Corvette Tax
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Pro
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 705
Likes: 6
From: Endicott New York
Oldtimer
Corvette Tax
I took off my Blackwing to clean it. Before I did that I went down to my local Chevrolet dealer to buy a couple of Air Bridge Grommets (the 2 little round black plastic retainers) that hold the air bridge to the radiator shroud, just in case I broke one taking them off.
Surprise.......... "$8.00 each, not in stock, shall I order them for you," says the parts guy. You've got to be kidding! Last year I paid $15 for a bag of 5 of them for my Toyota Rav4. Even that was a rip off.
I used to work for a company that made injection molded parts and I know about what it costs to make plastic parts.
Needless to say I passed on ordering them and was very careful taking the old ones out without breaking them.
Surprise.......... "$8.00 each, not in stock, shall I order them for you," says the parts guy. You've got to be kidding! Last year I paid $15 for a bag of 5 of them for my Toyota Rav4. Even that was a rip off.
I used to work for a company that made injection molded parts and I know about what it costs to make plastic parts.
Needless to say I passed on ordering them and was very careful taking the old ones out without breaking them.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 4,754
Likes: 167
From: Youngsville North Carolina
Holy merit badge boy scout
Lucky ya weren't removing the Transmission or something....
Just kiddin ya....
Maybe try a place like Corvette Recycling or somebody parting out a car....
Glad ya didn't break em....
Lucky ya weren't removing the Transmission or something....
Just kiddin ya....
Maybe try a place like Corvette Recycling or somebody parting out a car....
Glad ya didn't break em....
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 16,376
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From: Should this thoughtful, valuable contribution meet with no acknowledgement or 'thanks' this post----
I hear ya....it seems the smaller, mundane parts are way overpriced compared to something, let's say, in the $50-1000 range. I don't understand it either. I priced out the small GM rubber doohicky that caps off the brake fluid fitting. I was floored when the parts guy stated $9.95 for one! You would think it was for an entire set of 8....makes no sense.
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Yes, some of the small parts for these cars are priced incredibly high. Other than buying used, you don't have a lot of choices unless you can find something that will substitute for the factory part.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,341
Likes: 8
From: Hopatcong New Jersey
One of mine was broken, and I decided I was fed up with dealing with them and the air bridge fitment with the blackwing...So when I had my engine bay torn apart I replaced every (PITA) wiring harness mounting clip with these panel mount cable ties:
and they worked great for the air bridge as well.
and they worked great for the air bridge as well.
