Nissan parts costs are insane!

[Urshurak776]

Keyfobs from the dealer are wildly overpriced.

Get a generic off of Ebay or Amazon and have a locksmith reprogram it. If you have a working one, they shouldn't have a problem.

I learned about this when I thought I would have to replace one of the fobs for my Mazda. I could have gotten a set of two 'generic' fobs for my CX5 for $150-200 and the automotive locksmiths I contacted wanted between $150-200 for programming up to two fobs. They all asked if I still had a working fob. I seem to remember my dealer quoting in the $500 range for ONE fob and programming.

So, as for Mazda Key Fob. I only got one for my 2023 Mazda 3. The sales guy said if I go buy one, they will knock $20 off the programming ($169 my cost, so $189 is what they charge of you bring your own FOB. Thats in Charlotte, NC.) I thought that was reasonable, even though I thought I should have gotten two keys. Business guy said service lost it and they should buy me one....

Anyway, I opened the key and got the part number, FCC number and some other number (forget what it was.) Searched eBay for part number and found several vendors that had it (inlcuding all the correct FCC numbers, etc.) Found one fairly close to me that had like a million reviews. Cost me $24.99 delivered. Took it to Mazda and they programmed it, and cut the key inside. Went to pay and the guy handed me the invoice and said "Have a nice day." No charge. I don't know if sales guy took care of it or the business guy, but they did cover it.

 

[zzyzzx]

Get a generic off of Ebay or Amazon and have a locksmith reprogram it.

It's often easy enough, and way cheaper to program it yourself.

 

[Dave9]

The current p/n for the radiator is 21410-9FV1A.

According to this page, https://www.nissanoempartsdirect.com/oem-parts/nissan-radiator-assembly-214109fv1a, the same radiator is used in 2017-2024 Titans with the 5.6L V8. So nothing older with the same radiator that you could find the drain plug from.

I meant even different radiators of similar age (design era), from same radiator manufacturer might use the same drain plug... little car, big car, SUV, truck, van, whatever.

 

[Elkins45]

It's often easy enough, and way cheaper to program it yourself.

For this particular vehicle you must use a bidirectional scan tool with a certain software package. This was only the case for a short production run of a couple of years, but mine unfortunately fell into that range. What I ended up doing was buying an OEM remote start kit off eBay that came with two new fobs and paid a locksmith $70 to do the programming. That was last year, old news.

Back to the drain plug: I’m normally pretty good about finding info online but I’m still unable to find a verified part number or even any indication Nissan recognizes the drain plug as a separate part. If the lady behind the parts counter hadn’t told me it was available I would be questioning whether they expect you to just buy a new radiator.

 

[John105]

One pleasant surprise with my Maxima. Uncle was working on replacing a clutch line as air was getting in.

He gave me bad news. The line I purchased on Amazon is not the correct section. The first section is only available at the dealer.

Visions of $100’s danced in my head. Ended up being in the $60’s as he ran a shop. So even if $120 retail not as outrageous as today. This is likely 12 years ago.

 

[Donald]

I can recommend them as well. We lost a fob. So they deleted the 2 programmed in the car. Added the new, added the old that was not lost.

One week later we found it as my son had
Placed it inside a Mr Potato Head.

Called them and a girl said we have to charge you to add it back, because we pay the software co.

Owner called and said we can do it no charge glad you found it.

Why did it take so long to find it? Inside a Mr Potato Head would be the first place I looked.

 

[John105]

Why did it take so long to find it? Inside a Mr Potato Head would be the first place I looked.

I actually thought I lost it, not my son. I often work on the car and toss the fob near the tools, etc, and have even left them under the hood. So my revenge was what this guy Bob at work told me in 1996. He said if my kids need eyeglasses (he was a single dad wife left him for another man), I buy a stock and sell it when it goes up and use the profits for the eyeglasses. The part where he never showed the capital gain, I’ve never done plus now it’s electronic. I bought Amazon which at the time as $1800/share, this was maybe 9/19.

Edit it’s gone nowhere in 2.5 years, but it almost doubled by late 2021. Never sold. So I try to make it “feel” like a bad situation prompted a good one. Fob not lost, Amazon not purchased at that time. We all do some sort of mental gymnastics

 

[dishdude]

Always demand 2 fobs when you buy a car, they'll deduct if you trade a car with only one. Don't let them weasel out of it.

 

[John105]

Always demand 2 fobs when you buy a car, they'll deduct if you trade a car with only one. Don't let them weasel out of it.

Or, when purchasing used, don’t let them downplay that the set is not complete.

On my 2006, it had 2 normal and 1 valet when new. When I purchased it in 2016 the valet was not there, which was fine. But it would it have been no good if 1 normal, 1 valet, and it was 1/2 of the normal ones that’s gone.

 

[JTK]

For this particular vehicle you must use a bidirectional scan tool with a certain software package. This was only the case for a short production run of a couple of years, but mine unfortunately fell into that range.

As far as I know, this started around 2015 for Nissan push button start vehicles. I know with our 2017 Quest, the dealer miraculously "couldn't find" the second FOB the day I took delivery of this used vehicle. They made good on the 2nd FOB, but it was aftermarket, with a mobile locksmith. I sat in the pass seat while he did his thing. His setup was two scan tool looking devices that plugged into the vehicles DLC. There is no way to program additional FOBs without this equipment for Nissans.

 

[Number_35]

I can recommend them as well. We lost a fob. So they deleted the 2 programmed in the car. Added the new, added the old that was not lost.

One week later we found it as my son had
Placed it inside a Mr Potato Head.

That is classic!

 

[SC Maintenance]

Make a drawing. 3D print it. Sell them on ebay. Clearly your not going to be the only one with this issue.

 

[andrew_j]

I watched a clip where the automatic transmission unit from Nissan cost $12000 for part from Nissan for around 2018 Titan. They don’t sell parts for interior of it….

 

[Doc8404]

I was told that with generic ones or ones you don't buy from them, they still have to charge you for the programming whether it works or not. Apparently they pay a fee each time they do the "program" and the software doesn't care if the fob is junk or not. I bought an OEM Nissan key fob from carandtruckremotes.com for $50 and Batteries+ programmed it for me for $50. They do sell "refurbished" ones as well as no-name fobs. The prices of different OEM fobs are all over the place though, even with them.

That’s why we brought ours to a local
Locksmith instead of the dealer.

 

[Hall]

That’s why we brought ours to a local
Locksmith instead of the dealer.

I'm referring to non-dealer options. I'm sure a dealer won't program a key unless they sell it to you but they don't have to pay the per-programming fee either though.

 

[Asterix]

For a long time now, Nissan sells only larger assemblies, not parts. For example, the front lower ball joints in my '04 350Z are replaceable, but Nissan only sells the whole upright assembly. You can get them aftermarket, but not from Nissan.

And, there's the rear differential bushing that breaks and leaks causing major clunking. Nissan won't sell you the bushing, only the whole rear subframe at a ridiculous cost. Again, thanks to the aftermarket, you can replace just the bushing and upgrade it at the same time.

I am not surprised at all that Nissan won't sell just the drain plug. They'll sell you a whole radiator, but not just one little part on it.

 

[Doc8404]

For a long time now, Nissan sells only larger assemblies, not parts. For example, the front lower ball joints in my '04 350Z are replaceable, but Nissan only sells the whole upright assembly. You can get them aftermarket, but not from Nissan.

And, there's the rear differential bushing that breaks and leaks causing major clunking. Nissan won't sell you the bushing, only the whole rear subframe at a ridiculous cost. Again, thanks to the aftermarket, you can replace just the bushing and upgrade it at the same time.

I am not surprised at all that Nissan won't sell just the drain plug. They'll sell you a whole radiator, but not just one little part on it.

Interesting. Maybe I need to get away from the dealer.

 

[Elkins45]

For a long time now, Nissan sells only larger assemblies, not parts. For example, the front lower ball joints in my '04 350Z are replaceable, but Nissan only sells the whole upright assembly. You can get them aftermarket, but not from Nissan.

And, there's the rear differential bushing that breaks and leaks causing major clunking. Nissan won't sell you the bushing, only the whole rear subframe at a ridiculous cost. Again, thanks to the aftermarket, you can replace just the bushing and upgrade it at the same time.

I am not surprised at all that Nissan won't sell just the drain plug. They'll sell you a whole radiator, but not just one little part on it.

At this point I’m inclined to just disconnect the lower hose the next time I change it and never open the drain again.

 

[SC Maintenance]

For a long time now, Nissan sells only larger assemblies, not parts. For example, the front lower ball joints in my '04 350Z are replaceable, but Nissan only sells the whole upright assembly. You can get them aftermarket, but not from Nissan.

And, there's the rear differential bushing that breaks and leaks causing major clunking. Nissan won't sell you the bushing, only the whole rear subframe at a ridiculous cost. Again, thanks to the aftermarket, you can replace just the bushing and upgrade it at the same time.

I am not surprised at all that Nissan won't sell just the drain plug. They'll sell you a whole radiator, but not just one little part on it.

None of that is unique to Nissan.

Nissan sells parts that are supposedly most efficient for dealers to repair things. I wouldn't trust anyone at a dealer to rebuild a differential, and apparently neither does Nissan.

 

[Hall]

I wouldn't trust anyone at a dealer to rebuild a differential, and apparently neither does Nissan.

Replacing the bushings isn't much different than knocking out other bushings or removing ball joints. I'd guess the labor involved is greater for replacing the rear subframe than replacing the bushings alone. In both situations, you still have to pull the differential out to get 2 (or 4??) more bushings but the aftermarket option leaves the subframe in place.