Think airplane parts are expensive?

[Ghery]

Two of the lug nuts on my Jeep came apart a while back. The part you see (and your lug wrench engages) is somewhat decorative and can break off (and did at the hands of a tire shop). Underneath is an 18mm nut. I finally broke down today and went to the dealer to buy a couple new ones so the lug wrench in the vehicle would be more than just a decoration if I had a flat on the right front.

$17.78 for two lug nuts.

Ouch.

 

[ScottM]

Two of the lug nuts on my Jeep came apart a while back. The part you see (and your lug wrench engages) is somewhat decorative and can break off (and did at the hands of a tire shop). Underneath is an 18mm nut. I finally broke down today and went to the dealer to buy a couple new ones so the lug wrench in the vehicle would be more than just a decoration if I had a flat on the right front.

$17.78 for two lug nuts.

Ouch.

Could be the dealer. I went to get new disc pads for my Jeep. First dealer wnated $70 for a set. I walked out and went to the dealer I normally would buy from and got the same part number, genuine Jeep part for $27.

 

[Ghery]

Could be the dealer. I went to get new disc pads for my Jeep. First dealer wnated $70 for a set. I walked out and went to the dealer I normally would buy from and got the same part number, genuine Jeep part for $27.

Heck of a markup at the first one. Unfortunately, I'd burn up any savings in price in the gas it would take to get to the next Jeep dealer around here. At least I had a day off so I could get to their parts department when they were open.

 

[ScottM]

Heck of a markup at the first one. Unfortunately, I'd burn up any savings in price in the gas it would take to get to the next Jeep dealer around here. At least I had a day off so I could get to their parts department when they were open.

I am lucky I got three Jeep dealerships within 10 miles of me.

I have had to buy a lot of little parts lately. My Cherokee (the Jeep one not the PA28) with 145,000 miles needs a lot of littel things that are rusting off.

 

[Ghery]

I am lucky I got three Jeep dealerships within 10 miles of me.

I have had to buy a lot of little parts lately. My Cherokee (the Jeep one not the PA28) with 145,000 miles needs a lot of littel things that are rusting off.

Must be the salt on your roads in the winter. My wife's 1997 Grand Cherokee with almost 170,000 miles on it is running just fine. Well, a new front diff wouldn't hurt, but in 2wd it's quiet. My 1999 Wrangler with amost 108,000 miles on it runs fine, too. No rust on either one.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

I used to insist on applying grease to the threads....and to the part of the brake drum where it contacts the hub every year (but no so much you get on the linings). After a few sad incidents you start doing things differently.

 

[fgcason]

$17.78 for two lug nuts.

While you're at it, if you've been taking your vehicle to auto shops for tire work over the years, pull out the tire tool that comes with your vehicle and see if it still fits. I have one of the big X tire tools so I never noticed since one of the four positions always fit. I tried my generic tire tool one day and it use to fit the lugs but not anymore. That would be bad to find out in the middle of nowhere.

If you want annoying, try getting the little blind nut rubber thingies that hold the roof rack on. It's nothing more than a 3 cent nut and a 3/8" round piece of rubber about 1/2" long. $5.95 a pop if they won't come down to $4.50. Oh yea, it takes twelve of them. caCHING!

Motorcycles are worse. A simple fuel selector valve = $130.

 

[gkainz]

Stupid little piece of plastic somewhat larger than a silver dollar that they have the audacity to call a "hubcap" on my wife's Chrysler 300M. Has 4 brittle little plastic ears that are guaranteed to break off when looked at cross-ways. Dealer only item - $50 each.

 

[SJP]

Two of the lug nuts on my Jeep came apart a while back. The part you see (and your lug wrench engages) is somewhat decorative and can break off (and did at the hands of a tire shop). Underneath is an 18mm nut. I finally broke down today and went to the dealer to buy a couple new ones so the lug wrench in the vehicle would be more than just a decoration if I had a flat on the right front.

$17.78 for two lug nuts.

Ouch.

Pffft

I was quoted $22.75 each for the ones on my '86 Jag. I was replacing all four wheels with the the factory originals, and needed 20 new lugnuts. The 450+shipping +tax was almost double what the wheels cost me...

picked them up on eBay for $45 in the end

 

[Ghery]

Pffft

I was quoted $22.75 each for the ones on my '86 Jag. I was replacing all four wheels with the the factory originals, and needed 20 new lugnuts. The 450+shipping +tax was almost double what the wheels cost me...

picked them up on eBay for $45 in the end

Yeah, and I had a 1976 MG Midget back in the early 1980s. Another mechanics delight. Didn't walk up to that car without a wrench and a screwdriver. I was so tempted to get the bumper sticker that an MG restoration shop in Santa Clara was selling - "I'll have you know that the parts falling off this car are of the highest British quality!".

 

[SkyHog]

There is little to no reason to go to a dealer for almost any part, aside from those not available at your local parts counter.

I used to work for Auto Zone. We'd have people come in with the nicest, most souped up Camaros and whatnot. "I'd like AC-Delco Spark Plugs."

Why? Because that's OEM. You'd be much better off with any of the Bosch Platinum Series or even the Denso Iridium plugs, but because the dealer uses AC-Delco, so do a lot of customers.

Autozone price (when I was there): $1.78 a plug for AC Delco
Dealer Price: $5.00 a plug for AC-Delco.

Same plug - same gap.

Price water pumps for a Chevy Truck some time, both dealer and part shop. You'll find about $100 or more dollar difference for the same part.

 

[ScottM]

Must be the salt on your roads in the winter. My wife's 1997 Grand Cherokee with almost 170,000 miles on it is running just fine. Well, a new front diff wouldn't hurt, but in 2wd it's quiet. My 1999 Wrangler with amost 108,000 miles on it runs fine, too. No rust on either one.

Yes, the salt is a killer. One of the part I had to replace was the rear wipper. It had rotted off!!

I am convinved that in several millenia when Chicago is long forgotten some geoligist will be exploring the area and be unable to explain the large salt deposits he finds.

 

[Bill]

- "I'll have you know that the parts falling off this car are of the highest British quality!".

I have a buddy who loves old British bikes, has a two t-shirts, one says "Lucas, Prince of Darkness" and the other shows a lightswitch with three positions and says, "Lucas lightswitch, on, off, maybe."

 

[Darrell111]

I just buy foriegn cars so i dont have to buy parts j/k

 

[SJP]

I have a buddy who loves old British bikes, has a two t-shirts, one says "Lucas, Prince of Darkness" and the other shows a lightswitch with three positions and says, "Lucas lightswitch, on, off, maybe."

• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]The Lucas motto: "Get home before dark."[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Lucas denies having invented darkness. But they still claim "sudden, unexpected darkness."[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Lucas--inventor of the first intermittent wiper.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Lucas--inventor of the self-dimming headlamp.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]The three-position Lucas switch--DIM, FLICKER and OFF. The other three switch settings--SMOKE, SMOLDER and IGNITE.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]The original anti-theft devices--Lucas Electric products.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]"I've had a Lucas pacemaker for years and have never experienced any prob...[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]If Lucas made guns, wars would not start either.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Did you hear about the Lucas powered torpedo? It sank.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]It's not true that Lucas, in 1947, tried to get Parliament to repeal Ohm's Law. They withdrew their efforts when they met too much resistance.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Did you hear the one about the guy that peeked into a Land Rover and asked the owner "How can you tell one switch from another at night, since they all look the same?" "He replied, it doesn't matter which one you use, nothing happens!"[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Back in the '70s Lucas decided to diversify its product line and began manufacturing vacuum cleaners. It was the only product they offered which didn't suck.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Quality Assurance phoned and advised the Engineering guy that they had trouble with his design shorting out. So he made the wires longer.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Why do the English drink warm beer? Lucas makes the refrigerators.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Alexander Graham Bell invented the Telephone.
  Thomas Edison invented the Light Bulb.
  Joseph Lucas invented the Short Circuit.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Recommended procedure before taking on a repair of Lucas equipment: check the position of the stars, kill a chicken and walk three times sunwise around your car chanting: "Oh mighty Prince of Darkness protect your unworthy servant."[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Lucas systems actually uses AC current; it just has a random frequency.[/SIZE][/FONT]

and the ultimate Brit Car accesory :
http://www.sjpdesigns.com/poa/lucas.html

 

[Frank Browne]

Many years ago on a trip to West Palm for some wreck diving, I had three lugs break on my Volvo 164. Just over 50$ to replace the nuts and lugs. And no after market availible either. Dealer only items, and there was only a single Volvo dealership in town. grrr

 

[Anthony]

Many years ago on a trip to West Palm for some wreck diving, I had three lugs break on my Volvo 164. Just over 50$ to replace the nuts and lugs. And no after market availible either. Dealer only items, and there was only a single Volvo dealership in town. grrr

Kewl! Wreck Diving! Should have just taken a few things off your regulator. Lots of stuff on there that coould be used as a lug.

 

[Anthony]

• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]The Lucas motto: "Get home before dark."[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Lucas denies having invented darkness. But they still claim "sudden, unexpected darkness."[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Lucas--inventor of the first intermittent wiper.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Lucas--inventor of the self-dimming headlamp.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]The three-position Lucas switch--DIM, FLICKER and OFF. The other three switch settings--SMOKE, SMOLDER and IGNITE.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]The original anti-theft devices--Lucas Electric products.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]"I've had a Lucas pacemaker for years and have never experienced any prob...[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]If Lucas made guns, wars would not start either.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Did you hear about the Lucas powered torpedo? It sank.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]It's not true that Lucas, in 1947, tried to get Parliament to repeal Ohm's Law. They withdrew their efforts when they met too much resistance.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Did you hear the one about the guy that peeked into a Land Rover and asked the owner "How can you tell one switch from another at night, since they all look the same?" "He replied, it doesn't matter which one you use, nothing happens!"[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Back in the '70s Lucas decided to diversify its product line and began manufacturing vacuum cleaners. It was the only product they offered which didn't suck.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Quality Assurance phoned and advised the Engineering guy that they had trouble with his design shorting out. So he made the wires longer.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Why do the English drink warm beer? Lucas makes the refrigerators.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Alexander Graham Bell invented the Telephone.
  Thomas Edison invented the Light Bulb.
  Joseph Lucas invented the Short Circuit.[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Recommended procedure before taking on a repair of Lucas equipment: check the position of the stars, kill a chicken and walk three times sunwise around your car chanting: "Oh mighty Prince of Darkness protect your unworthy servant."[/SIZE][/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Lucas systems actually uses AC current; it just has a random frequency.[/SIZE][/FONT]

and the ultimate Brit Car accesory :
http://www.sjpdesigns.com/poa/lucas.html

Hillarious!!!!

Lucas Prince of Darkness. I had two MG's because I was too stupid to stop after the first one.

Jaguar, Land Rover. Ehhhhhhhhhhh.........

 

[imQ]

The most common jeep lugnut is pn#6036310AA is sugg retail 6.95 each.
However it seems more and more dealers use a "matrix" pricing scale to retail customers. There is one dealer here that uses cost x 4 on any part that is less than $10. So your lugnuts would sell for $16.60 EACH!! (and the dealers wonder why the customers won't bring a car back after the warranty is up)

 

[Frank Browne]

Kewl! Wreck Diving! Should have just taken a few things off your regulator. Lots of stuff on there that coould be used as a lug.

Actually, the two remaining lugs held up OK all the way back to Jacksonville!
Which was a good thing as I would have been quite put out if I had to disassemble my regulator to get home. BTW, we dove the USS Mitzpah that day. 190' CG cutter sitting upright at 90' deep on a flat sandy bottom.

 

[Anthony]

BTW, we dove the USS Mitzpah that day. 190' CG cutter sitting upright at 90' deep on a flat sandy bottom.

Schweeeet. I've tried twice to do U-352 off of N.C., but both times got shut out by weather. I gotta get back in the water soon!

 

[Frank Browne]

Schweeeet. I've tried twice to do U-352 off of N.C., but both times got shut out by weather. I gotta get back in the water soon!

That would be a very cool dive! Isn't that a pretty deep dive though? I have long dreamed of diving Truk Lagoon.