A lot of my vacuum lines use 3/16ths I.D. (5/32) hose.
Go anywhere and they all hand you 1/4".
I know you can buy it by the roll online but I don't need 50'!!! Plus the shipping. UGH.
Any ideas for local sourcing to buy by-the-foot?

My local parts house has a whole variety and I keep a selection in the shop. I've even seen a fair selection in Advance or OReilly's, of course there it's in a box of 10 - 12 feet on the shelf, not on the standard roll behind the counter.

I'm sure I tried Advance but maybe I got Pedro on his first day.
I have no problem with a box of 10'.
Thanks.
And if they ask me Make, model....
I'll deck him.

look for the smaller auto parts stores. advance/autozone/pepboys suck. they would rather take up floor space with cheap, chinsey LEDs, spinner hub caps, fuzzy dice, and faux braided steel hose covers to make it LOOK like you have braided steel lines, instead of having rolls of vacuum hose, fuel hose, heater hose, etc.


but the small shops like Napa that has the old greasey guy behind the counter who also operates the brake lathe and mixes up automotive paint and knows how to use a paper book to look up parts, will often have hose, steel brake lines, etc. in bulk for you to buy by the foot.

I went thru the same ordeal when I needed the windshield washer fluid hose. Ironically, the counterman at NAPA couldn't find it or they didn't have it. The customer at the other register was looking for a standard vacuum tee and the counterperson was clueless about looking in the book. They wanted the year make model routine. That pretty much put ended my going to Napa for anything. Everything there is just about lowcost cheap made in China crap. And the help is helpless. Luckily the CarQuest up the street still employs knowlegeable people.

For the hose, I ended up buying a section at the local mom and pop hardware store. Best yet, I could roll out how much I needed.