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Overpriced Parts? $500+ for a heater core


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So, what parts have you folks paid way too much for?

 

A couple of weeks ago I picked up a '90 Loyale, and I just got the service records from previous owner, including work estimates. Made for interesting reading...

 

 

Does $219.42 sound good for an oil pump? :slobber:

How about $557.66 for a heater core? :eek:

 

 

Just a couple of the interesting items in the doc.

 

And oh, those prices were not including labor, which was an additional $208 and $273, respectively.

 

Can anybody top these?

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The guy i bought my wagon from paid $1200 cdn so about 950 us for a used 3spd 4wd auto with a stated 1 month warranty from a service shop in Victoria BC. I run a 5spd dr 4wd now and that trannie is sitting on a shelf now lol. The paint marker writing on it says 110 000 kms. :rolleyes:

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Connie,

You didn't mention the final cost and labor charges with Moosen's Marauders.

Oh..LOL..Final cost after Moosen's Marauders was free!!! And all of it was appreciated soooooo much!! I did repaint a grill though for Moosens and bought him a coffee the next day!

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So, what parts have you folks paid way too much for?

A couple of weeks ago I picked up a '90 Loyale, and I just got the service records from previous owner, including work estimates. Made for interesting reading...

Does $219.42 sound good for an oil pump? :slobber:

How about $557.66 for a heater core? :eek:

Just a couple of the interesting items in the doc.

And oh, those prices were not including labor, which was an additional $208 and $273, respectively.

Can anybody top these?

 

What was the name of the shop so we'll know to warn people to stay away from them?

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The diaphram on the end of the air breather snout that controls the gate (closes when it's cold, opens when warm) - $100 from the dealer - $60 used from AAA Subaru. I know it's not in the hundreds like some of the other parts mentioned, but this is such a small, insignificant part that it's just a blatant rip-off.

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OMG!! :eek: Some of those prices are literally highway robbery!!!

 

I heartily recommend finding a good import parts store that can get oem and oem-quality parts, items like oil pumps. Here in Denver, Import Parts Warehouse is excellent, and they even have a decent idea of what Subaru gets what. I'm not sure they're online, but I do know that they will ship, and their prices are quite reasonable. (They're the only place we can get EA71 valve cover gaskets anymore).

 

On the other hand, consider this: we won't use aftermarket parts as most of you know. Recently, I got an email that stated "Boy, you guys sure make bank on your engines". Well, if you consider that many of the parts we use are dealer items ONLY, not even available from the manufacturer yet (or anymore), we ain't exactly gettin' rich here. :rolleyes: Many of the checks I write to the dealer make me sick. But, we aren't going to compromise on quality if we're going to offer a decent warranty and stand behind it.

 

Just my nickels worth.

 

Emily

http://www.ccrengines.com

 

ps: I wish someone would bring me coffee in the morning! ;)

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i think ccr's prices arnt that bad...........nice in fact because you know your motor will at least make it past a few timing belt changes....

 

my wifes friend just paid 600 bucks for a timing belt job on a legacy. just new seals and t belt..... thats about 290 more then she should have paid here in bozeman. i usualy do them for people for about 250 all parts included.........

 

i cant belive the prices they charge..............

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What was the name of the shop so we'll know to warn people to stay away from them?
I don't generally like spreading bad reputation, especially since I don't know all of the facts. But beware if you are in Tacoma and go to an indi shop...

 

An estimate a couple months later showed the heater core a little cheaper... but then again it had two items listed for the heater core, and their total was pretty much the same as the first quote... :confused:

 

... Just my nickels worth....
Gee, you even make bank on your opinions! :lol:

 

Seriously, anyone who really knows mechanical work understands that quality parts and attention to detail doesn't come cheap. Cheap comes cheap. (And I ought to know!!!)

 

Your reputation here speaks for itself. 'Nuf said.

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Damn. I could see $500+ for a heater core.......IF it included labor. I think that is the last thing I ever want to do again on a Subaru. I would rather replace an engine than a heater core.

 

 

As far as the prices of some of those other items.......two words.........PARTS CAR.

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this is what happens when you take your car to a shop that works on ricer hondas:

 

1 water pump = $250

labor for water pump = $300

total price = more than the FRIGGIN CAR!!!

oh, and on a separate bill they fixed the a/c. that 'fixing' consisted of one wire that bypasses the hi pressure switch. bad idea. = $348.93

hmm, halloween tonight. got eggs?

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Well, these maint. records make me wonder about that slogan "Inexpensive, and built to stay that way."

 

One service was to replace an AT solenoid (197.18) and the MAF (711.44 :eek: ), total was $1556.19 :eek: :eek:

 

Another bill about 2 months later, was for an engine reseal, t-belts, and a radiator... total $2165.32 :eek: :eek: :eek:

 

So, just in these 2 invoices and 2 months time, PO spent $3722.51 TOTAL EEEKKK!!!

 

Rough estimate, the PO spent somewhere around $6-8k in repair/maint during last 4 years... more than the car originally cost her.

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... I paid $150 for a headlight, but it was new from the dealer as the local junkyard where I used to live wanted $200 each for them USED!

OUCH!!!

 

I am thinking about adapting "standard" dual lights for my GLs. Though I think somewhere I heard that DLs came standard with standard lights?! The duals (total, not quads) would give me room for air inlet scoop and cooler inlet. :brow:

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Heh... I called the Subaru dealer in Tallahassee last week to get a price on the upper bushing for the pitch stopper. The parts guy had no idea what a pitch stopper was. After I explained what it is and what it does, he replies "Oh, you mean a dogbone?". That gives you an idea of the great selection of parts I have here in Florida. :)

 

Anyways, after checking to make sure Subaru imported cars to the US before 89 (another thing he didnt believe) he came back and said it would be $73.91 + freight. :eek: $73.91 for a tiny piece of rubber! He confirmed that price is for the bushing, and not the whole stopper assembly.

 

Thats definately overpriced.

 

I ended up grinding on some aluminum stock and made a hard bushing. Total price $0 + an hours work to make the bushing.

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For those of us that know the shortcut for replacing a heater core, there are the guys in the shops that dont, and end up doing it by the book. That means taking the entire dash out, then the housing that holds the core. Then you have to split that to remove the core. Then you have the fun of putting it all back together :banana:

Now, what would you charge to do that? Granted, I wouldnt charge as much as the shop did, they usually have a high overhead :rolleyes:

Roundeye, my sympathies go out to you

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For those of us that know the shortcut for replacing a heater core, there are the guys in the shops that dont, and end up doing it by the book. That means taking the entire dash out, then the housing that holds the core. Then you have to split that to remove the core. Then you have the fun of putting it all back together :banana:

Now, what would you charge to do that? Granted, I wouldnt charge as much as the shop did, they usually have a high overhead :rolleyes:

Roundeye, my sympathies go out to you

I wasn't amazed so much at the price for labor as the part itself. Right after HS, I worked in a radiator/AC shop as the grunt/gopher. I was the one that had to R&R ALL of the heater cores. I once spent 8 hours to diagnose/fix a non-working heater blower... turned out to be a pencil that fell down the defroster vent and jammed the squirrel cage. And it was written-off as a warranty repair after a radiator replacement!!!

 

Anyway, heater jobs are often the pits. $200-300 for labor is easy to believe. Its $577 bucks for a $40-60 heater core that's hard to swallow.

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