The water pump on my Impala made noise the other day and left me a little puddle. I bought a new one for $44.00, but when I installed it I realized the old pump had GM's casting numbers on it (hey! 50-years on a water pump!) so I looked into a rebuild kit. The parts start at about $55!!!
Why does it cost me more to rebuild an existing casting versus replacing the whole darn thing?
Same thing happened with my old master cylinder. $13 for a new one, $12 for a rebuild kit.
Don't know about domestic parts, but the same thing is common with the old Volvo stuff I deal with. I can get professionally rebuilt brake calipers -- good ones -- for about the same price as rebuild kits. New water pumps are about $35, so I've never even priced a kit for one.
You would think the parts would be cheaper than the whole assembly.
Odd
Hungary Bill wrote: The water pump on my Impala made noise the other day and left me a little puddle. I bought a new one for $44.00, but when I installed it I realized the old pump had GM's casting numbers on it (hey! 50-years on a water pump!) so I looked into a rebuild kit. The parts start at about $55!!! Why does it cost me more to rebuild an existing casting versus replacing the whole darn thing? Same thing happened with my old master cylinder. $13 for a new one, $12 for a rebuild kit.
because the original was / is better than the Chinese POS that's sold as replacement parts ?
Economies of scale, how many people are rebuilding 60s chevy I6 water pumps these days?
True true. But still someone/something had to do the assembling. I figured the same mfgr of rebuilt water pumps would just give the "kit" a different part number drop a few bits in a box before they got to the assembly line, and Robert's your father's brother 
In other news, I broke a chunk off the impeller today. Lesson learned: Quit being lazy and get the right tool for the job.
You also have to figure some degree of market segmentation in. The people who just buy a new pump are slapping it in an old farm truck or less than pristine classic car, the people looking at rebuilding the stock unit in the name of originality tend to have more money to throw around.
Went shopping for a 350 Chevy water pump at the local parts store. Had a new (chinese) pump or a reman for a few dollars more. Reman was a nice GM casting and smooth spinning shaft. The new casting had fewer and thinner ribs, looked pourous and the shaft had a tight spot in it. Never thought I'd pay extra for a reman part, but it was the smart choice of the day.
And one less Chinese part on the road!
Hungary Bill wrote: The water pump on my Impala made noise I realized the old pump had GM's casting numbers on it (hey! 50-years on a water pump!) so I looked into a rebuild kit.
Because I can.... 90% of the people who want to actually rebuild the pump (you) will pay 90% to 120% to keep the "original". is simple market strategy. To you I can make 500% on, selling the same kit to repos-r-us I sell for a simple 25% marke up
Hungary Bill wrote: I figured the same mfgr of rebuilt water pumps would just give the "kit" a different part number drop a few bits in a box....
I know this is hard to believe, but the overhead cost of assembling and sustaining a "Kit" of parts is probably more than the cost of labour to rebuild a part.
The kit needs to be "picked" checked, packed, documented and supported. Cause sure as E36 M3, it you run into a problem rebuilding, you are going to call and burn hours getting things figured out. If its an ISO company, then the CAPA hours alone are going to add up to $$$. There is also the cost to market this kit since people need to know about it before they can buy it.
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