Nice try Dodge (or any) dealer!

[DeathCougar]

/Rant on

Went into my local dealership to get parts for my 1999 Dodge Ram Diesel (stupid trans cooler lines rubbed on the frame)

Quoted $493 for the 4 lines, and two clips.

Being the smart guy I am, I of course checked online to see what real list price was....it was 25% off of that. They were charging me 25% OVER LIST PRICE!! Now, I know dealers (Yes, this includes TOYOTA dealers) regularly charge over list price. It's called "bump list" or "Retail price". I know this. Hence why I didn't buy at the dealer.

So while I was looking online, I see another local Dodge dealer has an online OEM parts catalog. Score! Looked it up.....bought the parts for $271 instead.

Attn dealerships: Your price gouging is costing you money!! Why not just sell the parts at list price? Considering even at a 30% discount you are still making money on the parts, what's the reason to get greedy and sell for 25% OVER list price? I was able to buy the parts for almost HALF the cost of the original quote! With the ease and freedom the internet offers, brick and mortar "walk in business" seems to be far behind the times, stuck in the dark age mentality of "Where else you gonna go?!"

/Rant off

 

[OL0033]

I work at a Dodge dealership and we known it as "matrix" pricing. None of us there like it but it's the big boys up top that make the call on it. Nothing is more embarrassing than having to look someone in their eyes and tell them a lugnut is priced at $15. But if you ever need any other dodge parts let me know. I'll get them to you at employee cost, shipping shouldn't be much either we have business account with all 3 major shipping companies.

 

[BrianSD_42]

They were charging me 25% OVER LIST PRICE!! Now, I know dealers (Yes, this includes TOYOTA dealers) regularly charge over list price. It's called "bump list" or "Retail price". I know this. Hence why I didn't buy at the dealer.

The Toyota dealer here in San Diego (off Morena) regularly charges more than 100% over list.

 

[LittleCaesar]

Some people can't see the forest for the trees. With dealers that adhere to matrix pricing for otc parts, their mindset is archaic to say the least. Some of them I swear believe those parts are gold leafed or plated.

The local Ford dealer once tried to mark me up 125% for Motorcraft spark plug wires. I told the guy to put the box back and went on Amazon and ordered the wires in the same box for close to 1/3 of the price.

 

[E92FF]

About 15 years ago I was the parts manager of a Honda dealership. I suppose I used a price matrix. I can't remember exactly but I marked parts up something like 100% over list on parts priced below $10, 75% on parts $11 - $20, 50% on parts $21 - $30, and so on. By the time pricing got to around $100 we were charging straight list, $150 or more we were below list. The thought being of course that the higher priced parts were the things people would shop around for.

 

[DeathCougar]

I work at a Dodge dealership and we known it as "matrix" pricing. None of us there like it but it's the big boys up top that make the call on it. Nothing is more embarrassing than having to look someone in their eyes and tell them a lugnut is priced at $15. But if you ever need any other dodge parts let me know. I'll get them to you at employee cost, shipping shouldn't be much either we have business account with all 3 major shipping companies.

Will do. The cost of new parts has always been outrageous, but this really gives perspective to the term "Stealership". I've tried to defend dealers in the past, but I just can't anymore.

 

[OL0033]

Will do. The cost of new parts has always been outrageous, but this really gives perspective to the term "Stealership". I've tried to defend dealers in the past, but I just can't anymore.

Yeah, it is stuff like this that gives dealerships a bad rep. But there are a lot of people who blindly walk in and pay whatever price you give them. There are very few people who actually come in with an idea of what a reasonable price is. As long as the majority of people are willing to pay these high prices dealerships won't change their pricing tactics.