"Chris F." wrote in message
...
I was aware that manufacturers charged high prices for replacement
parts,
but I wasn't aware of just bad the problem was until recently. I was
looking
for a replacement DVD laser pickup for Hitachi (see my earlier post)
and
finally located one from a Hitachi parts distributor. The price? $205
Cdn. I
can't believe anyone would have the nerve to charge such ridiculous
prices
for a replacement part, especially when an entire new unit can be
purchased
for much less! Obviously, plain old greed is the motivation for this
scam,
but I have to wonder about a couple of other things....
1. How do the mfrs actually make this kind of money from replacment
parts?
They must be making it somehow, or they wouldn't bother to jack the
prices
up so high.

Maybe by claiming that the parts have an extreme value, they can
leverage warranty work by being able to write off these high part prices
as business losses on their taxes.

2. Could enough techs band together to force some kind of
legislation,
limiting the prices of replacement parts? (not likely, but I thought
this
could make for some interesting discussion)

Seams that the sum of all individual parts prices should never exceed
the price of a complete item. IOW, I should be able to buy all the
individual pieces of a complete car engine from GM for less than a new
crate motor costs. All the individual pieces of a car should cost less
than a built car, shouldn't they? It seems to me like the makings of a
reasonable fair trade law that could end this abuse of the customer.

Auto manufacturers have gotten ridiculous with this stuff. I had to buy
some steel pickup tubes for a Camaro fuel tank. All because the fuel
level sending unit was welded to the tubes and couldn't be purchased as
a seperate part. It only cost $600.00 for a few feet of cleverly built
soft steel tubing and a sending unit. After looking at the quality of
the sending unit, I'm afraid to think that it actually has electricity
flowing thru it.

One thing about working in this industry; you certainly get to see
the
greedy, money-loving side of society. Be it while buying replacement
parts,
trying to make a sale, or just giving an estimate to a customer.
Anyone
still working in the repair industry today is probably there for one
of two
reasons; they enjoy the work, or they don't have any other options
available
(both apply to me). Money obviously isn't the motivitation!
Just another $.02 of mine.