Not So Fast

I am thinking very much so, example:::
My front splitter/valance trim is a little scraped up so I thought what the heck I'll get a new one.
Check the ole inter-web and prices varied from $260---$191 at various online houses. But I thought I would give the local dealer a shot, that way I could just pick it up in a day or 2. WRONG
Parts guy comes back at, are you ready;;;;;; $370
I asked are you looking at the same part as me, #20 on the schematic for GM Corvette front bumper assembly ??? The lower valance trim, YEP!!!!
I informed him that shopping the web is common practice (not being a smart-*** either) for most folks nowadays and that was way out of line IMHO. His answer was I can discount it down to $290 for you
I passed and he said I don't blame you
I would be willing to pay a little more but wow, shipping costs being what they are.
So do they deserve it or not
NSF

R&L's C6

I believe that the majority of them have earned that stealership reputation. It seems as more and more people become less familiar with the workings of their automobiles, they can tell and charge people just about anything.

I'm just thinking about the guy who posted this week on the form about the dealer that charged him $150 labor to change out the door entry touch pad. If you've never done it before, it might take as long as ten minutes. Should be criminal IMO.

db2012gs

I shipped a member a spoiler, my old stock GS spoiler. I paid $23 for shipping because I had to use a large box, and when it arrived, he said the box was damaged and it was broken under the brake light. He said it wouldn't show when installed, but I felt bad and was pissed they charged $23 to ship... and damage the spoiler!
In conclusion, if you have anything shipped, make sure it has insurance or pay to include it! They have no regard for items shipped these days and totally abuse packages! There is no excuse for that spoiler being broke!
So just an FYI on shipping!

Sorry to get sidetracked...lol...but I NEVER buy parts from the dealer!

RagTop69

Well, lets see. They are in business with the object of making money. This kind of feels like that Steve Martin movie "The Jerk" when the carnival owner has to explain to him that "this is one of those profit deals". It's up to all of us to look for the best deal possible for parts and repairs. It isn't ever going to be at a dealership.

R&L's C6

So if you can legally gouge someone I guess that makes it ok. I would point out there's a big difference between a fair profit and an excessive one.

wayback

Yes they (most of them anyway) deserve their rep. Had one dealer deny powertrain warranty on a leaky fuel pump due to my having headers. Like headers had anything to do with the fuel pump.

Went to another and they fixed it under warranty. Have no idea why the first dealership would turn down warranty work....but I will never go back to them for anything.

C6 Snowboarder

some are good some are bad - some are really bad.

a few years ago my C5 turned 30 K on the odometer... so I called around just for grins -- as to what a 30k service on my C5 would be. first guy - local stealership quoted me about $900 , and other one said about $750 and then I called my usual guy at the dealership I bought the car. he quoted me about $30-$50. Right answer since all that was needed at 30K miles was a cabin filter if I remember correctly.

I challenged the guys who quoted so much $$ - they said it is what they recommend - and basically said the service manual was incorrect.

thieves and liars are what most of them are.

RagTop69

You have no idea what the dealer's overhead structure is so you don't know if he is gouging or just trying to cover his costs plus a reasonable profit. Maybe you'd be better satisfied with a government bureau that could assess his pricing and determine if he were gouging and require that he reduce his prices to make a fair profit rather than an excessive one. Yeah, that should work. Or....you could just do some shopping and let the market determine how many folks will pay $370 (or $290 on the special discount) for a piece of formed plastic when they can get it cheaper on the web. That is called competition and generally rewards those who take the initiative to do their due diligence. Looks like you already have.

weathermaker

$260-191 is a pretty big split for the same item. If $260 plus shipping is the norm online, I would get it from the dealer for $290. Open it there, if it's damaged it's on them.
Don't forget the dealer has a lot more overhead than a drop ship online outfit who only has a computer and phone out of his house

Huskerman

They are what they are and overhead is a lot of that. I ordered a part from my local dealer and they quoted a 147 dollars for it. So I said ok and two weeks later I called them and they said they could not get the part, that GM was out. Ok......

Went on line and got it send out and it was 50 bucks cheaper.....

Rebel Yell

They can charge what they want. It's up to the consumer (us) to be a savvy shopper. I always shop for parts online, because I know my dealer will be 20/30% higher. It's the nature of the beast my friends.

Tennis_pr0

I think it's just like any shop, they know most people have no idea when it comes to cars, and people need their cars, so they can charge whatever they want an get it. The dealership more so because they are the "dealership". I believe in making an honest living, not ripping people off because you can. I've had a few bad experiences with them personally.

RocketDawg

Here's a couple of examples ... one dealership told me it would cost $200 to load test the battery. Another dealer told me it was $75 labor to install a new battery. The same dealer charges $100 to read a code.

All of those are (sarcastically) a bit high.

Entaille

local businesses and retailers will never be able to live off of smaller margins like mass volume online retailers do.

Cor430vette

Dealership = Stealership
Never go to one or they will steal your money and ruin your car.

R&L's C6

So instead of price matching someone they would rather get nothing, not real smart IMO.

C6 Snowboarder

I have an independent guy who works only on Mercedes that does all my service on my 1980 280 SL -- he has been the only guy who has touched a wrench on her for the last 30 years. Great guy. I so wish I could find the same for my Corvettes. He is the only mechanic I know that I trust 100%

I know of no dealerships that I trust to even vacuum my interior.

bbjohn

Ordered a removable (matching color) hard top for the wifes Miata. The on line prices were less than the dealer price but I ended up getting from the dealer cause its an expensive/large item. I felt that if something was wrong, it's not something I could just drop in the mail and send back easily.

When it came in, the parts guy and I opened it up and the paint along the leading edge back as far as two inches has been rubbed by the cardboard box down into the base coat. This was the only one in the country of the right color. There was only one other of a different color.

Mazda repainted the entire top and it came out beautiful. My wife even went and looked at it and she was happy (cause you know that if "Mama's not happy, nobody's happy").

Had I ordered it on line I probably would have gotten the exact same top from Mazda stock and it probably would have been damaged in the same fashion. It would have been in my garage with a shipping carton that wasn't designed to be reused very easily. it would have gotten resolved but would have been a big hassle. With the dealer I just had to wait a week longer to get it. The wife took the car there, inspected the paint and they helped install it onto the car.

I order a lot of stuff on line too but I think you just have to evaluate the risks based on what the item is.

Not So Fast

OK after all this back and forth I see a divided house. I understand fully that online mass sellers can sell with a less profitable per item price but comeonman, the beginning price I was quoted of $370 compared to online of $191 is not reasonable no matter how you cut the deal OK.
Plus it makes me wonder how many customers a dealer loses because of things like this, I know this confirms that I wont buy anything from a dealer unless they are the only game in the country.
Peace
NSF

db2012gs

I installed a ZR1 front spliter and put my stock plastic one in my garage attic. Maybe I should sell it...