Sliders for 80's are so expensive because they can be. As long as the market bares that price, that's what they will continue to cost. With little to no competition, the price doesn't come down. When I had a '01 Trooper, I wanted a rear bumper with a hitch, no one made one. Calmini said they would with a minimum group buy of 25 pieces. The group on 4x4 wire were half estatic about getting them made and half were worried about delievery. When I suggested that for a $20,000 order, Calmini aught to commit to a date they'd be ready, and be willing to pay penalties for being late. It's nothing that isn't done in buisness every day. The group was appalled. How dare we ask for good buisness practices, we should count ourselves blessed that we got someone to make them. They were 8 months late on delievery. I didn't get one, I wasn't willing to wait that long to put a hitch on. They were happy with the crappy delievery time, cause there was no other option.
With 80 series, you have more options, and fortunately better quality options. There is more demand for 80 series stuff than last generation Trooper, but it still doesn't hold a candle to the demand for Jeep stuff. The more demand for Jeep means there are more people willing to get into supplying. If a company can get 1/4th of the 20,000 piece a year Jeep slider market , that's alot more than 50% of the 1,000 piece a year 80 series slider market, or 100% of the 50 piece a year for Trooper sliders. That does two things. The jeep guy has to be more competative to get that 1/4 share, and he can make allot more money, making $100 a piece, than the 80 series guy making $400 a piece. Two and a half times as much actually.
With the Trooper, the biggest problem was a couple of the suppliers of parts started making parts cause they had Troopers, and wanted parts for their own rigs. They were the good suppliers for Troopers - but far from major buisnesses - more back yard buisnesses. The majors that supplied for Troopers, supplied for Isuzu and Nissan, and other minor markets so that they didn't have to be good buisnessmen. If you're not up to competing in the big market, find a market that isn't being served at all, and serve it poorly.
If there were 12 options for sliders available, and the market was 1,000 a month, they'd be cheaper. The competition would drive it. The current options for sliders for an 80 might all be quality options, but there isn't enough competition there to drive the price down.
It's simple ecconomics - course I'm not an ecconomicist
