why are parts prices so high?

[Mike Arman <armanmik@n-jcenter.com>]

Here's one reason parts prices can be so high:

When you buy a CAR, there's lots of competition for your money - price is
very important, and every make is in competition with every other make. We
CAN make comparisons, and WE can choose which car to buy, so the makers try
to influence us in any way they can - low price, scantily clad damsels,
lots of TV advertising, etc. The margins on car SALES are thin because of
the competition.

Somewhere, once I did see a comparo on parts prices between makes, but who
shops that when they're looking for a car? _OUR_ cars are reliable and
never need parts anyway!

Now that we've bought our Denbeigh Super Seven Chauvenist, we are STUCK
with the Denbeigh dealer because HE may very well be the ONLY source for
many parts. If we don't pay stick-it-to-us parts prices for this $2 widget,
our entire expenditure for the car is wasted, because it won't run without
the part, and we get to walk.

Cars may be loss leaders for the parts and service departments!

Yours in paranoia (but I'll bet not very)

Mike Arman