2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Dealer Parts Cost Rant

[BarryG]

I know we all know that parts from the dealer are typically over priced but this floored me today.



Went to check on some prices

Blower motor get this $239. 00#@$%!

Went to a local parts store 67. 00 with a lifetime warranty. A lot of times I am not that impressed with lifetime warranty I am more interested in quality and less downtime but for such a relatively easy part to replace I bought it.



I also need the blower moter resistor which seems to be a dealer only part. I already knew this was $67. 00 as I have had to replace it before. The first time it was unreapairable as the ceramic was all cracked and broken. I may just try and fix the one I have after I see what is gone bad with it hopefully it is only a burnt wire in it that I can fix.



I also am wanting to try some modification to my dash bezel to mount something in it. Thought I would check the price before I start in case I mess it up and have to replace it. We are talking about the plastic trim ring.

Drumroll-$325. 00 oh you need the clips that go in it to mount it another 6. 99 each and you need 13 of them. You need some little bumper thingies 4 of those @ $7. 99 each. Oh you need the vent pieces that are part of it, one @ $67. 00 and two @ $78. 00 each. So to replace that bezel that just snaps on and off is $670. 83. #@$%!



I havent looked that close at mine so not sure how much I believed the guy. I said well I should be able to use the old this and that to make the unit complete (not that 325. 00 for just the ring is much better) he said good luck 99% of the time those parts are not reusable as you generally mess them up getting them out of the old one.



I will be quite a bit more careful handling that piece of gold from now on. I have taken that thing off at least 50 times over the years. Obviously I didnt buy a spare and will put off my experimenting until I can find one at a salvage yard. Hopefully they are unaware of how valuable that piece of apparent unobtanium (though it sure looks like plastic to me) that it is made of is worth.



Sorry for moaning but that really just irked me.

 

[TBurow]

check this site way cheaper than dealer but mopar parts. Wholesalemopar - Genuine OEM Parts for Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep & Plymouth and click on parts catalog.

 

[BarryG]

Thanks for the link Couldnt find the dash bezel on there but they did have the resistor for 47. 00 instead of 67. 00. Also interestingly they show the blower moter msrp at 145. 00 that is a far cry from 239. 00. No wonder I never use the local dealer.



Will bookmark that link thanks again.

 

[Cummins724]

I stopped in the local dealer to buy a V-band clamp that attaches my brothers turbo to the exhaust elbow on his 04. 5. Dealer said "That one is $62. 50 + tax. "

 

[Thomas]

. . . Couldnt find the dash bezel on there . . .

You should be able to find them if you have the part numbers. From the model year 2001 Parts Catalog:

BEZEL, Instrument Cluster
5GK51DX9AA Black​

5GK52AAAAA Woodgrain (Argent)

The $325 appears to be the MSRP for the "Black" bezel. I have no idea what constitutes a "Black" vs. "Woodgrain" bezel. The bezel on my 2000 Ram seems to be both Black & Woodgrain?

Here is an old post I made referring to P/N 5GK1DX9AA: Bezel The thing that jumps out in that post is the MSRP/Selling Price. Almost all so-called wholesale Mopar parts sites use the same 'engine' for their catalogs. The MSRP will always be the same $325. With a quick check I was able to find discounts on this part ranging from 9% to 31% (wholesalemopar linked above is set at 25%).

Check your PM for a place to try the Black bezel part number.

 

[Excessive Force]

Fuel filter : Dealer- $60. 00

Local IH truck dealer-$13. 00





They are IDENTICAL filters made by Fleetguard !! Man those MOPAR boxes are expensive !!

 

[DWeiler]

Fuel filter : Dealer- $60. 00

Local IH truck dealer-$13. 00





They are IDENTICAL filters made by Fleetguard !! Man those MOPAR boxes are expensive !!

Yes i got burned once---pre TDR days,decided to change the stock fuel filter---paid 67. 00 with tax from the dealer:-{}:-{}. That hurt,came out of there walking a little funny----. I was happy to find it for $7. 00 on sale at Cummins in town here for the next one. Now my Airdog filter are around $12. 00 for a 3 micron rating.

 

[DWeiler]

Fuel filter : Dealer- $60. 00

Local IH truck dealer-$13. 00





They are IDENTICAL filters made by Fleetguard !! Man those MOPAR boxes are expensive !!

Yes i got burned once---pre TDR days,decided to change the stock fuel filter---paid 67. 00 with tax from the dealer:-{}:-{}. That hurt,came out of there walking a little funny----. I was happy to find it for $7. 00 on sale at Cummins in town here for the next one. Now my Airdog filter are around $12. 00 for a 3 micron rating. Oo. Oo. Oo.

 

[JDiepstra]

This is what happens when you are forced to pay unqualified, uneducated union laborers $75. 00 an hour in wages and beniefits to do a poor job. Thanks unions!

 

[HBarlow]

This is what happens when you are forced to pay unqualified, uneducated union laborers $75. 00 an hour in wages and beniefits to do a poor job. Thanks unions!

I didn't say it! But it sounds exactly like something I would say.

 

[WPeschel]

The driver side bottom cushion, not the seat cover just the bottom cushion alone is over 600 bucks at the dealer... . Go figure

 

[MAleshire]

Sounds like time to do something productive by going treasure hunting at the local salvage yard. You'd be surprised at what you might find.



Skip

 

[HBarlow]

"K" at MOPAR4LESS in Farmington, NM has been an excellent source of discounted MOPAR parts for me for a couple of years. I can send her an e-mail or call and leave a phone message at night or on a weekend and she will ship the part the next day at a great price. 100% accuracy! I trust her so much I let her keep my credit card on file.



When I was transporting the rivets failed on my A/C clutch. I was at an independent shop in IN, close to MI when it was found. The shop owner couldn't find a compressor anywhere in the upper midwest. I pulled out my cell phone and punched "K's" number. At 10 a. m. the following morning UPS walked into the shop with my A/C compressor in hand. The shop owner was impressed. I was impressed also because I paid 1/2 of what he was going to charge me!''



Standard disclaimer applies.

 

[pgleavitt]

You can find the dash trim bezel on Ebay all the time. I paid $40. 00 for my extra before I cut in a radar detector part. I see they have gone up in price lately. Must be supply and demand. Wood grain ones are for the leather interior option and they are hard to find. In search type in: Dodge ram dash trim bezel. Don't get into a bidding war on them I see them on there all the time. Good luck

 

[georgej]

Priced out a map sensor... . dealer=$231; cummins=$81

 

[FLynes]

IAT sensor at the local Dodge thief was $48



Mopar Parts America had it for $23... paid $20 for the next day shipping option and it was still less than Dodge.

 

[charlessmith]

Go price the rear tailpipe hanger strap for a '96-'97 diesel. This is a 3" rubber/fabric strap with a small steel plate riveted on each end, similar to the $4 part at AutoZone. Your cost over $200! Probably a computer coding error, but still really stupid.

 

[rweis]

Brand new truck, first oil change. Dealer had a coupon for oil changes $23. I knew diesels were higher. I had the service manager sign the coupon that it was good for a diesel. Take truck in, have oil changed, give the coupon to the service writer first to verify the $23. Good to go. They change oil, charge me $53. We haggle, haggle, haggle, I show them the signature that said "good for diesel oil change" and the service manager signature.



They said I pay $53 or they would put a mechanics lien on the truck and keep it. I paid the $53 in loose pennies. Took an hour for the cashier to count the pennies. I got the truck, it saw a dealer one other time for failed VP44. I have 91k on it and it runs like a watch.



Had a DTT 89% full billet, and a "few mods" see sig, but never a dealership. Occasionally use dealership for parts if price is within cummins price +10%.



I realize that the service department supports the entire rest of the dealership. However, there is a cost / benefit analysis curve that the dealerships are so far out of step with they hurt themselves if the owner has any capability at all.



It is not just Dodge. My next door neighbor just had his 06 F150 ECM short out because a plumbing hose did not have a retainer in it and poured coolant directly into the ECM while running. Just outside of 36k warrantee (36700 miles). Cost him $850 for a replacement ECM. You can get them for $239. 95 all day long from several sources. Just for curiosity I went to a local repair shop and asked labor cost if he brought the part, $100 labor cost.



There is a very large contingent of very not mechanical population out there that are at the mercy of the dealerships. I think that the general population are going to start buying more and more "used" cars just due to extreme cost of "new", and there will be a rise in the independent repair shops like it was in the 60's - 80's. The general population just can not afford to take out a loan to have the vehicle repaired. It is cheaper to replace an engine in a clean vehicle than to purchase a "new" vehicle.



I think transportation options are going to change drastically with the $$ of fuel and service as the $$ goes beyond the ability of the average middle class household. A potential new professor where I work (at a small university) factored in the annual transportation cost to the benefit package and told them he could not work for that level of benefit because of the transportation cost (closest town with housing is 15 miles one way). They did not hire him.



"Times are a changing" and I bet in 10 years there will be significantly fewer dealerships.



Bob Weis

 

[JDiepstra]

Can anyone verify this mechanics lein thing? Over $53? In fact, it was only over $30, the price difference. Typical dealership.



And by verify, I mean is it legal to do over a $30 dispute or were they bullying him?

 

[FLynes]

... I think that the general population are going to start buying more and more "used" cars just due to extreme cost of "new", and there will be a rise in the independent repair shops like it was in the 60's - 80's. The general population just can not afford to take out a loan to have the vehicle repaired. It is cheaper to replace an engine in a clean vehicle than to purchase a "new" vehicle... . "Times are a changing" and I bet in 10 years there will be significantly fewer dealerships. Bob Weis

Bob, I couldn't agree with you more, which is why I'm keeping my '01 till it falls apart, then I'm yanking the Cummins out and setting it aside, and I'll buy another used Cummins truck so I have a spare motor.