How many prices

[Scottt]

do the dealers have for parts?? When i worked at a auto parts store 30 years ago there was a list price, wholesale price, and a jobber price.

I had a bad whistling noise so I took my truck to the Peterbilt dealer where my truck came from. They pressurized the CaC and it held pressure and no noise. it ended up being a bearing in the turbo making the noise.

The shop foreman came over and said the turbo was $3600 and I told him to put it back together like it was because I wasn't paying that much and I was going to shop around the internet for one cheaper. He left and came back and said I could have it for $1978 so I had them put it on. Probably still double what I could find one for on the internet.

I had been blowing fuses on my windshield wipers and they said I needed a new motor. I priced the motor there and they wanted $461 and I said no thanks I would shop around. The city where I was picking up my next load had a Pete dealer so I stopped and they priced a motor for $349. They were getting cheaper so I didn't buy it. The wiper motor motor went up in smoke in Kansas City so I stopped at the Pete dealer and said how much for the motor? They priced it to me for $523 and i went off on him. I told him Des Moines was $461 and Ceder Rapids was $349 and he wanted over 500? He stuttered and said I can sell it for $375. I had no wipers and it was raining so I had to buy it. I went and asked the shop how much to put it on and they said $150-200. I took it out in the parking lot and put it on myself in less than 30 minutes.

Do they just double the list price and wait for you to talk them down?

Are the Peterbilt dealers I have gone to just crooks?

I know now that when I go to buy a part I will never pay the first price they quote me.

[BigDiesel]

Its all negotiable..... generally you wiill get a better price at your local dealer that you bought the tractor from... when you are on the road, usually you are screwed.....

[Useless]

Sounds like you had the guy in Kansas City by your own balls!!

You waited until the motor no longer worked, and it was raining hard....... not like you had many options at that point!!

You're fortunate that the trucking industry ( especially the sales and service end ) is hurting right now, and that the guy didn't tell you either take it at the $523 price, or else take a hike!!

[BlooMoose]

Everything gets hiked up at Christmas anyway. It's unfortunate that we have to do so much footwork on our own just to keep from getting screwed. But they know that you were probably wanting to get done and get on in for the holiday...a lot of people might not say anything, just bend over and take their screwing. I shop around, too...I got my own family to support! My dad was a radiator man. I remember him searching for good core prices so things would work out for everybody. He was always up to his eyeballs in work. Some of my best memories from childhood (up until he dropped us all like a bad habit) were getting to go in on Saturdays and help him in "the shop". There were a lot of people that loved and respected him for his fair prices and good work. Even though I never hear from him anymore, I still take pride in that thing about him. He didn't have to gouge people to make money...