Another Turbo Actuator?

[Larry Willard]

Not too sure about the turbo replacement. Mine was replaced under Maxcare warranty. Got the same story, would cost over $3000 and needed an inspector to come. It took a week to get the inspector and approval to replace the actuator only, no complete turbo replacement. Mine was about 9 or 10 months ago.

 

[Ozymandias]

Not too sure about the turbo replacement. Mine was replaced under Maxcare warranty. Got the same story, would cost over $3000 and needed an inspector to come. It took a week to get the inspector and approval to replace the actuator only, no complete turbo replacement. Mine was about 9 or 10 months ago.

That's good, not to long ago dealers only switched to whole unit, always.

 

[Conifer]

Not too sure about the turbo replacement. Mine was replaced under Maxcare warranty. Got the same story, would cost over $3000 and needed an inspector to come. It took a week to get the inspector and approval to replace the actuator only, no complete turbo replacement. Mine was about 9 or 10 months ago.

Good to know, sounds like I’m getting the same deal then. Luckily they were able to get the inspector to come tomorrow, so hopefully this shouldn’t take too long. I wouldn’t have complained about a new turbo, but mine’s been great so far so I’m happy to have the actuator replaced. I have to admit, the maxcare warranty was the first one I’ve ever bought, and it’s paid for itself at least 5 times over now.

 

[JR]

I wonder why so much. I can buy a brand new (not reman) actuator through Cummins for $1300. That's no special pricing - full retail - which I'm sure FCA is not paying. I don't know what book is but it took me under 3 hrs and that was taking my time.

 

[lpennock]

When I've bought parts directly from a Cummins dealer they were usually about 50% of what FCA was charging for the same part. So if the new actuator is $1300 from Cummins it would retail for about $2500 from FCA.

 

[EDankievitch]

FCA has to make as much as they can. Just look how much they get for a jug of DEF

 

[JR]

When I've bought parts directly from a Cummins dealer they were usually about 50% of what FCA was charging for the same part. So if the new actuator is $1300 from Cummins it would retail for about $2500 from FCA.

I understand, but FCA sure isn't paying retail for their own parts.

 

[lpennock]

I understand, but FCA sure isn't paying retail for their own parts.

True but that is what they quote the customer with telling you the price for the repair.

 

[JR]

If I can buy one at full retail for $1300 fca has to be in it for alot less. Even if the actuator has a Mopar number it's still coming from Cummins. So are they marking their parts up 2-3 times? I can see 30% but this seems just crazy to me. I don't understand the parts world so maybe I'm missing something.

 

[lpennock]

If I can buy one at full retail for $1300 fca has to be in it for alot less. Even if the actuator has a Mopar number it's still coming from Cummins. So are they marking their parts up 2-3 times? I can see 30% but this seems just crazy to me. I don't understand the parts world so maybe I'm missing something.

Yes it is crazy and yes they are. I bought a Number 4 injector line for my 06. FCA wanted $125. Cummins was $45 for it. My jobber price from FCA was $95 at the time.

 

[Newsa]

FCA has to make as much as they can. Just look how much they get for a jug of DEF

Interesting, though, that dealerships (i realize this has little to do with FCA parts/prices) will give you a competitive deal on a lot of 4 or 5 tires installed.

(But this paragraph does have to do with FCA prices) So FCA is likely hurting their dealerships significantly and themselves a little by having such high markups on things like hoses, belts, batteries, bushings and suspension parts, fluids, and even some parts like Turbos and actuators that have aftermarket remans and new parts at significant discounts.

 

[KBrennan]

It is like health insurance, if you pay cash you pay full price what ever the Medical facility is charging, if you use insurance there is what the insurance will pay and the medical facility rights off the rest and takes that as a tax write off even though they never really lost anything and still made a profit. It is a numbers scam plain and simple.

 

[TRAMPLINEMAN]

If I can buy one at full retail for $1300 fca has to be in it for alot less. Even if the actuator has a Mopar number it's still coming from Cummins. So are they marking their parts up 2-3 times? I can see 30% but this seems just crazy to me. I don't understand the parts world so maybe I'm missing something.

It’s the same all over. I have a lot of Milwaukee M18 battery tools. If I go to any retail store to purchase an M18 12.0 battery, it’s $252. The wife of a guy I work with works for Milwaukee and gets the 12.0 batteries for $100. Even at $100 Milwaukee is still making a profit so look at how bad the consumer is taking it in the shorts.

 

[Conifer]

It’s the same all over. I have a lot of Milwaukee M18 battery tools. If I go to any retail store to purchase an M18 12.0 battery, it’s $252. The wife of a guy I work with works for Milwaukee and gets the 12.0 batteries for $100. Even at $100 Milwaukee is still making a profit so look at how bad the consumer is taking it in the shorts.

Yeah, when the dealer told me it was going to be over $3k on the phone, I almost choked on my coffee. I value my time pretty highly, but even buying the Geno’s actuator and installing it myself, I’m nowhere near $3k. It definitely shows what sort of markup these dealers are charging. Had my warranty claim been denied, I’d have done it myself or used one of my local private shops to handle the install.

On a different note, does anyone know if the actuator issue has been “fixed” on the 2019+ trucks? I haven’t heard anything about it yet, but I also assume that the 19’s have been around long enough yet to develop these issues.

 

[Conifer]

So Mopar Max Carr has apparently denied the claim due to the fact that I have a flatbed camper installed on the truck. Any suggestions on how to fight this?

 

[dieselshadow]

What does a camper have to do with the actuator? I’d be getting a bit red under the collar. Can you not speak the the rep who denied your coverage?

 

[lpennock]

Start by asking them to show you in the terms of the warranty where working the truck voids the warranty.

 

[Conifer]

Start by asking them to show you in the terms of the warranty where working the truck voids the warranty.

Working on that now. But finding the mopar max care terms are actually pretty difficult. Anyone know where to find them?

 

[Minnow101]

FCA has really turned into a s**T show on authorizing warranty repairs. I just read about another owner that had warranty coverage denied because he had removed the bed and replaced with a flat bed. The repair had nothing to do with the flat bed but apparently FCA had some clause that a flat bed automatically makes the truck a "commercial vehicle" which the warranty doesn't cover.
Your dealer should be going to bat for you too. Maybe a heart to heart with the General Manager is needed.
What a croc. Good luck !

 

[Cummins12V98]

Are you within all your rated weights?