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  #1  
Old 10-23-2008, 04:39 AM
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Rant re local stealership --- $4.00 for crush washers

To Arcadia Rusnak MBZ: you redefine the word "stealership".

I used to work on the corporate side of things with Toyota Motor Sales. I was in charge of metrics and customer service analytics. So I'd see alot of survey results and cull them down into management reports. One of the focuses during my days there was how service depts were doing as compared to used car sales. One of the more important metrics had to do with how satisifed customers were with the parts dept. Top 3 complaints were long wait, long wait on phone, and high priced parts. So i know alot of the time, its just not knowing what to expect, customer confusion, etc. on how parts dept operates and the relatively long time to sales ratios (minute over dollars).

And yes, I know that businesses are in business to make business, but Arcadia Rusnak MBZ really blew it with me in a big way this time.

I gave them a call to see if they had the copper washers for the delivery valves. The guy was cool enough on the phone, so he said 6 were in stock. I said "great, i'll come by after work to pick them up...how much are they?"

"Oh, four bucks". So i thought ok, 4/6 is a little pricey for washers...so I asked, "four bucks total, right?" and he said "No, $4 each". I said "C'mon now, are you kidding me? $4 each??!?" And not even a pause, he said "Yes, they are $4 each"

Press "END" on mobile phone.

Literally, i was speechless. So i got them elsewhere online w/ some other parts that i needed for really pennies.

Anyways, i dont like to call any dealership stealerships, but Arcadia's new moniker will definitely be stealership to me from now on.

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  #2  
Old 10-23-2008, 05:11 AM
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I used to get parts from Rusnak when my dad lived in Arcadia...A new key for my W140 was about $150, and a new hood star was only like $35. I didn't think it was too bad...
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  #3  
Old 10-23-2008, 06:17 AM
ForcedInduction
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Go to an automotive or hydraulic store and buy them for about $0.10 each or spend $10 on a metric crush washer kit.
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  #4  
Old 10-23-2008, 07:26 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ForcedInduction View Post
Go to an automotive or hydraulic store and buy them for about $0.10 each or spend $10 on a metric crush washer kit.
Yep, I made NAPA search through all their little crush washers to find me one for the fuel filter bolt.....they had one that works, AND its coated with a Teflon coating! It doesn't leak a drop! Plus it was like 85 cents or something. Our dealer doesn't charge $4 for washers....sometimes they'll even give you them for free. Problem is, they never have the right ones and have to "ORDER" them.
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  #5  
Old 10-23-2008, 08:36 AM
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I think I paid $.50 each for them from the local MB dealer.
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  #6  
Old 10-23-2008, 02:15 PM
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I've run into similar things locally, like $2.50 each for the little o-rings that go on the oil filter cover tube. In cases like those tiny parts, of course, most of the cost is in distribution, packaging, handling, etc. It does hurt, though.
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  #7  
Old 10-23-2008, 02:38 PM
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$120.00 for an air cleaner bracket had my head spinning; I went to the salvage yard and got one for $5.00
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  #8  
Old 10-23-2008, 03:36 PM
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I worked for a retail and wholesale farm supply place that is a one stop shop for all your home landscape and commercial agriculture products. anything from fertilizer to john deere tractors we had. The guy that was in charge of pricing and ordering felt that everything we sold needed to be marked up 30 to 50% or more. He failed to realize that somethings you dont make any money on and are just doing to provide as a service as long as you are not loosing money on. He would mark our propane up 40 % and make it 3.50 when a customer could go down the street and get it for 2.25 per gallon. when he was on vacation we would have to go through the entire system and change prices of things behind his back. it was a constant battle and somepeople dont realize that those type of things are services not things you stay in business for.
In the case of a 4 dollar washer, if all they sold were washers they might have a reason to charge that, but the amount of people that go into a mercedes dealerships' part department looking for a copper washer is slim to none and even if they loose money on it they will make it up when they charge an old lady 500 bucks for an oil change for her new 2009 500SE.....you name it. that just sounds like a pimple faced kid that reads numbers off of computers all day. who am i to talk? i am in my early 20s.
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  #9  
Old 10-23-2008, 03:42 PM
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My dealer has given them to me for free.
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  #10  
Old 10-23-2008, 04:01 PM
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I got washers free from the dealer before...


I showed up to the dealer almost done with my engine swap, and pretty much covered head to tail in oil and grease. I got served super fast that day.
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  #11  
Old 10-23-2008, 04:14 PM
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yeah they keep those mercedes dealerships spotless. im sure they couldn't get you out of there fast enough
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1981 300SD 360,000 miles I think she's doomed for a parts car but has a good engine SOLD the engine to spamman
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  #12  
Old 10-23-2008, 04:23 PM
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True....




I think we took the G500 up there, or Sir Niks SD
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  #13  
Old 10-23-2008, 04:24 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pawoSD View Post
Yep, I made NAPA search through all their little crush washers to find me one for the fuel filter bolt.....they had one that works, AND its coated with a Teflon coating! It doesn't leak a drop! Plus it was like 85 cents or something. Our dealer doesn't charge $4 for washers....sometimes they'll even give you them for free. Problem is, they never have the right ones and have to "ORDER" them.
i would normally do that but im waiting for the 32 spline delivery valve seal to remove it
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  #14  
Old 10-23-2008, 04:51 PM
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I see a lot of liberties being taken with what constitutes full list price at various Mercedes dealers. A few locations are absolutely out of control.

I helped a W210 owner change a couple of bulbs behind the speedo about 3 weeks ago. I didn't have any of the bulbs and asked him to stop at the dealer in Danbury CT as he passed by and get a few of them. I think they charged him around $5 for two bulbs (both were the wrong voltage). I then sent him to the dealership near my house for a 2nd try. They gave him the correct bulbs and charged him $12.xx each! I asked him to get 5 so he had a couple of spares. When he returned to my house with the correct bulbs I asked him how much he had spent figuring he'd tell me $20 or so. I could not believe the printed invoice he showed me and I felt real bad because he picked up a few extras to have on hand. What a bunch of friggin' thieves (new mgmt).

So, it's seems different dealers have different suggested retail prices for walk-in customers. It's a friggin' crime...and I've been seeing quite a bit of this lately. How can there be more than one MSRP

BTW, AZ******** sold me 10 of the correct copper o-rings earlier this year for $1.30 (total). I just can no longer afford to be without routine parts bought at fair prices.
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  #15  
Old 10-23-2008, 09:51 PM
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Called the dealer that i have been getting parts from for about a year,asked for the little rubber cap that goes on the second nipple on the #5 injector, he quoted me $6 and change! This dealership recently changed owners and thats too bad because most of the small things i had got there before i felt were reasonably priced.Some of the small things just are not worth buying online as the shipping is more than the part so i will miss being able to deal with this "stealership" as they are near my daughters house and so were convenient for me. Don

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