Woody wrote:
There are a lot of dealers who sell parts cheap online. You usually can't find an address on their website but they sell online way cheaper than if you walk on the door. Find out if they are one of them.
Most of my Toyota parts come from a Toyota dealership in Texas. Even with shipping they are cheaper than the locals.
When I wanted to purchase the OEM Toyota hitch and towing harness for my RAV4, it was cheaper for me to buy one from Toyota of Dallas, and have it shipped to my home. Actually, everything (including shipping) was still significantly less that just the hitch alone from a local dealer. And that's not even factoring in the 6.35% sales tax I'd be paying if bought locally.
I gave my local dealer a chance on the business, but they wouldn't budge off of list, so I took my business elsewhere.
This is what dealers do when they don't want or need the work. They probably have more warranty repairs then they can handle. These pay better by the bay and this is what it takes to get the tech to pull apart a car that they only made what like 500 of with that motor.
They made a billion (ok, many thousands of) 63 engined cars, but only 180 R63's. The tech thinks it's cool, but I'd totally understand if he didn't want to take it apart. I'm probably not special enough that they instituted abusive pricing just for me, I suspect that's the way it always is.
I can't even fathom a business based around charging customer two prices based on whether or not you installed the components much less the higher price being the one where you made a profit on the labor in addition to the parts. Man that's crazy.
dculberson wrote:
I can't even fathom a business based around charging customer two prices based on whether or not you installed the components much less the higher price being the one where you made a profit on the labor in addition to the parts. Man that's crazy.
If you are on the hook if something goes wrong, as the dealership thinks its going to be, then you make the repair financially unreasonable and make the problem go away. They clearly know the platform and issues well and are covering their collective asses.
This is not a Vintage 911 or a Ferrari, take it to a independent and have them do the repair then drive it. Nobody but nobody is going to care that its non dealer serviced, if they want a R63 there might be 2 or 3 of them for sale at the time. They will take what they can get.
The R63 drama is better than anything on TV right now. At least give us a heads up in the unicorn thread you have something somewhere else!
Sorry, this was supposed to be a quick, "what the hell am I seeing here?" thing. It kind of wandered. Imagine that. 
There's a great independent in Houston called Advanced BMW Repair, they work on all things including high end Ferraris and stuff occasionally. They focus/advertise just for BMWs but I know they take just about anything. Give them a call, and if the main bossman picks up, let them know flatlander757 from Pirate4x4 recommended their place.
He goes by Halogrinder on P4x4, I can't remember his real name though.
ABR Houston's website
ABR Houston's Facebook page
It's a very stand-up shop from what everyone who's gone there says, and is where I'd apply to work if I was in that area.
I agree with weary that you should put all thoughts of "preserving value" out of your head. R63s aren't going to be near future classics or anything, and even if they were it would be the 36k mile one sitting in a multi-millionaire's garage that would be valuable and that would be in 20-30 years. Even the prototypical example, the air cooled 911, isn't worth enough to have spent extra money having it dealer serviced over the multiple decades it took to actually increase in value. Just don't worry about the impact of your repairs on the value of the car - it's one extra confounding variable that just isn't worth considering.
In reply to iadr:
DOnt forget the stock. Manufacturers require the dealers to purchase their inventory from them and keep it on hand. We used to have between $500k to $750k in parts inventory alone. Add in that many OE don't allow much return allowance for obsolete stock and you have a company fighting to keep its head above water before the first customer even walks in the door.
So inventory, building and equipment overhead plus employees electricity and taxes. Hell, the former employer finally bought a new alignment rack. Cost them $80k. You realize how many $99 alignments that will take to pay off?
With that said, it's still no reason to be a dick and overcharge everyone in sight.
What do the dealers keep in stock besides oil filters? None of my local dealers ever have anything in stock, even normal wear items. If I have to order it from them and wait 3-4 days, I'll order it through the internet and pay half as much to get it in the same amount of time...
docwyte wrote:
What do the dealers keep in stock besides oil filters? None of my local dealers ever have anything in stock, even normal wear items. If I have to order it from them and wait 3-4 days, I'll order it through the internet and pay half as much to get it in the same amount of time...
It varies a lot between dealers. A few years ago I walked into a Jeep dealer needing a dipstick and tube for an engine they hadn't produced in almost 10 years (at the time). They had them sitting on the shelf.
In reply to docwyte:
Whatever the stock order list says to stock. That list is typically an item that has been purchased once every 30 days for 3 consecutive months.
Both dealers I worked at in the parts dept typically had less than 100k on the shelves and in the drawers.
They actually had some of the parts in stock according to the list.
Not a big deal. I didn't understand how this worked, so I asked, and you guys explained it. That's why this place is cool.
rslifkin wrote:
docwyte wrote:
What do the dealers keep in stock besides oil filters? None of my local dealers ever have anything in stock, even normal wear items. If I have to order it from them and wait 3-4 days, I'll order it through the internet and pay half as much to get it in the same amount of time...
It varies a lot between dealers. A few years ago I walked into a Jeep dealer needing a dipstick and tube for an engine they hadn't produced in almost 10 years (at the time). They had them sitting on the shelf.
This. At the time, we were the largest for wholesale. We stocked a ton of body parts (which are expensive), suspension and wheels. Plus, it was "acura" so E36 M3 is more expensive anyway and we were getting started in the airbag recall (it actually started over 5 years ago, Honda kept it quiet) and had about a dozen $300 inflator kits in stock at any one time. I know the other acura dealer was not allowed to have any more than $150k in inventory... needless to say they weren't as popular for hte body and repair shops. When headlight housings are close to a grand a piece and you have half a dozen in stock, it adds up fast.
My answer:
Are any of the online dealers within easy travel distance?
Show them your appreciation by allowing THEIR service department the privilege of working on your car.
