[greywolf]

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? :thinkerg::jester:

Cheers

 

[stringmachine]

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]

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? :thinkerg::jester:

Cheers

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

 

[FJCcrawler]

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

 

[BigBaddWolf]

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?:lol:

 

[TexasCabledawg]

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]

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]

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

 

[greywolf]

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

Sure are... :rocker:

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]

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

We like to post in packs.

 

[bcsfj]

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...

Parts such as the armrest are sometimes more difficult to find because technically it is not a standard feature/equipment. Therefore it does not necessarily show up on the vehicle blueprints etc.

 

[Wolf]

Parts such as the armrest are sometimes more difficult to find because technically it is not a standard feature/equipment. Therefore it does not necessarily show up on the vehicle blueprints etc.

See, if it were an obscure part like the start button for the flux capacitor atop the Degree Deodorant Company Vehicle, I'd say sure, but the armrest kit is a standard accessory - one that is found (part number and all) on numerous Toyota part sales websites INCLUDING THIER OWN... So the only thing I can think of is that Bubba the bearded brawny parts baffoon was snoozing in a blissful Wisconsin drunken oblivion instead of watching his "Welcome to Toyota Parts Sales" instructional video on how to look up parts.

Howls,
FJ Wolf

 

[jnava121]

Whats amazing is that the black tundra door handles (same as fj ) are so much cheaper than the "FJ door handles" ... Different color combinations like chrome, black, and silver but I saved a bundle installing the tundra ones when I scratched up my Original door handles..