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I went to the dealer to get some parts for my little pickup truck. First I needed a couple of special bolts for the timing chain guides which I knew only they would carry. While I was there I figured I'd price the guides themselves as well as the tensioner. The bolts were a few bucks a piece, ok no biggie. Then I inquired about the chain guides (there are two - one on the slack side on one for the tension side (The side that wears out soonest). These guides are about the same size and same general shape and made of similar materials. Or so I thought. The slack side guide was about $14.00. Ok, I think, I can live with that.
“What about the other side?” I asked.
The guy studies his computer screen again. “Looks like about $68.00,” he tells me.
“What?” “You’re joking, right?”
“Nope,” says the guy.
“Well, might I ask why the right side guide (which is usually the one people need) is so much more expensive?”
“Different shape,” he says.
“Of for the love of…,” I think to myself, Then, against my better judgment, I asked about the oil-activated tensioner.
“Well, lemme see,” the guy says, again studying his computer. “That runs $88.00.”
“For this little thing?” I ask incredulously.
“Yep”
“Well, I think I’ll just buy the bolts for now, thanks very much”
Then I drove over to AutoZone and they have all the parts I needed. The tensioners were $13 and $14 (the $68 dealer part was actually the cheaper of the two). And the $88.00 tensioner? It was $21.00
Every now and then its good to be reminded why I should not go to a dealer for parts unless absolutely necessary! (And I looked at both sets of parts – no discernable difference is quality).
Basil /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif
“What about the other side?” I asked.
The guy studies his computer screen again. “Looks like about $68.00,” he tells me.
“What?” “You’re joking, right?”
“Nope,” says the guy.
“Well, might I ask why the right side guide (which is usually the one people need) is so much more expensive?”
“Different shape,” he says.
“Of for the love of…,” I think to myself, Then, against my better judgment, I asked about the oil-activated tensioner.
“Well, lemme see,” the guy says, again studying his computer. “That runs $88.00.”
“For this little thing?” I ask incredulously.
“Yep”
“Well, I think I’ll just buy the bolts for now, thanks very much”
Then I drove over to AutoZone and they have all the parts I needed. The tensioners were $13 and $14 (the $68 dealer part was actually the cheaper of the two). And the $88.00 tensioner? It was $21.00
Every now and then its good to be reminded why I should not go to a dealer for parts unless absolutely necessary! (And I looked at both sets of parts – no discernable difference is quality).
Basil /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif
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