Rant: Today's most ridiculously expensive part

[Mike Cherry]

Genuine Mitsubishi FK water pump kit $240 complete pump $480 - broken housing when fitting kit - ok - take kit back - get pump.

3 yrs later - kit $480 - pump $800 - eeek! may as well be priceless!

Try local non genuine supplier - new pump $240 - WTF!!!!!! - fit one every 12 months - still in front.

Get pump box from supplier, hmmmm - same brand as genuine - AISIN - peel off part no label to find genuine Mitsibishi part no printed on box - not impressed.

[Glen]

A Qld rally guy from a way back had a GT4 that was overheating. He contacted TTE who said you have to have the TTE Group A fan kit. The kit cost about $1500 and when it arrives and was inspected, the fan was made right here in Australia by Davies Craig!!

The most outrageous thing I have heard is the homologated Ralliart roof vent for Evo 8 and 9. It's the wierd looking thing that looks like a jet turbine. It costs about $3000 and you have no other option for a roof vent if you want to run Group N.

[MichaelF]

Some of the prices for the STI parts available through SA are horrific. A set of STI wheel nuts $472, two foglamp covers for a WRX $475.

But the trade price on a genuine oil filter is only $8.80 which is cheaper than any aftermarket jobbie.

[smee]

And heres one that goes the other way.

Mitsubishi were wanting $250 for engine mounts for the GSR whilst a minor problem was being sorted out here in Canberra. They would have to be ordered from Japan and it was at least a 3 week wait.

A phone call to Ralliart and they would also have to freight them in from Japan.
3 Days later they were delivered to Mitsubishi to be put in for $125.

[tortfeaser]

In the end the $41 filter didn't fit. So I swapped it for two rear wheel bearing kits and a fuel filter.

Sometimes driving a shopping trolley has its advantages.

[HoonBoy]

New plugs and leads for my mum's ten year old Camry retail at $370, thats parts only.

[grahamthompson]

The Jackaroo's cam belt tensioner failed at about 230,000km. It is a simple hydraulic jack type unit the size of a clutch slave cylinder with a valve in it. Holden wanted $610 for a new one, saying they had little success in rebuilding them (even though it is clearly designed to be rebuilt as it has a circlip with eyeholes in it). I found the same part (NTN) at CBC for $220, and ultimately ex USA for less than $100 delivered. CBC said a new seal was probably available for less than $10, but time precluded me pursuing that option. Next time.

But worse was the tensioner pulley bearing. Holden said it was not a service item, so you had to buy the wheel, bearing, bell-crank and mount at $640! I pressed the bearing out of the pulley, and matched it exactly (NTN) for $13! The other stuff will last forever.

My Peugeot 205GTi needed a new A/C compressor; $1300 at Peugeot. I pulled it apart to discover it was made by the Jap firm Sandon. I called their local agent who advised it was a special for Peugeot, but if I sent it to their Melbourne workshop, they would put a new compressor section in, and recondition the clutch and connections bit, for $680; with a 2 year guarantee! Done and recommended.

I am really sorry for Joe Consumer who is ripped off by these thieves.

[Daz555]

Could be worse... I needed a new light for the Subaru... Part ordered... Arrived with no globes and plastic retaining clips etc... No problem I'll just buy those seperately... Ordered parts from dealer... 3 little glass bulbs show up, no retaining clips, backing plastic etc... i.e No way of mounting the bulbs... Spend so far... Approx $450... On the phone to said dealer asking for the plastic clips and all other necessary bits and pieces... Friendly spare parts monkey advises that one of the parts isn't available seperately and that I will need to buy the assembly... That would be the entire light assembly... So running out of time I order this new assembly... Spend so far... approx $800... I then ask if I can credit back the original light case and my new $100 bulbs... Friendly monkey advises that due to the bulbs being a special order I cannot give them back and due to the original light ( albeit in a Subaru genuine parts box etc ) cannot be returned if it isn't complete... I now have 2 brand new passenger side lights ( albeit one with no plastic clip ) and what should happen... I crack the Drivers side one...

[TKM]

Thread from the dead.

On the weekend I bought a 5 litre container of Valvoline 10 - 50W full synthetic oil from Supercheap, cost was $47. Today I was in at Repco, they’re selling the exact same oil for $78

How do they justify such a mark up, and do they actually sell any of the stuff?

[Matt Dyne]

Windscreen for the 2000SUX...$3000RRP

$900 trade

Do I win?

[afifield]

Yup, that sux.

[Saru]

Originally Posted by tortfeaser

Part is a Peugeot 404/504 filter. Pug tax.

Still Repco tax, I reckon. French parts from French specialists will always usually often be cheaper than from places where they will have no call for them.

[justinb]

Originally Posted by Saru

Still Repco tax, I reckon. French parts from French specialists will always usually often be cheaper than from places where they will have no call for them.

agreed... I use to have a 205 GTi.. and I found that the specialist suppliers (in sydney atleast) walked all over any of your ripoff-co people.

I didn't find peugeot parts expensive, just that they break more regularly then jap parts

[Ric Cary]

Originally Posted by Matt Dyne

Windscreen for the 2000SUX...$3000RRP

$900 trade

Do I win?

Windscreen Discounters could be your friend

[MichaelF]

More Suby madness.

Genuine bugeye STi headlights - $800rrp EACH

New F&R KYB struts for a MY02 WRX - $1050 aftermarket but only $500 from Subaru