As is the case with a number of product categories, brand is very important when choosing a water pump. Repair shops that responded to Counterman magazine’s 2010 Professional Automotive Repair Technician Survey (P.A.R.T.S.) say they conduct an average of four water pump replacements each month, and only 11 percent reportedly keep the part in stock. Thus, they rely on roughly 2.7 sources when it’s time to restock.

According to P.A.R.T.S. respondents, the combination of fastest delivery, best sales reps and availability can help jobbers maintain their lead as the primary source for these components.

These and other statistics can be found in P.A.R.T.S., produced annually by Counterman magazine. Ten years ago, Counterman began surveying repair shops annually to determine when, how and why they source specific automotive parts and products. The resulting data, published every fall, offers perspective on how sourcing and brand-loyalty trends have changed.