bad but it had a 5 year warranty. Took it back fully expecting to hear the ' you have to ship it back to the manufacturer" Since I had the receipt, they gave me my money back, not an exchange so I went and bought another.
The one here also has a pretty good hydraulic assortment as well, Gresen, BB and so other brand names................Mike

[Meltedmetal]

My shadow has never actually darkened the door of a Princess Auto store but I have bought thousands of dollars of stuff from them over the years. Quite a bit of hydraulic stuff. I've only returned/refused something once. It was a 5 hp totally enclosed motor that arrived with the connection box broken off. They sent me another that was less damaged that I accepted. Seems to run fine but they should up their game a bit on some heavy stuff packaging. Wasn't really well packaged. On the other hand I bought an alleged 6 hp (peak) refurbished air compressor, US assembled delivered to my garage door in Quebec from Alberta for $65.00 shipping and the compressor was something like $600.00. Does what I need it to do.
It probably won't be a popular opinion here but China is every bit as capable of making quality goods as anyone else. Like Japan after world war 2 they've shipped a lot of trash over here but they can and do make some good quality stuff but it usually isn't quite dirt cheap.
If PA ever opens a store near me or one easy to get to from where I am, I expect I'll, at the very least, check it out.

[whtbaron]

What can I say? I'm a regular and they treat me like royalty. Clerk assistance is as individual as who's helping you, but 90% of the time I've had very good responses, and I've witnessed staff being unnecessarily harassed by moron customers. Sometimes they are in a bad mood for a reason. I've taken a number of items back with no problem (sometimes inferior merchandise, sometimes I just screwed up on size or something). I just bought another tool cart to set my cheap Chinese plasma on and I can't buy the metal and 4 castors for what I got it delivered for (well.... delivered 8 miles away, but that's a Purolator issue, not P/A's). I tend to shy away from electronics and anything with an electric motor, but I have also had good luck with hydraulics and the Power Point line. My Ingorsol Rand compressor came via P/A and despite my buying "American", it still comes with a "Made in China" compressor pump so I don't see much difference in quality levels some times. For lots of shop items like wire, connectors, sometimes even brand name welding rods, they are a pretty good source.

[whtbaron]

I probably have a half dozen of those 12/3 yellow extension cords, and I like them. They seem to be as good as anything out there short of industrial suppliers.

[Lis2323]

4 four inch steel casters ( 2 swivel 2 fixed) for a new welding table build. $60 plus tax.

I think they were on sale. Thought it best I have them "on hand" for actual height dimensions before I start cutting leg material.






Pretty tough to determine what you need online and then discover they are either out of stock or may even have better options on the shelf.

As it turns out they are the same as I have used previously...




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[whtbaron]

I've bought lots of castors there on sale, and I've yet to have one fail. I think you got the same ones as I put on my welding table, and those grey plastic wheels have been good deals on sale as well.

[Lis2323]

These six inch ones are my fave. They come on sale often and I use them for the front of welding carts.




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[12345678910]

They were around a very long time.

20 years ago it was all really junky, but now thing like sockets have really improved.

good warranty.

I really eyeball and try to break it before I buy it though.

You have to watch what it is.

I did get some genuine Kant twist clamps on clearance. Those were really worth while.

[Lis2323]

I did get some genuine Kant twist clamps on clearance. Those were really worth while.

Kant Twist at PA? Really!? Must have been on clearance because no one knew what they were. Lol.

Wish I'd seen them.


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[Lis2323]

Well that last post of mine came out sounding snobby.....


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[whtbaron]

Meh....not really. They do have some worthless crap on the shelves... you just have to learn to pick and choose instead of using the cart like a xmas tree...

[12345678910]

Kant Twist at PA? Really!? Must have been on clearance because no one knew what they were. Lol.

Wish I'd seen them.

The first time I bought some were online a cdn supplier, but they were drop shipped from usa anyway.
I paid double the competitive price.
But I've never seen them on a retail shelf in person in Ontario.

I knew they were a good price, but I was cautious.


I saw them in person on the welding stuff wall when I was trying to find a magnet.
They were all bagged up in cloudy bags, hard to see.



I bought a couple of the smaller lower priced ones, then went back after researching prices and got more.

On the website they were never ID'ed by name and I had a hard time finding them at all.
"cantilever clamps"

They may have been seconds because on some, the roll stamping was faint or uneven.
One was assembled with the sides switched so the roll stamping was on the inside, not facing outside.

I was cash short, but did get some good deals.
Bad mixed up packaging also meant I got a stainless clamp at normal plated steel clearance price.

Once people realized they were there, they disappeared fast.
Within a week, the display went from well stocked and tidy to wiped out and a disaster.

[Josey]

My neighbour used to call the local Store. Chinese Hardware. Which used to be very appropriate . But nowadays
they mostly carry a much better quality products. There Pro Point Brand is built to industrial standards. But it is not cheap like the Power Fist used to be. Most of the Pro Point electrical tools are rebadged from other brands Like there Plasma cutters I was disappointed when they gave up the Lincoln franchise. as they used to be able to give good deals
sometimes on Lincoln and Century welders And they had a full range of Lincoln welding rods and accessories Now
they are all Hobart Welders and accessories But there seems to be less flexability as they always seem to be priced very high and I have never seen any good deals on them. Some times when something has been on the shelf for a long time they will accept an offer for it I got a Jepson dry cut saw very cheap that had been there for years I always like to brose
around the store when I have time to kill

[Lis2323]

My neighbour used to call the local Store. Chinese Hardware. Which used to be very appropriate . But nowadays
they mostly carry a much better quality products. There Pro Point Brand is built to industrial standards. But it is not cheap like the Power Fist used to be. Most of the Pro Point electrical tools are rebadged from other brands Like there Plasma cutters I was disappointed when they gave up the Lincoln franchise. as they used to be able to give good deals
sometimes on Lincoln and Century welders And they had a full range of Lincoln welding rods and accessories Now
they are all Hobart Welders and accessories But there seems to be less flexability as they always seem to be priced very high and I have never seen any good deals on them. Some times when something has been on the shelf for a long time they will accept an offer for it I got a Jepson dry cut saw very cheap that had been there for years I always like to brose
around the store when I have time to kill

Funny you should mention the Jepson.

I just noticed it in the latest flyer.




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[whtbaron]

I was looking at that one too... not sure I'd justify the cost for the small number of times I'd use it though...

[Lis2323]

I was looking at that one too... not sure I'd justify the cost for the small number of times I'd use it though...

Who knows. With every cut you make the smiles may be “priceless”

** I can’t say for certain as I’ve never used one so individual results may vary


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[Lis2323]

I've used these 6" casters for welding carts in the past.

I bought a set today at 50% off. 2 swivel base and 2 rigid.





Surprisingly nice quality.


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[Lis2323]

PA had F style welding clamps on sale and were actually surprisingly nice quality.

I picked up two 8" ($25 Cdn each) and two 10 inch ($27 Cdn each)




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[whtbaron]

I've used these 6" casters for welding carts in the past.

I bought a set today at 50% off. 2 swivel base and 2 rigid.





Surprisingly nice quality.


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I've got 6 of those sitting here waiting for my gantry crane build. I'm not sure if they'll go there or not... I've seen them delaminate and shed the plastic after many years of service. I might have to go all steel.

[Lis2323]

I've got 6 of those sitting here waiting for my gantry crane build. I'm not sure if they'll go there or not... I've seen them delaminate and shed the plastic after many years of service. I might have to go all steel.

I went back and bought two more 6” swivel lock casters for the front of a welding cart I need to build. For the life of me I can’t remember what I had in mind for the original four I bought.

I doubt I will have delamination problems. They only get light duty use in my shop.


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[whtbaron]

Yea.... my concern is the amount of weight I'll be putting on the crane. I agree, for something like a welder they'll last for decades unless your dragging them around the yard or rough floors a lot...

[Lis2323]

Dusk to dawn LED yard light. $49cdn



Last day of sale. regular price $75


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[whtbaron]

The long narrow outlet bar I liked comes back on sale next week... I think the price is higher this time though...

[smithdoor]

Great looking light.
Now only if turn on and off ever 5 minutes. It helps the burglar trip into sharp steel in a metal shop.

Dave

Dusk to dawn LED yard light. $49cdn



Last day of sale. regular price $75


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