Amazing OEM Price Difference

[Gebo]

Lady at church needs timing belt maintenance done on her '99 Camry V6. Only gonna use OEM parts. Went to Amazon and eBay looking
specifically for Toyota belts, water pump, thermostat, idlers, etc.

Lo and behold, I found an entire kit including the other 2 belts, thermostat, oil filter, cam and crank seals and a tensioner for $194. All in Toyota boxes with the
proper part numbers. Not even Bando drive belts but Toyota belts. Wow! What a deal, right?

I then realized my Lexus Dealer would probably have the same parts. Gave him the list and it came out to $550. WHOA!! Man was my friend
screwing me or what. I then went back to research the seller of the $194 kit. Guess what? Guess what country he is associated with?

Uh Huh...you guessed it. CHINA. I told my Parts Guy and he said you normally get what you pay for and laughed at the price.
I went to Toyota Parts online and parts there were just slightly cheaper that Lexus dealer but I would have to pay shipping and
wait for who knows how long til I would get them. (Alright, we know who knows, ok?)

Man, they are good at what they do!

 

[CharBaby]

Toyota and do many other Asian manufactures such as Honda, use Mitsuboshi(not Mitsubishi) and/or AISIN parts as OE.

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/5192616/mitsuboshi-timing-belts

 

[krismoriah72]

Not sure who makes OEM Toyota aftermarket parts.. but i wouldnt hesitate to use Bando, Continental or Gates. Its a 21 year old car.. why spend the big bucks?

 

[Jimzz]

Yea those are fake and dangerous kits. I see them at eBay and amazon and had a few customers ask about them.

For that car buy a AISIN TKT024 timing belt kit with waterpump. OE Parts without the markup. Thats what I use for my customers cars.

 

[Bighorn2500]

Rock Auto has OE Manufacture parts.

I paid about $75 shipped for OE Walker/Tennaco Automotive exhaust pipe for my truck with the same exact part Walker part number that NAPA wanted $264. Got to shop around, find out who the OE supplier is an check that price. Prices will vary greatly.

 

[georgemiller]

Originally Posted by Jimzz
Yea those are fake and dangerous kits. I see them at eBay and amazon and had a few customers ask about them.

For that car buy a AISIN TKT024 timing belt kit with waterpump. OE Parts without the markup. Thats what I use for my customers cars.



What would be the AISIN timing belt kit for Camry 2001 4 cylinder?

 

[Gebo]

C'mon guys. You are missing my point. I ain't talking about an OE part or who makes Toyota. Or Aisin makes this or that. Or this mfr makes Toyota and they are just as good. Or why would you spend that much money on an old car?

I am only speaking to sellers who are selling fake parts. There is no subliminal message.

My only point is that just because it looks like a duck, doesn't mean it's a duck. My point is to be aware of knock off Toyota OEM parts Claiming to be Toyota parts.

And with a huge smile on my face enjoying my morning coffee waiting for the pork sausage to cook, I am only gonna use Toyota/Lexus parts. Don't try and change my mind as my jaw is set like flint. There are a few things I'm set on.

Kimber 1911's, S&W revolvers, Michelin tires, Sony TVs,
Grizzle holsters, Erie Insurance, 3.5 inch cut, cast iron skillets, coal tar soap, name brand gasoline, to name a few.

 

[Gebo]

Well, I typed too long.

 

[FordBroncoVWJeta]

Accidentally broke the alternator on the 2012 Jetta after reinstallation this week. Couldn't get it to line up correctly so I took a screwdriver and a hammer and gave it a few good little love taps. Big chunk of it flew off.

OEM Dealer: $1,595.38
OEM Rockauto: $1,336.79
Bosch Rockauto (OEM without VW stamp): $217.99
WTH is VW smoking? Usually VW prices are competitive.

 

[Snagglefoot]

My favourite is a Ford water pump, made in China and branded as AC Delco from Rock Auto. It's been over a year now and works fine. Time will tell.

 

[Audios]

Its possible that these are OEM Toyota China parts. We often see VW Shanghai and UFI China come in the OEM boxes.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Of course Toyota Parts are counterfeited to the point, that you may even get bad parts from the dealer.

Same thing happened to AC-Delco in the 90's couldn't find a real GM thing anywhere.

If you want to pay a BIG distributor/dealer markup high price That is your Pierogi

I hope for $550 the toyota price includes a water pump.

If not its a ripoff

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Originally Posted by Gebo
I then went back to research the seller of the $194 kit. Guess what? Guess what country he is associated with?

Uh Huh...you guessed it. CHINA.

Wow, quite the detective. Why was the seller's location not the first place you looked? That price should have set off alarm bells immediately.

 

[Gebo]

Originally Posted by Bottom_Feeder
Originally Posted by Gebo
I then went back to research the seller of the $194 kit. Guess what? Guess what country he is associated with?

Uh Huh...you guessed it. CHINA.

Wow, quite the detective. Why was the seller's location not the first place you looked? That price should have set off alarm bells immediately.


No. It was not apparent. Parts shipped from CA.
It showed up when I was gonna contact him.

 

[Alfred_B]

Originally Posted by Audios
Its possible that these are OEM Toyota China parts. We often see VW Shanghai and UFI China come in the OEM boxes.

They have Toyotas in China, too. So it is possible that these are OEM.

 

[Gebo]

Originally Posted by ARCOgraphite
Of course Toyota Parts are counterfeited to the point, that you may even get bad parts from the dealer.

Same thing happened to AC-Delco in the 90's couldn't find a real GM thing anywhere.

If you want to pay a BIG distributor/dealer markup high price That is your Pierogi

I hope for $550 the toyota price includes a water pump.

If not its a ripoff



I had him quote exactly the same package that I found on internet. 3 Seals, 2 idlers, tensioner, water pump, all three belts, thermostat, etc. Wanted "apples to apples."

By the way, he said they never replaced tensioners as a normal part of timing belt service.

To be clear, the parts I would buy and he recommended would run me around $420.

 

[Kira]

OK, you ferreted out the best and smartest way to procure parts. Sincere congrats!

Now for the "lady from church". Is she a customer at a real shop or someone for whom you're doing a favor?

I ask because her finances may be....behind the times. Is she expecting a $34 repair bill?

just askin'

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

OP: I understand exactly what you're saying. It's possible that those were parts from a "third shift" or second tier** manufacturer.


**
First Tier Manufacturer: The factory which is customer(i.e, Toyota) facing. Nice equipment, high levels of QC, clean facilities, good working conditions, etc.
Second Tier Manufacturer: Paid by First Tier to fulfill part of the contract. May or may not have same level of QC, different facilities, older equipment, worse working conditions, etc.

Third Shift: Overrun of parts sold "out the back door" of the factory. Usually not meeting customer QC requirements but close enough.

 

[Gebo]

Originally Posted by Kira
OK, you ferreted out the best and smartest way to procure parts. Sincere congrats!

Now for the "lady from church". Is she a customer at a real shop or someone for whom you're doing a favor?

I ask because her finances may be....behind the times. Is she expecting a $34 repair bill?

just askin'


Am I detecting a "tude"?

I do not deserve any congrats. I did not ferret anything out. Just trying to offer some wisdom to those of us who want to purchase OEM parts, that's all.

As far as the lady, most people here know I am a Pastor that helps widows and single Moms in our church. Primarily with car repairs and maintenance. She knows nothing about anything I have done. She doesn't even know she needs a timing belt done.

Don't add to or take away

from the text.

 

[Gebo]

Originally Posted by BMWTurboDzl
OP: I understand exactly what you're saying. It's possible that those were parts from a "third shift" or second tier** manufacturer....


Nope, that's not what I'm trying to say. What I am trying to say is we need to be careful buying what we are being led to believe are original Toyota parts off eBay and Amazon. They may be fake. Even though they are in Toyota boxes with correct part numbers. That is all I am trying to say.

Most of you know, my Lexus Parts Mgr is a good friend.
He is extremely competitive on all parts. This is a 20 year relationship I am talking about. When he wants $550 for the "same" parts I can get for less than $200 off eBay, I smell a rat.

They may be stolen from a dealership????