Lesson Learned, OEM parts

[Hokie99]

I’m done with any aftermarket parts. Even something as simple as a drive belt, it needs to be OEM. The Dayco that a mechanic used as my daughter is in college and I couldn’t do it myself as she’s several hours away, lasted less than 2 years. Put a new OEM one on today and the noise went away immediately. Toyota, Denso, or Aisin that’s it for me moving forward on any parts.

 

[skhochay]

I’m done with any aftermarket parts. Even something as simple as a drive belt, it needs to be OEM. The Dayco that a mechanic used as my daughter is in college and I couldn’t do it myself as she’s several hours away, lasted less than 2 years. Put a new OEM one on today and the noise went away immediately. Toyota, Denso, or Aisin that’s it for me moving forward on any parts.

on OEM you pay once - cry once or you be paying twice and crying more than once.

 

[Hokie99]

I do think it is ridiculous how dealerspships parts departments are now charging over list price. Ourisman, recently McGeorge, just charged me 80 bucks for a belt that they have on their own parts website at 66 and marked down to 47 if you buy it online and have it shipped.

 

[Hokie99]

Up until a couple years ago McGeorge would always give a nice discount to local folks buying parts from the service counter. Example, a couple years ago I needed a starter and I believe list price was 400, and they sold it to me for 300. Well, yesterday I had to buy a simple drive belt. On their website it lists for 66, yet they demanded 80 at the parts window, I was in a rush as my daughter leaves back for college today, so I had no other choice. The belt started making a bunch of racket yesterday morning, so I had little time to parts shop. Charging over list price, at least in the line of business that I am in, is actually illegal. Oh, and then if you didn’t pay cash they actually charge 3% to use a credit or debit card. Are we in 1996, and I did t realize it? To charge over list and then hit you with 3% on top. I’m sorry but this is nothing but greed.

Anyone else experienced this type of markup over list?

 

[kevgentile]

A lot of dealers will post that online pricing is for online orders only and in-store purchases will be a different price (typically higher).

Could and should the parts counter have matched it, probably. They typically will if you have an established relationship with the parts dept or someone at the counter.

Look at the invoice of a repair bill and the shop supply charges. I work in a shop and most of the time I'm disgusted by the fees that are thrown onto a bill. We very rarely use anywhere near the amount in "supplies" that are passed on to the customer. It's illegal in Montgomery County Maryland to charge credit card fees so it's part of our "shop supplies" fees.

I'm glad I no longer own a shop, I don't do well charging for the "unnecessaries", which is why I was the lowest grossing writer when I was at Porsche years back.

 

[Hokie99]

A lot of dealers will post that online pricing is for online orders only and in-store purchases will be a different price (typically higher).

Could and should the parts counter have matched it, probably. They typically will if you have an established relationship with the parts dept or someone at the counter.

Look at the invoice of a repair bill and the shop supply charges. I work in a shop and most of the time I'm disgusted by the fees that are thrown onto a bill. We very rarely use anywhere near the amount in "supplies" that are passed on to the customer. It's illegal in Montgomery County Maryland to charge credit card fees so it's part of our "shop supplies" fees.

I'm glad I no longer own a shop, I don't do well charging for the "unnecessaries", which is why I was the lowest grossing writer when I was at Porsche years back.

Oh if I had the time to order from their site and get it delivered sometime next week it was marked down to $47, true list is 66.

 

[zgfiredude]

There was a YouTube video recently from "TheCarCareNut" (good channel by the way) where he discussed this.....You have to know your pricing and call them out on it.....maybe even complain to Mother T on the matter. I would simply choose to do business elsewhere after I demanded an audience with management to let them know.

We have to be empowered consumers in these times!!

 

[awesomeissquid]

I have had similar experiences at my local dealership, granted they do not have an online store. When I mentioned other dealers had better prices they suggested those dealers must be selling counterfeit products

Needless to say I only use them in emergencies.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Let's keep it to tech and not so much about customer complaints. Thanks.

 

[Hokie99]

Let's keep it to tech and not so much about customer complaints. Thanks.

Where would you like me to post moving forward?

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Well, there's a bad sellers section for a specific vendor, although yours just sounds like normal business practice for most places, or chat for just venting.

 

[ginericLC]

Toyota doesn't care about customers experiences at dealerships. Every time I've complained they send back a form letter that says each Toyota dealership is independently owned and operated. As for price they can charge whatever they want, that doesn't make it right in the eyes of the customer.

 

[Hokie99]

This is much more than normal business practices. Charging more than list price in many areas of business is illegal and punishable by federal law. This forum is one of the largest Toyota forums in the world and the members should be aware of these matters of over charging. We do not care that Toyota says their dealerships are free to price any way they want to, this is a ploy and a smoke screen with no accountability.

I have always been willing to pay more for Toyota parts, many times 50-100% more than reputable aftermarket parts. But, to take it to the next level and charge more than list that is already very high is unconscionable.

I did a quick search and am finding a lot of people making the same comments online and on YouTube. Some dealers are actually taking parts at list and the doubling, tripling, or even quadrupling the prices when they are installed in their shops plus labor. The Car Care Nut, almost a million subscribers, just posted a video showing an invoice of an oil change where the dealer charged 5 dollars for the blue crush washer used on the drain pan bolt. This is the definition of price gouging.

Moving forward I will post elsewhere, but as one of the leaders in Toyota forums, I would be expecting a lot more of these types of posts from members.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Again, this is the tech forum - how do I fix "x" on my 100? You are welcome to post about what you perceive as a pricing issue in the respective section, so that tech doesn't become cluttered up with chat topics and then people aren't interested in coming back here to help others because they're wading through posts about cost of parts.

I'm closing the thread as it's already devolving, you're welcome to start a new one in chat. Thanks.