Dealer Parts Dept. Rant

[Delta]

So, I was bored and went for a drive today. Decided to stop by the most local dealer to me today to pick up a serpentine belt, drain plug, drain plug washer, and oil filter for the WRX. I knew the prices would be slightly higher than an online authorized site, but boy I was completely wrong.

Gave them my vin and the short list. Feller goes back for like 10 minutes and comes back out. Don't have the belt or drain plug. Can be here in a couple days. What? They were going to sell the belt to me for $86 and the plug $11! Nope, just give me the oil filter and washer. That was $14 in itself.

I know dealers are there to make money, but holy smokes! I hate to be that guy, but I went online and found the same belt from Subaru waay less

https://www.subarupartsdeals.com/oem-parts/subaru-2014-2021-subaru-serpentine-belt-23780aa111

I can order the belt, plug, washer, and another filter PLUS shipping less than the belt was before tax. I shouldn't be like this, but that dealer has lost my parts business. It's a second car that even if I have to wait on a part, it won't affect me that much. The next closest dealer is an hour away up and over a couple mountains. A very pretty drive, but not worth it for the occasional filter and washer.

 

[JustinH]

For this kind of situation I have been dealing with Rockauto mostly.

 

[Delta]

For this kind of situation I have been dealing with Rockauto mostly.

I whole-heartily agree, but some things I do prefer OEM. Car will need brakes in the Spring, and those can come from RA.

 

[Dave Hess]

I recently ordered drive belt tensioner and 2 belts from Mazda dealer and they shipped to my house.

Will install next week on my daughter’s 2018 CX5.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

Local Jeep dealer parts dept a long time ago quoted me $86 for a mopar radiator cap and $300 for a pair of hood struts. They told me to go to Rockauto lol. They did come in with a good price for the factory steel bumper for my JLU though, and oil filters they are less than Walmart for a mo-349.

 

[Brian123]

So, I was bored and went for a drive today. Decided to stop by the most local dealer to me today to pick up a serpentine belt, drain plug, drain plug washer, and oil filter for the WRX. I knew the prices would be slightly higher than an online authorized site, but boy I was completely wrong.

Gave them my vin and the short list. Feller goes back for like 10 minutes and comes back out. Don't have the belt or drain plug. Can be here in a couple days. What? They were going to sell the belt to me for $86 and the plug $11! Nope, just give me the oil filter and washer. That was $14 in itself.

I know dealers are there to make money, but holy smokes! I hate to be that guy, but I went online and found the same belt from Subaru waay less

https://www.subarupartsdeals.com/oem-parts/subaru-2014-2021-subaru-serpentine-belt-23780aa111

I can order the belt, plug, washer, and another filter PLUS shipping less than the belt was before tax. I shouldn't be like this, but that dealer has lost my parts business. It's a second car that even if I have to wait on a part, it won't affect me that much. The next closest dealer is an hour away up and over a couple mountains. A very pretty drive, but not worth it for the occasional filter and washer.

I can see why the prices are so high, I will try and make this story short. My Dad called me last Friday and wanted me to go to a dealership to look at a used car and drive it, the last time I was in a car dealership was in 1990. This place was no nice and perfect, including the bathroom, there was no shower. I wanted to move into this place, I was saying to myself, am I in a Movie, is this real. My dad drove the car and that was all he could talk about; the car was a Genesis G90. I just could not get over how nice and beautiful this Dealership was.

I was also shocked that the salesman was busy with other people, and he just gave my Dad the key to the car and said go down this road, make a right at the next street, and it will take you back to the dealership. We started driving, and there was a blinking thing, my Dad forgot to put on his seat belt, he tried to play it off. He said the salesman distracted him, ok whatever.

 

[eljefino]

Sounds like that dealer is into that lean operations garbage. Imagine if a subaru was your only car and they were the only dealer, or you had an extended warranty with them. You'd be walking while they wait for parts!

 

[duck__dodgers]

Factory dealer parts pricing was a topic of one of Car Care Nut's recent videos. As I haven't been to the parts counter recently, I thought he was talking about isolated incidents.

Guess I'll have to research the MSRPs beforehand before my next trip as I've never paid over MSRP at the go-to Honda dealer.