Honda Car Forum

In searching for some sway bar end link bushings ( these are thick little
rubber washers/grommets) for an 89 Legend 4 door, the Candian dealer first
says that he wanted $12 CAD each. I need 8 of them for $96 CAD for all. This
price did not include new bolts, spacers and washers which would be an
additional $24 for a total of $120 CAD plus taxes.

A similar aftermarket part for a domestic car is around $20 to $30. There is
not much exotic engineering that goes into these. I started thinking.

Went online and found that a Genuine Acura Kit that has the same parts can
be had for around $16 US at the list price and the online price is less than
$12 US for the total set of parts.

I phoned up the dealer and enquired why the discrepancy?????? He says
Canadian Honda just sets the prices for whatever they want and he has no
control.

I also noticed in the last couple of years that parts for my car are always
dramatically cheaper in the USA, sometimes multiples. I think Canadian
owners are getting hosed in a big way.

Makes me wonder about my next car purchase.

On Mon, 16 Aug 2004 13:01:01 -0400, "Mikey" <%noospaam)mikling@eol.ca>
waived the right to be silent and professed:

>In searching for some sway bar end link bushings ( these are thick little
>rubber washers/grommets) for an 89 Legend 4 door, the Candian dealer first
>says that he wanted $12 CAD each. I need 8 of them for $96 CAD for all. This
>price did not include new bolts, spacers and washers which would be an
>additional $24 for a total of $120 CAD plus taxes.
>
>A similar aftermarket part for a domestic car is around $20 to $30. There is
>not much exotic engineering that goes into these. I started thinking.
>
>Went online and found that a Genuine Acura Kit that has the same parts can
>be had for around $16 US at the list price and the online price is less than
>$12 US for the total set of parts.
>
>I phoned up the dealer and enquired why the discrepancy?????? He says
>Canadian Honda just sets the prices for whatever they want and he has no
>control.
>
>I also noticed in the last couple of years that parts for my car are always
>dramatically cheaper in the USA, sometimes multiples. I think Canadian
>owners are getting hosed in a big way.
>
>Makes me wonder about my next car purchase.
>

It's the same for Yamaha motorcycle parts.

--
Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.

>On Mon, 16 Aug 2004 13:01:01 -0400, "Mikey" <%noospaam)mikling@eol.ca>
>waived the right to be silent and professed:
>
>>In searching for some sway bar end link bushings ( these are thick little
>>rubber washers/grommets) for an 89 Legend 4 door, the Candian dealer first
>>says that he wanted $12 CAD each. I need 8 of them for $96 CAD for all. This
>>price did not include new bolts, spacers and washers which would be an
>>additional $24 for a total of $120 CAD plus taxes.
>>
>>A similar aftermarket part for a domestic car is around $20 to $30. There is
>>not much exotic engineering that goes into these. I started thinking.
>>
>>Went online and found that a Genuine Acura Kit that has the same parts can
>>be had for around $16 US at the list price and the online price is less than
>>$12 US for the total set of parts.
>>
>>I phoned up the dealer and enquired why the discrepancy?????? He says
>>Canadian Honda just sets the prices for whatever they want and he has no
>>control.
>>
>>I also noticed in the last couple of years that parts for my car are always
>>dramatically cheaper in the USA, sometimes multiples. I think Canadian
>>owners are getting hosed in a big way.
>>
>>Makes me wonder about my next car purchase.

Also keep in mind that even though it is an American car sold in Canada, the
parts might not be the right ones. I remember when I lived in Japan and had an
American Toyota Corona. I needed some part and tried to it via a Japanese
Toyota dealer, since Toyota is is from Japan. I was politely told that I had
to order the American part from the states as the Japanese version didn't work.

> Also keep in mind that even though it is an American car sold in Canada, the
> parts might not be the right ones. I remember when I lived in Japan and had an
> American Toyota Corona. I needed some part and tried to it via a Japanese
> Toyota dealer, since Toyota is is from Japan. I was politely told that I had
> to order the American part from the states as the Japanese version didn't work.

I can't imagine that Canadian cars differ from American ones in any
substantial way. The Canadian market is only 10% the size of the American
market so no one is going to build cars specially for Canada. There can be
small differences like daylight running lights but nothing major.

On 8/16/04 12:01 PM, in article BC5Uc.95772$3T5.94849@nntp-post.primus.ca,
"Mikey" <%noospaam)mikling@eol.ca> wrote:

> In searching for some sway bar end link bushings ( these are thick little
> rubber washers/grommets) for an 89 Legend 4 door, the Candian dealer first
> says that he wanted $12 CAD each. I need 8 of them for $96 CAD for all. This
> price did not include new bolts, spacers and washers which would be an
> additional $24 for a total of $120 CAD plus taxes.
>
> A similar aftermarket part for a domestic car is around $20 to $30. There is
> not much exotic engineering that goes into these. I started thinking.
>
> Went online and found that a Genuine Acura Kit that has the same parts can
> be had for around $16 US at the list price and the online price is less than
> $12 US for the total set of parts.
>
> I phoned up the dealer and enquired why the discrepancy?????? He says
> Canadian Honda just sets the prices for whatever they want and he has no
> control.
>
> I also noticed in the last couple of years that parts for my car are always
> dramatically cheaper in the USA, sometimes multiples. I think Canadian
> owners are getting hosed in a big way.
>
> Makes me wonder about my next car purchase.
>
>

I don't know how it works in Canada, but in the US, the dealers set their
own prices. If you call two or three different dealers you will get a range
of prices anywhere from suggested list to 3X retail. Sometimes you can get
a 2X price change simply by talking to a different counter guy at the same
dealer. You might try calling a different dealer and see what sort of price
you can get.