whats real reason?

[tanmanbgoh]

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Im newbie(7 months),BUT, why is original equipment Porsche stuff so damn expensive? Do they price stuff so high to make you think Porsche is special? I dont mean engine parts etc..I mean stuff like emblems and badges. It seems to be about triple what they should be..Am I only person who thinks this? Man if you're a puriest,you better have a very good day job...lol sorry for double post..
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1985 Targa 3.2 Black on black,16"Fuch,23 years California car.

[Joe Bob]

From the dealer bend over....less so from the independent part suppliers. This ain't a Chevy.

[fanaudical]

It's really a combination of several things:

- Parts in general are getting more and more difficult to find for old cars. The automakers don't make big money making replacements.

- Porsche is not nearly as massed-produced as other vehicles, and you loose economy-of-scale.

- Many of the Porsche parts are made to tighter tolerances and specs than "normal" cars, and therefore manufacturing costs are higher.

[HawgRyder]

I once checked out the cost of building a video machine made by Sony.
The cost of the parts was almost 5 times the cost of the machine.
It appears that replacement parts are priced so that competitors cannot create the final object and sell it to make a profit.
It did not used to be this way...it changed in the 50's to 60's.
Bob

[McLovin]

Here's the thing.

Porsche parts, esp. for SCs and Carreras, really aren't that expensive. In fact, for the most part, they are cheap.

Compare the price of SC/Carrera parts to modern Honda, Lexus, Mercedes, BMW, Toyota, etc. For your normal parts things. I.e., brake pads, rotors, spark plugs, tires, fluids, filters, shocks, cap and rotor, etc. etc. etc.

Check on pelican. Look at the price for a "full tune up" kit for an SC or Carrera. Cheap.

That's for new parts. Used parts are plentiful and cheap, too.

SC and Carrera parts are, for the most part, downright cheap.

[zippy_gg]

Originally Posted by HawgRyder

I once checked out the cost of building a video machine made by Sony.
The cost of the parts was almost 5 times the cost of the machine.
It appears that replacement parts are priced so that competitors cannot create the final object and sell it to make a profit.
It did not used to be this way...it changed in the 50's to 60's.
Bob

I think it has more to do with the cost of individually packaging, shipping, and warehousing than anything else...
Hardware stores make a lot of money by making cute little bags fo screws instead of bulk. The same logic applies.

[Rouxzy]

Just to throw a wrench into everyones' theory. An identical part that is used for a VW and Porsche will cost alot more for a Porsche car. Why? Because someone who pays big money for a specialty auto will and does pay a premium for replacement parts.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by zippy_gg

Hardware stores make a lot of money by making cute little bags fo screws instead of bulk.

Don't get me going........... Margin and inventory control. "But I only need one"

[lateapex911]

Porsche isn't alone. I need a sensor for my stupid Audi A4 (never again!) and I can find that sensor (oil pressure switch, a Bosch item) all day long online for $6-8. The local Audi dealer? For me, a repeat customer? $40.

I expected double, really. But five times? I asked the parts guy for a discount, noting the issue. he said to pound sand. LOL.

[Tidybuoy]

Speaking of emblems & badges...I buy old 914's and part them out on eBay. Not as a business but more as a hobbie. I get a parts car and keep the better stuff for my own 914 and sell the rest. Sometimes I get parts at the local wrecking yard too.

For a while, I was making quite a bit of extra cash so I decided that I would try "rice burner" parts. Afterall, they are popular with a certain crowd and honda's are a dime a dozen at the wrecking yard.

So, I went to stock up on Honda/Japanese emblems, door handles, etc...and literally, every part I attempted to remove from a wrecked Honda.....Broke. You cannot remove a Honda emblem without it breaking because they are cheap plastic.

That said, there's a reason Porsche parts are expensive - the quality is generally there. I don't ever put anything but genuine or oem on my car!

[mixer911]

Buying used porshe parts reminds me of the anquites Roadshow.

You never see the roadshow folk leaving with a briefcase of money ,just a value

But I'm just learning about Porches,and for some reason they hold their value in good
times or bad,yes they might slip a bit,But better a investment than say Grease bonds.

High end items mostly pass the test of time ,and are good investments.
By keeping prices high protects your investment.
But If ya got cheap parts I'm in.

[sc_rufctr]

Car parts in general are getting more expensive but you have to consider the car you're driving.
I would rather pay $200 for a part that I knew was of good/OEM quality rather than $50 for something cheaply made and inferior to OEM parts.

And the cheap Chinese/Asian made stuff can be real rubbish. To be fair not all stuff made in China and Asia is though. For instance their machine tools can be very good quality.

Recently I was given a clutch slave cylinder for my VW. The guy that gave it to me sold his car and was clearing out his spare parts.

The reason he "gave" it to me was that this Chinese made slave cylinder was made of cast aluminium not cast iron like the original.
When I saw what it was actually made of I couldn't believe it... It's sitting on a shelf in my garage gathering dust

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OK... So what's the real reason? It's all about supply and demand. Basic economics.
An item $ value is determined by it's worth to a customer.

Porsche owners are generally better off than the average Joe so they can afford to pay more for their parts.
Making anything in Germany is expensive so naturally that's part of it also.

[mixer911]

Cause you Know the germans make good stuff

[porwolf]

Prices for original Porsche parts from dealer: Depends, I got a 79 SC tank fuel filter, a rather involved part with the big brass thread snd the fine Nylon mesh struckture, for less than $50,. I thought that was a good price, considering the part, the age of the car, and the ready availability. In Los Angeles: 2 days. I also bought some original copper compression washers for the fuel pump. Same thing: Got them in 2 days and the price , just a couple of dollars!

[djb25]

Originally Posted by Rouxzy

Just to throw a wrench into everyones' theory. An identical part that is used for a VW and Porsche will cost alot more for a Porsche car. Why? Because someone who pays big money for a specialty auto will and does pay a premium for replacement parts.

This is true to this day.

Here's an almost unbelievable example. My brother used to have an Audi A4 with the 1.8t engine. I had a VW Jetta with the 1.8t engine. The parts for my "VW" engine were substantially cheaper than parts for "Audi" engine.

But here's the kicker - the VW/Audi dealer refused to sell him VW parts. I can't remember exactly what the deal was, but the parts guy knew he had an Audi and wouldn't let him buy anything for a VW. I think he claimed he was required to get the VIN of the car for that specific reason.

And his car was out of warranty.

Obviously he just bought VW parts online, but still... that's a perfect example of inflation for inflation's sake.

[kilodawg]

Just another point of view. If you are a PCA member some dealerships give good discounts. I get 20% off from my local dealer. Also, factor in no shipping costs and delivery in 2 days (yes I do have to pay tax but it's usually less than shipping) and the result is that going thru my dealership is generally more convenient and cheaper than any of the online vendors or Ebay for most things.....

[Hotwatermusic]

I've only just recently realized this phenomenon, as I bought a BMW 635CSi and needed a couple new parts on it. I needed a new rear bumber trim piece--$20. New. OEM part. I was shocked. If it had said Porsche, it was easily a $100 part.

[sammyg2]

Anything coming from europe is gonna be expensive, thanks to their VAT.

[Prince,Caribou]

Joe Bob is right on. Why did you buy a P car? If a new Porsche cost the same as a new Chevy,

there would a lot of P cars on the road. There not the same car & not the same price. Money is

always a factor, it costs more for speed, style etc.

Some of us bite the bullet, when it comes to replacing parts. A well running P is a lot of fun, enjoy

and welcome to the P family.

[Jrboulder]

The dealership is not always super expensive. Some parts are actually cheapest at the dealer. Some parts are ridiculously priced at the deal. Keep in mind that buying from the Dealer gets you basically free shipping and a warranty that is usually twice as good as an OEM or sub OEM manufacturer. Generally for my 944 I try to buy Genuine Porsche hardware because it is the exact size, strength, quality, and it's even cad plated. Sure I could run down to our wonderful hardware store but I don't ever want to have any bolts break on me ever again.

Jackson