davidc1

Just a little interesting tidbit I noticed.

The windshield washer nozzles from Honda differ slightly on price depending on color. I know that Honda adjusts its parts prices depending on demand, age and how many are left in inventory to rip you off as much as possible, but I didn't think they adjusted the price of things based on paint color....hmm......

They are from $17.18 to $17.75 for MY03. And Spa Yellow has been D/C.

xviper

Dealers usually screw you over on parts prices anyway. Differentiating the price a few cents for color make them look like they're not trying to screw you over too much.
It's the psychology of the "rip off".

davidc1

Yes, you're right. But the interesting thing was these prices are from Honda's eStore, so they are the MSRP's. A dealer who marks up higher than the MSRP is one who will not get my business, no matter how deep the final discount.

And FYI for everybody (I'm sure you already know this xviper), Honda's general markup on parts averages about 40%. It ranges from as little as 15% to about 50%, but the vast majority of parts have about a 40% markup to the MSRP. So...if a dealer is giving you a 30% discount off MSRP, that's pretty good..

xviper

This is fairly typical of the kind of mark-up we see in retail and we really shouldn't begrudge them too much for doing it. Back in late 2000, when I bought my S2000, hardtops were retailing for about $4000.00 here. I hinged the sale of the car on the dealer giving me the hardtop for $3000.00. They didn't even bat an eyelash and wrote it in.

dwight

I was going to disagree with you about dealers, then in the time it took me to click reply, I thought about all the other reasons why I don't like dealers and realized you're correct. We shouldn't begrudge them for their arbitrary markup; we should loathe them for all the other stuff they do.

davidc1

Ok, so this is interesting....

I went to the Acura dealer today to get a set of license plate plugs. You know, those little plastic plugs that go in bumper when you remove your front plate.

There was a price difference there as well, But what really shocked me were the actual prices!

Prices are either $21.90, $23.50 or, get this, $35.97!!! EACH!!!!

I used to get these for other Honda/Acura's I've had through the years for free usually, or just a few bucks!

xviper

That would be hilarious if it wasn't on the verge of being criminal. Considering that most states where front plates are mandatory and front plate frames must be on the car at time of delivery, those little plugs get yanked off and tossed into the bin. Charging what they charge for something that they normally STEAL from each S2000 owner, should be a double crime.

i_luv_s2k

LOL just went the Shmeagler a few days ago...

me: "Hi, do you have two lug nuts in stock for an s2000?"

parts guy: "Yes, that will be $15, $7.50 each, plus tax."

me: (involuntary reactions) "FIFTEEN DOLLARS!"(bertstare)"FuUu..."(facepalm).."alright" ..(smh). [[[hate waiting for parts]]]

parts guy: (verbal process) "Sir, here you go, bring this order to the cashier and she'll take care of you. Have a nice day."

me: (thought process) "fml 15 dollars for 2 little pieces of metal...(charlie brown teacher voice)"

parts guy: (thought process) "CALI TAX BEEYATCH!" (foreveralone.jpg grin)

fredsvt

Those prices aren't too bad....

Price out a set of front struts and rear shocks for an Acura MDX with the "sport" suspension.

Just put a set in a customer's '07 w/200k miles.

Fronts each, list: 1069.00 EACH
Rears each, list 850.00 EACH

And that was with no labor.

Now that's something to really crab about. And they're GM/Delphi MHR shocks. (magnetic ride control). And man, do those suckers work. You can haul that big 'ol pig around corners and fly over craters and not even feel them.