What's with this horrendous parts pricing??

The little plastic nob on the upper back of my 'stang's leather seat back that you lift up on to move the seatback forward broke and needs to be replaced. Well, I went to my local Ford dealership to see about replacing it. It's a "special order" part and the parts guy was embarrassed to quote me the price: 37 bucks for this little, piddling plastic part. He was embarrassed, but I could not believe it! This part shouldn't've cost more than a couple of bucks! What's the deal with this OUTRAGEOUS pricing for some of these car parts, huh?? No, I didn't buy it at such a ridiculoulsy high price.

I know what you mean man, I was quoted over 100 dollars for the stock air filter. 124 is what I believe it was. The sad thing is knowing that someone will actually go in there and pay these prices (women and old men).
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I work at a Ford dealership, although I do not work in parts. I just checked our parts catalog at our website, and if I'm looking up the correct seat knob that you're describing, then Ford's MSRP for the knob is $15.08. Our parts department charges $10.86 for it when you order online.

We're 40 miles north of you in Kent. Click here for the online parts order book, then click on the "OEM Parts Catalog."

I went to Ford to get a new plastic door lock pull up and was quoted $13! I could of gone to Pep Boys and got 4 skull ones for a couple bucks. I was not happy with my German Shepherd for chewing it up. I just left it.

welcome to the world of automotive parts... you should see some of the prices on stuff we order at our bodyshop.... acura parts will blow your mind

When it comes to dealer items, I have found it really pays to price shop by phone first. And if it can wait, do an online order.

I like these, when mine break, i will probably order a set.
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Apparently the part for $10.86 is not the same part. I called Bowen-Scarff parts and they quoted me an online price of $27.17 + about $10.00 shipping + I think he said there was another charge too, so it wouldn't be that much different for me to get the part down here over-the-counter. thanks, though, for tryin'. I do appreciate it...

i broke mine WAYYYYY back in 05 and was quoted $36 retail, upper twenties with employee discount. i figure i can just use the lower lever and save the $30 since i would probably break it off again.

Yip I payed 32 for one. sad thing was I was ready to buy two until he told me the price.

My question on all this is: Why does FOMOCO use such a flimsy, plastic part for a situation of potentially hard use??

so true

this is nothing compared to what acura wanted for the air vent tabs on my parents' acura mdx.

$1500!!!!!!!

they supposedly had to replace the whole dashboard and rewire the airbag system because they don't sell the parts individually and the whole dashboard is one big thing

the sad thing is I actually know someone who did this!!!!!!!!!

I must have been looking at a different knob - sorry! That's why I don't work in the parts dept. Spendy little piece of plastic, though.

I wonder if UPR makes a nice billet aluminum replacement that would hold up better over time and not cost a bunch more, while looking way better? Seems they have just about every interior knob available in billet aluminum.

LOL This old man bought a K&N drop in when I quoted $80.00 for a stock air filter,it was less than half the price. I have a Roush CAI now and the replacement filter runs about $50.00 if I ever live long enough to replace it.

I went to the local Ford dealer last week to get a price for the two exhaust hangers that are attached to the Aluminum transmission crossmember. Just a steel bracket wrapped half way around a rubber support (the metal brackets were damaged beyond re-use).

They were $68 & change EACH. I almost freaked, so I went to plan "B" and fabricated my own brackets and re-used the rubber things. Total cost for parts was $0.97 at Lowes.

I had mine removed by the dealer...to try to eliminate the buzz rattle at 3K rpm. It didn't fix it (something else was the problem.) So now I have the straight hangers...with nothing attaching to the cross member. Looks odd when you're under the car, but the exhaust hangs fine.

I scuffed one of my fan blade wheels. Ford's list price was over $600. My parts guy said his cost was well over $400. Ford Racing had the same wheel for a list price of about $220. I got it from a vendor, in a Ford Racing box, for about $180.
Why such a difference? Doesn't Ford own Ford Racing?

its kinda like a dealer, and their different departments. each department is there to make a profit, and charges the others full price. when you ask for a part thrown into the deal, the sales department pays an outrageous price to have it, so that the parts department looks like it is making a good profit.

I work at a Ford dealership and was having a flat tire repaired on my 18" fan blades. The tire machine slipped and gouged the wheel badly, so they ordered a new one (at their expense) to replace it. I personally looked it up with our parts guy so that I could make sure they ordered the right finish (since the fan blades came in three different finishes) and the cost to our parts department was, indeed, around $400. I didn't care because the dealership paid for it, but I was really shocked. Like you, Stan, I've seen the same wheel advertised for about $200 via the aftermarket. It's crazy.

When I did my supercharger install last year, I noticed that the red retainer clip on my throttle body connector was not catching properly. I'm planning a major build at the moment so decided to order a replacement. This is a two-wire pigtail and connector (black) with a red retainer clip. Our local dealer quoted me $70. Needless to say I told him to PFO. Fortunately I have a second engine with harness (from a wreck) and will just swap the connectors for now. At some point, I want to use the spare engine and harness in a project car and will decide what to do with the faulty connector then.