Porsche Parts price increases over the last 8 years...

[Soterik]

Porsche parts price increases in the last 8 years.....

I posted this over on the Early S Registry, and thought I should post it here as well.

I was just looking through a back issue of Excellence magazine, Feb 2003.

The prices of the parts advertised caught my eye... they seemed pretty reasonable by comparison to current pricing.

I don't think the particular retailer is important, I did some research tonight and found that they all had virtually the same increase in pricing.

Here's a snapshot. Note that I compared similar manufacturing, german vs german, not german vs say a newer repro (unless noted), and brand to brand (hella to hella) etc. They are for the SAME item, year for year application.

Prices are from the SAME retailer, 2003 and 2011.

Inflation has gone up 23.41% between Feb 2003 and May 2011, from one calculator I grabbed online.

I also know that certain items like say mens apparel hasn't gone up almost at all between this time period...I was in the industry for almost 30 years, 2003 pricing was virtually identical for a like product between then and now, but production probably did move from one country to another in order to keep the pricing.

Ansa Muffler,
2003, $185
2011, $298

Turn Signal Switch
2003, $99
2011, $194

Lower Valve covers
2003, $35
2011, $69

Euro tail light lens pair
2003, $119 (think they were still Bosch at this time)
2011, $129 (new repro's not Bosch)

Stainless brake lines
2003, $45
2011, $69

Distributor cap and rotor
2003, $15
2011, $35

Ignition wires
2003, $69
2011, $134

Brake master cylinder
2003, $89
2011, $219

Bosch H-4 headlight pair
2003, $229
2011, $398

Carrera chain Tensioner
2003, $339
2011, $679

Front Chin spoiler (74-89)
2003, $189
2011, $279

A possible causal of combining exchange rate impact "and" inflation might cause the above pricing increases, but I would also think that the manufacturer would move some production to mitigate these factors to some extent. Unless of course the people who price these products think that Porsche parts buyers have inelastic demand. Which to a great extent they might be right, particularly as there probably wouldn't be very many manufacturers of a particular product.. it probably is just one.

Now, I can't lay these price increases at the door of the retailer.. they are a function of the manufacturer essentially.

cheers, should be an interesting discussion.

Eric

[nesslar]

The right side Euro lens is still available as "Bosch", I believe. The left side is identical as far as "build", I dare anyone to find any difference in quality, fit, etc., and I was assured it's the same manufacturer as before, just not stamped "Bosch"; apparently not sold through Bosch is all, but directly to Porsche/whomever. I think..... but regardless, they do keep going up.
Edit: The new ones I've seen recently do not have "Bosch" on the left, but all other numbers/lettering/logos remain identical, as is the body and trim/hardware/colors.
Most of the inflation (again, 'I believe') was pre-'86; since then the CPI in the USA hasn't done much, has it? Of course, specialty, somewhat rare items are a different thing I'm sure..."market pricing" as opposed to actual inflation, so a retailer is bound by Capitalist Honor to raise prices, whether it's even fair or not....?

[KNS]

It would be interesting to make the same comparison with BMW parts or, say, Honda parts, both also known to be on the pricier side. Some Porsche parts prices and their increases do seem dramatic at times.

I have also witnessed every now and then Porsche prices actually go down!

[Drisump]

I'm sure that much of the increases can be attributed to the rapid decline of the USD vs the Euro, the prices of the cars themselves (Porsches) in the US are probably the cheapest in the world (both new and used). Shows you how important the US market is to Porsche. The Euro, when it came out, was pegged at 1:1 to the USD, It now would cost $1.42 USD. Cheers.

[rvanderpyl]

The US dollar is lower against pretty much all of the worlds currencys, and even China, where many of the more generic parts (brake lines say) would be made has actually seen a significant rise in wages and cost over that time period, and so a corresponding rise in cost to distributors.

[Soterik]

Porsche base pricing 2003, coupe $68,600

Porsche base pricing 2011, coupe $77,800

So, the Porsche base coupe has risen less in price than the rate of inflation for this time period (23.41%).

Eric

[pwd72s]

Porsche pricing has a direct correlation to international monetary fluctuations.

You see, when the dollar falls in relation to the Euro, Porsche parts and car prices go UP.

But when the dollar gains in relation to the Euro? Porsche parts and car prices go up.

This has been the trend for the past 4 or 5 decades.