Dealer Parts Dept. Rant
- Thread starter Delta
- Start date
I had my truck in for a heater core replacement. I had changed out the CAF a few days prior.
The service advisor calls me “we noticed your CAF is very dirty and should be replaced. Since we’re already in there doing the heater core we won’t charge you any labour to replace the CAF, just $50 for the filter.
I complimented them on being so kind as to not charge me labour but said I was surprised it would be so dirty as it was less than a week old…. They went quiet and then said they would have another look, maybe it wasn’t as bad as they thought…
Matrix pricing strikes again, I have some success and asking for MSRP prices.
My BMW dealer gives 10% off MSRP, so I use them if I'm in the area. A couple of online dealers can beat their pricing so I"m using them more and more- especially since I'm able to use my BMW MC rewards. Jeep just started offering a similar card, but I'd really like to see M-B offer one.
If I walk in to the local Chevy dealer and ask for parts at the parts counter they want ridiculous pricing for them. Go on their own website and order it for in store pickup and it's MSRP (so, like half of what they want in store). What a joke!
I had the local Kia parts guy actually tell me to order it on line from them and come back tomorrow since he didn't have it stock anyway. I did see him reading the volunteer fire dept stuff on my shirt prior.
It's a sad snowball IMO and goes for many places like AZ and AAP also by me like dealers. The more they charge, the less people go so they need to charge more to cover overhead etc. AZ wanted $40 for sway bar end link for my sons car, RockAuto was $22 shipped. Sometimes you need to pay the convenience fee but it hurts. At the same time if they were not there, many couldn't afford vehicle downtime so they need support to stay in business also.
Genuine part prices are already higher than OEM or aftermarket, but when matrix is applied on top, it can get ridiculous.
But sometimes, you need a specific part quickly, and a dealer is the only option.
I try to go in prepared, knowing exactly what I need and with the part numbers so the counter person doesn't need to look anything up. That, and just simply being nice has resulted in being given a break more than a few times, or in the case of very small, common stuff, like a plug gasket, they'll just gift them and not log anything into the system at all.
Some guys are just plain unhelpful, or won't be receptive to anything, but it's not the counter guys who set the prices, or determine the supply chain, so giving them attitude isn't going to help anyone.
Those are items I would never buy from a dealer. Aftermarket parts work for me. I only will buy a part from a dealer which isn't availabe in the aftermarket world.
We have a Honda dealer here in Louisville that charges retail plus on parts...I drive a few miles and save at another Honda dealer....example....1 quart of Honda dual pump fluid is 23 dollars at the dealer while about a 5 mile drive to another honda dealer is 13.00 a quart....
