I recently needed a replacement blower motor for my bread dough
proofing cabinet .  So I called the manufacturer and was quoted
$165 for the little thing.  Angry, I went to the Grainger catalog
and found an almost exact replacement for $63.

When I called Grainger here in Asheville, North Carolina, I was
also told that they needed to put it on an account.  I once had an
account when I had my MIDI organ business, but they had no record
of it.  So I told them I was a professor here at Western Carolina
University, which I am.  That was perfectly fine with the salesman.
He used the university's account number and had the motor shipped
to me at my home address.  I used my credit card to pay for it.

I only had one problem: The motor was badly packed and the plastic
motor cooling fan was broken in shipment.  But a call to Grainger
and two days later I received two replacement fans.

Because I avoided spending $165 for this part, I feel good that
I "beat the system".  That is, the gouging used-parts industry.
(My electric range timer motor broke down last year and, yes, a
replacement clock assembly costs $165 also!  I never did get that
fixed.)

Andy LaTorre