$900 for radiator!!!!

[Gecko123]

Toyota Dealer wants $900 for a radiator. WTF? Radiators these days dont last as long as the old ones as most are made from plastic/metal combo, so why is Toyota selling it for $900. After market ones, that are just as good, are selling for about 200 to 300, about third to quarter the price. What is going on?
We all know dealer prices are more, sometimes even double, but this is outrages. Comments?

 

[cabowally]

1640050300 $804.54

Check out getting it repaired. A good radiator shop can fix just about anything.

Rockauto = $132 - $175

It is what it is.

 

[Bftfan]

WOW! I thought you meant for that price it WAS INSTALLED! Keep looking...

 

[Southernbike]

Try one of these for the radiator, have used both before. They have great prices.
https://www.1sttoyotaparts.com/oempartscat.html
Toyotapartsoutlet.com

 

[settytb]

I would say screw the dealer and go to a parts store...a radiator's a radiator...

 

[MikeInNH]

Radiators these days dont last as long as the old ones as most are made from plastic/metal combo

Says WHO??

Replace fluid per schedule and radiator should last the life of the vehicle. Last time I replaced a radiator was almost 30 years ago. I've kept 4 vehicles past 300k miles with the original Radiator (87 Accord, 96 Accord, 90 Pathfinder, 98 Pathfinder). All radiators were plastic/metal combo.

As for replacement....Why go to the dealer? Radiators aren't rocket science. There are good aftermarket companies out there that make as good or better the one you buy from the dealer. And as for labor...I haven't replaced the one on my 4runner..but I'll bet I can do it in less then an hour.

 

[4WD 4RNR]

Got mine for $125 brand new from a radiator warehouse.

 

[Gecko123]

Says WHO??

Replace fluid per schedule and radiator should last the life of the vehicle. Last time I replaced a radiator was almost 30 years ago. I've kept 4 vehicles past 300k miles with the original Radiator (87 Accord, 96 Accord, 90 Pathfinder, 98 Pathfinder). All radiators were plastic/metal combo.

As for replacement....Why go to the dealer? Radiators aren't rocket science. There are good aftermarket companies out there that make as good or better the one you buy from the dealer. And as for labor...I haven't replaced the one on my 4runner..but I'll bet I can do it in less then an hour.

Are you sure all radiators are plastic/metal combo, even back in the days? There were all metal, but correct me if I am wrong. That is my experience.

 

[jimithing]

Says WHO??

Replace fluid per schedule and radiator should last the life of the vehicle. Last time I replaced a radiator was almost 30 years ago. I've kept 4 vehicles past 300k miles with the original Radiator (87 Accord, 96 Accord, 90 Pathfinder, 98 Pathfinder). All radiators were plastic/metal combo.

As for replacement....Why go to the dealer? Radiators aren't rocket science. There are good aftermarket companies out there that make as good or better the one you buy from the dealer. And as for labor...I haven't replaced the one on my 4runner..but I'll bet I can do it in less then an hour.

Depends on the vehicle/manufacturer. The radiator on my wife's jeep crapped the bucket before it was even time to change the fluid.

Back in the day they were mostly metal. My understanding is that the change to plastic was both a cost saving measure and weight saving measure (better MPG).

 

[MikeInNH]

Are you sure all radiators are plastic/metal combo, even back in the days?

That's NOT what I said....at least not what I meant to say.

The radiators in the 4 vehicles I've kept to over 300k miles without ever replacing the radiator AND without ever having a coolant problem with...all those vehicles had metal/plastic radiators.

Yes earlier radiators were made of 100% metal.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Depends on the year and manufactuer of the vehicle. I've seen most Asian Radiators tend to hold up better over time. I've seen fractures and hairline cracks in a lot of Domestic and some European models more commonly. But in general I would say that most radiators produced after about the early 2000's is made of better quality plastic than the earlier plastic/metal units and when you use the proper fluid should do well.

The large majority of failures for these plastic radiators that I have seen has been cracking/breaking of hose bungs and side tanks.

 

[SureShot516]

Same issue here 2005 v8 sides.of radiator were seeping at 90k dealer wanted $750 went with aftermarket for $200

 

[jamese]

If you want OEM, shop around. About $560 from toyotapartseast.com and toyotapartszone.com for OEM. American Toyota would also be about the same.

I payed about $450 for an OEM radiator for my FJ80.

 

[Hapeacres]

Last year I replaced my radiator in my 1986 Chevy El Camino. The old one was the original all metal one. The reason I replaced it was because it was old and struggling to keep the engine cool as the temp gauge was pushing the limit of overheating. I bought a new plastic/metal cheap chinese one off ebay for less than a hundred bucks. Wow, what a difference, works great and engine is running way cooler on the gauge with no worries of overheating. Very simple job in less than one hour. Glad I did it.