sell stock parts for a reasonable amount

**greywolf** · 07-20-2008, 06:27 PM

I really am very happy with my FJ and am continually upgrading/improving or changing things. However, I would prefer to buy stock parts whenever possible but I seldom do because of the price.

How come after market parts can be as well made and sometimes better but cost less?

For instance...I need a couple of fog lamp switches for the dash. Here in the Great White North the stealership wants $84.16 per switch !!!

I was going to order from the US but the only place I could find insists on using UPS as the delivery service. UPS is about as big a crook as the dealers because the processing/brokerage fees exceed the cost of the switch and I still need to pay the shipping fees.

Anybody stateside coming for a drive this way this summer?

Cheers

**stringmachine** · 07-20-2008, 06:35 PM

I really think it must be a company thing and all must abide, But sooner or later you think they would learn that we are smart shoppers... it is now a different world than it used to be...

gon2srf · 07-20-2008, 07:12 PM

Quote:

greywolf previously said:

I really am very happy with my FJ and am continually upgrading/improving or changing things. However, I would prefer to buy stock parts whenever possible but I seldom due because of the price.

How come after market parts can be as well made and sometimes better but cost less?

For instance...I need a couple of fog lamp switches for the dash. Here in the Great White North the stealership wants $84.16 per switch !!!

I was going to order from the US but the only place I could find insists on using UPS as the delivery service. UPS is about as big a crook as the dealers because the processing/brokerage fees exceed the cost of the switch and I still need to pay the shipping fees.

Anybody stateside coming for a drive this way this summer?

Cheers

For the OEM switches try Toyota of Dallas and ask them to send them regular mail.

FJCcrawler · 07-20-2008, 08:20 PM

Most OEM parts you can get for a reasonable price, you just have to look around a bit.

**BigBaddWolf** · 07-21-2008, 03:54 AM

The stealerships try to make their parts seem as if they are all limited edition and have to be made overseas by a one-armed craftsman who only makes them on the first and fifth months of the year during a full moon. I just laugh at them when I try to see if I can purchase from the dealer rather than aftermarket. I'll just "borrow "some parts from work. I think there are some interchangable parts between the Tundra and the FJ?

TexasCabledawg · 07-21-2008, 09:02 AM

The one thing that I have learned with the parts department at dealerships is that there is some "wiggle room". I got 20% off my rock rail step assists by talking really nice to the right person (I also got $5 dollars off the Toyota ball cap that I bought my son that day). The problem is to find the right person to talk to at the parts counter. Some give better discounts than others. I have heard that the markup in the parts dept can be as much as 60%. I don't know how much truth there is behind that, but it wouldn't surprise me.

As mentioned above, shopping around online can save you a lot of money.

**Wolf** · 07-22-2008, 10:14 AM

Hell my local retarded parts guy couldn't even find the number for the passenger friggen armrest. I mean how much intelligence does it take to tap tap tappity tap on that handy little thing known as a com-pu-ter to find a damn part number... and this knuckle-dragger isn't the first or only special-ed graduate I have come across in the parts business either.

To add insult to injury, the dealerships I have dealt with in the past (Nissan & Toyota mostly), have charged parts MSRP or above. Now in every case, I either know or can get the actual invoice price to the dealership - and it is always half of what I get charged. I understand the need to make money, and I would understand that kind of markup for example if the parts manager had to sh!t me an in-cabin air filter, but 100% profit for grunting, readjusting thier crash-helmet, and handing me a small box of pre-made parts? C'mon. That's ri-god-damn-diculous.

Howls,
FJ Wolf

gon2srf · 07-22-2008, 11:39 AM

There are a lot of wolf's in this thread!

**greywolf** · 07-23-2008, 08:20 AM

Quote:

gon2srf previously said:

There are a lot of wolf's in this thread!

Sure are...

Thanks for the suggestion on where to get the switches. I talked with Mark from Sparks Toyota and he was very helpful with the mailing arrangements.

I've now ordered the switches.

Cheers.

**BigBaddWolf** · 07-27-2008, 02:53 AM

Quote:

gon2srf previously said:

There are a lot of wolf's in this thread!

We like to post in packs.