Parts price outrage

[Bruce]

In the world of boating, prices don't shock me much.

But today I picked up 4 Orings from Cummins for the end caps on the intercoolers on a 6CTA 450hp.

3" diameter, 1/8" thick.

40 bucks each with my discount. 160.00 for 4 orings.

SHAME, SHAME, SHAME.

[Rocket]

That stuff drives me nuts and is part of the reason one avoids OEM like the plague. If I needed those o rings, I'd go down to fluid seal with an old one or the piece and a 6 pack and I'd be on my way with the rings. Hard to train guys to do that, though...Not a very sustainable purchasing model, but it is amazing what crossing over to a generic part can do for you. The only OEM that doesn't totally slaughter us is CAT on the non-truck stuff. Of course the part is always an airplane ride away...I wonder when OEM's will realize how much much damage they are doing to themselves, to their customers and to North american business in general by chaging quadruple digit mark-ups on low tech parts. If you need $160 for parts that cost pennies to make your costs are out of whack, your accounting system doesn't work and your managers are asleep at the switch.

[Harry Babb]

I have thought for years that our societies values needs a good cleansing.

$40.00 for an Oring......agreeded.....rediculious......now charge $40.00 to install it, asume the liability of installing it correctly so that it does not fail and you an overpriced grease monkey.......

I know people that are willing to and do pay $65.00/hr or more to have their grass mowed or their car detailed and will squeel like a pig if you charge them $50.00 per hour to repair their toys (ie:boat, 4 wheeler etc) when it takes a very skilled and knowledgable person to perform technical repairs on equipment.

Several years ago I paid a lot of money for an Oring (I think it was $88.00) to go in some equipment in a gas treatment plant but the Oring was made by Dupont and some kind of pedigree material that had to withstand the harsh environment of a Sour Gas Treatment Plant.

When and where will it all stop

Harry

[Bruce]

Rocket,
If it had been my engine, yes.

But the liability for a business is a no no.

If the aftermarket part had failed and the engine injested water and seized, guess who would be buying the owner a new engine and install?

I've been a witness in court trials and one of the first things asked is if OEM parts were used. Unless you get a written consent by the owner, my ass is hanging out.

Harry,

Granted some parts do have pedigrees.

The rings they have in my heart mitral valve came with a registration card I carry around with me
I don't even want to know what they cost.

[Carl]

Cost of parts for boats are ridiculous, but seem tame when compared to what they hit you for on Machine Tools.

Quick story, my Emco Maier CNC lathe was having problems so I call the tech department and they tell me to clean a set of brushes on the tach generator, no deal so I call back and they tell me to try a new set of brushes. No problem send them to me, guy says to hold on as he will check price. I'm thinking 4 little 3/16 x 3/8 x 1/2" brushes what could they cost. He gets back on the phone and tells me $110.00...I am taken back and ask what makes them so different from the ones in my hand tools that run 5 bucks for a set. He says " I don't know they may be the same or they may have some other stuff in them, you can take a chance and use other brushes, but you really don't want to wear the armature because they are expensive and you need four brushes.

Yes four little carbon Brushes at $110 each, OEM ripoff... The real kicker was it wasn't the brushes and they are non-returnable...

[Rocket]

I hear you Bruce, the problem is you still care about your customer! - get with the game, you've got to make it so inconvenient, expensive and fraught with delay to claim warranty that it is not worth the time that they have your equipment out of service for.

I had not thought of the implications of using non OEM stuff in your position.

On a positive note, Autocar just offered up $4,500 for a suspension failure that they could easily have turned down, I was pretty impressed, I guess they want to sell me some more trucks.

[Harry Babb]

Cost of parts for boats are ridiculous, but seem tame when compared to what they hit you for on Machine Tools.

Fadal 6030 (4 years old) replacment spindle= $5500.00+$1500.00 to install.....but WAIT!!!! you get a 90 day warranty....wooptee freeking dooo

Mori Seiki SL25 (17 years old) replacment spindle=$5000.00 + R&R labor......1 year warranty.......now that's more like it! ! !

I firmly believe that the time is really near that US GUYS with technical talent are gonna be in the Cat Bird's Seat

Harry

[Rawleigh]

First time i have ever heard Cats prices praised as fair!!! It is all relative I guess! LOL!

[Bruce]

I hear you Bruce, the problem is you still care about your customer

Kinda the reason I stayed a small business. Back in the late 80's I expanded to multiple trucks and personel in the shop and on the road. This at a time when mobile marine was still scarce.

I found even with keeping the trucks running and a full schedule the personal service had disapeared and call backs started to increase every other job.

3 years later I fired everyone and returned to the way its been.

Rawleigh,
I gotta tell ya out of all the engine companies I deal with Cat to me has the best parts average out of a number of factors.

Only one I know of that actualy puts parts kits together for doing particular jobs without having to look up every little thing yourself.

[jspiezio]

Kinda the reason I stayed a small business. Back in the late 80's I expanded to multiple trucks and personel in the shop and on the road. This at a time when mobile marine was still scarce.

I found even with keeping the trucks running and a full schedule the personal service had disapeared and call backs started to increase every other job.

3 years later I fired everyone and returned to the way its been.

Rawleigh,
I gotta tell ya out of all the engine companies I deal with Cat to me has the best parts average out of a number of factors.

Only one I know of that actualy puts parts kits together for doing particular jobs without having to look up every little thing yourself.

I agree Bruce. HO Penn hear in the northeast is very easy to deal with.