SHOCKING Photo evidence! (Valve cover grommets)

[davew833]

One of these valve cover grommets cost $2.48 at subaruparts.com. ($5.85 list at my local dealer!) The other one came with 8 others as part of a Fel-Pro gasket set for the Subaru EA82 1.8 engine for $12.99 at AutoZone. Can you tell which is which? I wouldn't be surprised if they were manufactured by the same company.

The Fel-Pro gasket set is $12.99 for the gaskets, plus 9 of these grommets at AutoZone, part #VS50273R. 2 of these sets for $26 plus 2 more grommets (you need 20) from your dealer for about $31, vs. about $50 for the grommets alone from subaruparts. com or your dealer if they'll match that price! If you don't need the VC gaskets they come with, (I have a 1.8 Loyale too) give them to a buddy on USMB, get a couple of bucks for them on ebay, or just chuck them.

[Trevor]

Dave, i know exactly where you are coming from.

What you must take into account is the possible profit on a single small item; as compared to the cost of stocking it; making people aware that is available; the risk of not ever selling it; if you do, the cost of collecting the money and the possibility that you may not be paid. Low value items are expensive to handle and stock on a basis of providing ongoing service. The prices you have quoted reflect these issues.

[ensteele]

I agree Trevor. They don't make much profit to begin with and all of the other things that are against them on the small parts. Dash lights are over priced as well.

[Hocrest]

Originally Posted by Trevor

Dave, i know exactly where you are coming from.

What you must take into account is the possible profit on a single small item; as compared to the cost of stocking it; making people aware that is available; the risk of not ever selling it; if you do, the cost of collecting the money and the possibility that you may not be paid. Low value items are expensive to handle and stock on a basis of providing ongoing service. The prices you have quoted reflect these issues.

I understand all of these issues, but can you explain how they are issues for the dealer and not for Autozone??

[davew833]

I understand the pricing/demand issues, too, having worked in a Nissan/Infiniti parts department for a couple of years. It wasn't meant as an indictment of Subaru dealers or their pricing policies, I was just hoping to share a money-saving tip.

Regardless of what my Subaru dealer needs to charge for these grommets, I don't particularly enjoy paying nearly $6, or even $2.50 for a part that must have surely cost just a few pennies to manufacture. I mean we're talking about a simple piece of "rubber" bonded to a simple piece of metal-- with a hole in the middle. No exotic materials, expensive R&D, or revolutionary cutting-edge technology here!

[alltrac]

Originally Posted by davew833

One of these valve cover grommets cost $2.48 at subaruparts.com. ($5.85 list at my local dealer!)

Originally Posted by davew833

I understand the pricing/demand issues, too, having worked in a Nissan/Infiniti parts department for a couple of years. It wasn't meant as an indictment of Subaru dealers or their pricing policies, I was just hoping to share a money-saving tip.

Regardless of what my Subaru dealer needs to charge for these grommets, I don't particularly enjoy paying nearly $6, or even $2.50 for a part that must have surely cost just a few pennies to manufacture. I mean we're talking about a simple piece of "rubber" bonded to a simple piece of metal-- with a hole in the middle. No exotic materials, expensive R&D, or revolutionary cutting-edge technology here!

With about 80,000 of these in stock in warehouses and god knows how many more among all the Subaru dealer networks this is a fast moving item. Your local dealer is trying to rip you off at $5.85 true MSRP for part# 13271AA051 is $3.25 I have been doing this for almost five years and all I can say is you get what you pay for. I could show you parts that look the same but they are not.

[michael]

I just bought 20 of those little suckers a few months ago and I have to say, I'm almost ready to send them back

[STORMINORMAN]

I've got some valve cover gaskets for them...

3 pair!

And extra grommets, too!

Cheers!

[STORMINORMAN]

...anyone know, off-hand, what the book labor hours are for doing these valve cover (rocker arm?) gaskets, both sides?

Cheers! & Thanks

[Stevebsy]

I see that Autozone also has the felpro valve cover gasket kit for the 2000 Impreza EJ20 engine for $29, with grommets.

I'd have to go look and see how many grommets are on each engine (handily I have both here) but that might be another option...plus you can probably get them for a better price than that for a less-famous brand.

[davew833]

I'm not sure how many the EJ20 takes, but I looked at the EJ22 and EJ25, which each take six grommets, and the ER27(?) from the XT, which wasn't available. The EA82 seemed to have the most with 9. It took me about 4 hours to do the VC gaskets, but I wasn't in a big hurry and three hours was with a flashlight after my power went out(!)

[huck369]

Originally Posted by davew833

I'm not sure how many the EJ20 takes, but I looked at the EJ22 and EJ25, which each take six grommets, and the ER27(?) from the XT, which wasn't available. The EA82 seemed to have the most with 9. It took me about 4 hours to do the VC gaskets, but I wasn't in a big hurry and three hours was with a flashlight after my power went out(!)

Pretty sure the ER27 out of the XT6 has 13 groments, and IS available as a kit through local parts places around here.....but the EA82 set is way cheaper.